tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91344235953933824512024-03-28T20:29:23.241-07:00How to Select an American PresidentThis initiative is that of James George, author and independent journalist. It is intended to inspire voters, political parties, and elected officials to improve the qualifications and evaluation process for candidates for public office.James Georgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03390672305277920091noreply@blogger.comBlogger1281125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9134423595393382451.post-37124581529887804232024-03-25T04:05:00.000-07:002024-03-25T04:24:18.608-07:00HOW SHOULD A CANDIDATE DEVELOP A MANIFESTO <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p class="p1" style="font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;">James George</p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">STANDARDS FOR AMERICAN POLITICAL PARTIES (c) 2024 JAG</span></span><span class="s1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 14.7px;"><br /></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Graphik; font-size: 13px;">25 March 2024</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: start;"><br /></p><p class="p4" style="color: #050505; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 35px;"><b>HOW SHOULD A CANDIDATE<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b></p><p class="p4" style="color: #050505; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 35px;"><b>DEVELOP A MANIFESTO?</b><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 18.7px;"> </span></p><p class="p6" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> </p><p class="p7" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Developing a presidential candidate manifesto as envisioned here is akin to developing an audit trail of ideas, plans, and policies that a candidate develops in concert with prospective advisors and cabinet members in preparation for being elected.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p7" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"> </p><p class="p8" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 19.2px;">The manifesto and associated evidence should provide voter citizens with keen insight and substance about what the candidate believes and how they intend to manage.</p><p class="p8" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 19.2px;"><br /></p><p class="p8" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 19.2px;">Political parties are encouraged to embrace the practice of preparing presidential manifestos. They might say that they already do.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p7" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"> </p><p class="p8" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 19.2px;">The questions about their approach include:</p><p class="p7" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"> </p><p class="p9" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 48px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -24px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">·</span><span class="s2" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 9.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Essential content</p><p class="p9" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 48px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -24px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">·</span><span class="s2" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 9.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Timeliness</p><p class="p9" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 48px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -24px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">·</span><span class="s2" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 9.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Stability of the core foundation</p><p class="p9" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 48px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -24px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">·</span><span class="s2" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 9.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Relevance to contemporary needs</p><p class="p9" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 48px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -24px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">·</span><span class="s2" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 9.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Relevance and adaptability to emerging and future needs</p><p class="p7" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"> </p><p class="p7" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span> </span>Political parties would do well to collaborate with academic institutions with representation from multiple disciplines to support their efforts on an ongoing basis. Today, many lobbyist organizations, including “think tanks,” produce content for political parties and the legislative and executive branches of government. The content sources must be transparent as they are often prepared with particular biases.</p><p class="p7" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"> </p><p class="p8" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 19.2px;">How much time should one expect to devote to the effort? In many respects, a political party’s manifesto might be a precursor indication of future legislative needs and a foundation to continue improving the system. It lives and breathes, as does the nation’s body of laws.</p><p class="p8" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 19.2px;"> </p><p class="p8" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 19.2px;">First of all, each candidate must assess their position. Do they plan to unseat an incumbent after one four-year term in office, or are they targeting a new opportunity following an incumbent’s second term? It is very hard to unseat an incumbent, especially if the perception is positive about their performance.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p8" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 19.2px;"> </p><p class="p8" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 19.2px;">However, given the poor quality of present candidates and flaws in the process, no one should be discouraged from the pursuit if they possess superior qualifications.</p><p class="p7" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"> </p><p class="p8" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 19.2px;">Developing a Presidential Candidate’s Manifesto should be a team effort. It should engage the candidate’s community of supporters, including academic representatives, specialists, prospective cabinet members, constituent organizations, and special interests.</p><p class="p8" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 19.2px;"><br /></p><p class="p8" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 19.2px;">Is it possible for the candidate to refrain from engaging prospective vice-presidential candidates early in the process?</p><p class="p8" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 19.2px;"><br /></p><p class="p8" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 19.2px;">The process of developing a manifesto is preparation for the job. A candidate should earnestly address the initiative to publicize and merchandise the content.</p><p class="p7" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"> </p><p class="p8" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 19.2px;">The process will take time. Let’s say a presidential candidate will run for office at the next available opportunity, say in four years. Four years out is not too early to start the manifesto. Three years out is not too early to float the first draft.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p8" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 19.2px;"> </p><p class="p8" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 19.2px;">Two years out, it is time to make the manifesto as robust as possible and to embrace contributors with attribution as members of your team.</p><p class="p8" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 19.2px;"> </p><p class="p8" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 19.2px;">That means voters should have the candidate’s manifesto to consider and evaluate two years before the election. The product may be iterative. A manifesto may start with policies and then include strategies and details. It is expected to be amended and modified because it is adaptive and aligned to real-world events. Transparency about changes is helpful for citizen voters. It should be posted online.</p><p class="p7" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"> </p><p class="p7" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">The manifesto provides the following:</p><p class="p7" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"> </p><p class="p9" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 48px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -24px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">·</span><span class="s2" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 9.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Evidence of diligence</p><p class="p9" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 48px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -24px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">·</span><span class="s2" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 9.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Evidence of knowledge and skill</p><p class="p9" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 48px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -24px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">·</span><span class="s2" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 9.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Evidence of performance behavior and character</p><p class="p9" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 48px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -24px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">·</span><span class="s2" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 9.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Evidence of priorities by the selection of topics and emphasis</p><p class="p9" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 48px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -24px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">·</span><span class="s2" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 9.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Evidence of ability</p><p class="p9" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 48px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -24px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">·</span><span class="s2" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 9.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Evidence allegiance</p><p class="p7" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"> </p><p class="p8" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 19.2px;">Political parties have manifestos, aka platforms, that they carry from one election cycle to another. How much of the core content should be expected to change? How much alignment should there be between candidates and their parties? What are the drivers for change in content? How do political parties manage their platforms? Therein, the answers will reveal opportunities for significant improvement and impact the discretionary latitude of presidential candidates.</p><p class="p8" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 19.2px;"><br /></p><p class="p8" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 19.2px;">In the election cycle 2016, this author is amazed at the amount of misunderstanding and variance about the role of government and about a host of social issues derived from that debate. It is as if the Civil War never ended or that a new one has begun.</p><p class="p7" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"> </p><p class="p7" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">(I wrote that long ago, and it is wholly relevant in 2024.)</p><p class="p7" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"> </p><p class="p8" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 19.2px;">Part of the problem is that party platforms are too commingled with presidential candidates’ manifestos, and the entire process and cycle are out of synchronization.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p8" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 19.2px;"> </p><p class="p8" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 19.2px;">A political party should have a solid handle on its brand well before the election cycle so that candidates can participate as team members. Subsequently, the presidential candidates can develop the most current interpretation of priorities and needs aligned with their host party.</p><p class="p8" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 19.2px;"> </p><p class="p8" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 19.2px;">In the instance of the Republican Party today, there is complete instability, and their leading candidate’s manifesto is underdeveloped. The actors are out of synchronization and misaligned.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p8" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 19.2px;"> </p><p class="p8" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 19.2px;">To a similar extent, the same might be true of the Democratic Party. (Election 2016 is evidence that both parties are dysfunctional.)</p><p class="p8" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 19.2px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhwt85vtZFnHuCuVraWNLl8ytlmib2wvBCiLr26vAxCaDG1Zv-rRU60YexL-fLCc_oYHsYN4q2MvTPfGxJaEoilSHF02mhVuJPhUPnDJ_epN2hZ3QTk0BnglHNZU4rtffgronqTu4pe7fKfN80dy13qBytQCC0OnEde-OiYEIbsrmLpvgzq8Ez4s3hrtuV/s2576/2024-03-23%2015.49.25.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2576" data-original-width="1932" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhwt85vtZFnHuCuVraWNLl8ytlmib2wvBCiLr26vAxCaDG1Zv-rRU60YexL-fLCc_oYHsYN4q2MvTPfGxJaEoilSHF02mhVuJPhUPnDJ_epN2hZ3QTk0BnglHNZU4rtffgronqTu4pe7fKfN80dy13qBytQCC0OnEde-OiYEIbsrmLpvgzq8Ez4s3hrtuV/s320/2024-03-23%2015.49.25.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p class="p8" style="font-family: Garamond; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 19.2px;"><br /></p></div><br /><p></p>James Georgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03390672305277920091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9134423595393382451.post-39817829900670749182024-03-18T14:10:00.000-07:002024-03-18T14:10:21.984-07:00'Show Me The Money'<p>Tonight, the news is that Donald J. Trump emptied his Charles Schwab account as collateral to secure a bond from Chubb Insurance in the E. Jean Carroll conviction. </p><p>However, in the New York State fraud case, he cannot secure a bond for nearly $500 million. The cash is due Monday, and after seeking bonds from thirty different sources, no one is willing to post bond for Trump. Why would the bond companies not take real estate as collateral? First, the real estate may be encumbered. Second, it may be overvalued, and determining the correct value is too hard.</p><p>The State of New York, under Letitia James and the Court, does not want the real estate paper either. They want the money for New Yorkers who were defrauded by Trump.</p><p>Think about it. The bond is $500 million. Trump's real estate may not be worth that amount, which means he is broke except for his president's pension and Social Security. I am confident he and his lawyers will weasel the best they can, except lawyers want to be paid, too. </p><p>So, the battle cry is, "Show me the money!" </p><p>Of course, Donald Trump has a new source of revenue: the Grand Old Party, which he controls. He had better be careful because that is another area of regulation.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3jjLMGq8pfrUie9IAzlSPD_3qGsQDX4DMAppG0j-GB7z-CrXH7PKwsZ_NMa3h7yMZnNpxPT5GlY57WzIXS-LE3S2jn78HZxRBpzhwbcMa4N90a5cTEnJx8zf0SZWaCwYhfZce2TtwSpjcn35Vb6FBRd_h1_pWD4IDVlv61Hh6v7dKPau_E9n4ueFCFgYu/s1170/Screenshot%202024-03-18%20at%2017.09.16.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="618" data-original-width="1170" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3jjLMGq8pfrUie9IAzlSPD_3qGsQDX4DMAppG0j-GB7z-CrXH7PKwsZ_NMa3h7yMZnNpxPT5GlY57WzIXS-LE3S2jn78HZxRBpzhwbcMa4N90a5cTEnJx8zf0SZWaCwYhfZce2TtwSpjcn35Vb6FBRd_h1_pWD4IDVlv61Hh6v7dKPau_E9n4ueFCFgYu/s320/Screenshot%202024-03-18%20at%2017.09.16.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Jerry McGuire </div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>James Georgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03390672305277920091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9134423595393382451.post-13581217399141727112024-03-09T06:18:00.000-08:002024-03-09T06:27:56.581-08:00Off the Bench<p><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: georgia;">No, I am not moving to England YET. No, I am not stopping writing biographies with mysteries. No, I am not giving up painting. So, what is new?<br /><br />I am renewing my writing about the American political system, beginning with <i>How to Revamp American Political Parties</i> (c) 2024 by James A. George. This will be a scholarly work.<br /><br />Many people have yet to read <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Select-American-President-James-George/dp/1480840882" target="_blank"><i>How to Select an American Presiden</i>t</a>. Poo on you. Many still need to read <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Regenerating-America-Sustainable-Economics-Ahead/dp/1480851094" target="_blank">Regenerating America with Sustainable Economics</a></i>. More poo on you. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIg7wWmlOwY1J_OcdHTWy1C_3fEYASB2E8gE-khxf4-bTCdGOvEI-CYPciFG38zlR0HlogrjG2soCNQGfLZ33-B9kHOZ9dS-EpuuHVwePuAwM0Jzzeb0tNmFfbta1NtVByPsCWoQBWHntukV5fVzh__9CNOK1-evIW7FfYmwO1P4TdYLQYftmFP7Q_xSbC/s806/Screenshot%202024-03-09%20at%2009.16.11.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="806" data-original-width="560" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIg7wWmlOwY1J_OcdHTWy1C_3fEYASB2E8gE-khxf4-bTCdGOvEI-CYPciFG38zlR0HlogrjG2soCNQGfLZ33-B9kHOZ9dS-EpuuHVwePuAwM0Jzzeb0tNmFfbta1NtVByPsCWoQBWHntukV5fVzh__9CNOK1-evIW7FfYmwO1P4TdYLQYftmFP7Q_xSbC/s320/Screenshot%202024-03-09%20at%2009.16.11.png" width="222" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /><span style="color: #20124d;">If you are not part of the solution, you are the problem. I am helping the academic community embrace my work. It is easy to read and understand, though you (my friends) have much picking up to do.<br /><br />Every friend who reads and reviews on Amazon provides significant help. That's all I ask.</span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia5aoCEMXEGsfMD0CO-kRsXQx6T6W4NwasuXU8qE3dofJtRT77V0ZuqeCIsFLGo6FUcTEbq8gY7AT4WY_KYKZiDcGfytpI1Ni8jmOJhr8aTEB4cEO5cfshnWu6CagFja5HEYaZeXecxo1IDOcEy9aBjOKes08ztTfqk7M28S2cw2zEKwWr3iZRlztIUrZ4/s848/Screenshot%202024-03-09%20at%2009.14.53.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="848" data-original-width="572" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia5aoCEMXEGsfMD0CO-kRsXQx6T6W4NwasuXU8qE3dofJtRT77V0ZuqeCIsFLGo6FUcTEbq8gY7AT4WY_KYKZiDcGfytpI1Ni8jmOJhr8aTEB4cEO5cfshnWu6CagFja5HEYaZeXecxo1IDOcEy9aBjOKes08ztTfqk7M28S2cw2zEKwWr3iZRlztIUrZ4/s320/Screenshot%202024-03-09%20at%2009.14.53.png" width="216" /></a></div><br /><p><br /><br /><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>James Georgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03390672305277920091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9134423595393382451.post-39064802474708830862024-03-08T06:19:00.000-08:002024-03-08T06:19:47.130-08:00Lost Soul<p><span style="font-family: Graphik; font-size: 13px;">James George</span></p><p><i style="font-family: Graphik; font-size: 13px;">How to Select an American President</i></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">8 March 2024</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="color: #20817d; font-family: Canela; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 28px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><b>Lost Soul</b></p><p class="p4" style="color: #4c4c4c; font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 35px; text-align: center;">A Cousin Who Never Got It</p><p class="p5" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;">My cousin passed last year, and for a while, we quarreled as he was a Trump MAGA supporter. I wondered why. I tried to understand because I knew the facts about him.</p><p class="p6" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px; text-indent: 27px;"><br /></p><p class="p5" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;">He worked for his brother as a sheriff's deputy.</p><p class="p5" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;">He came from a farm family.</p><p class="p5" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;">He was a white male living in a dominant white rural community.</p><p class="p5" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;">He spent most of his life working for a communications company.</p><p class="p5" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;">He had no military service.</p><p class="p5" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;">He wasn’t particularly religious.</p><p class="p5" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;">He enjoyed his life with his wife and family.</p><p class="p5" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;">He was middle class in a rural village.</p><p class="p6" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px; text-indent: 27px;"><br /></p><p class="p5" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;">“<i>Racial and ethnic composition of 2022 voters<br /><br /></i></p><p class="p5" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;"><i>More than eight-in-ten Republican voters in 2022 (85%) were White, non-Hispanic, down slightly (from 88%) compared with the 2018 midterms. Nearly identical shares of Democratic voters in 2022 (64%) and 2018 (65%) were White.”</i><br /><br /></p><p class="p5" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;">Pew Research: Demographic profiles of Republican and Democratic voters</p><p class="p5" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;"><br />What my cousin resented or feared the most was having his taxes paid for welfare. (He lived on Social Security.) He worked hard all his life and didn’t believe anyone “down on their luck” deserved a break. When I probed this notion, it came down to greed and assuming that the “government” spends too much.</p><p class="p6" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px; text-indent: 27px;"><br /></p><p class="p5" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;">When attempting to understand his ideas about “too much,” he could not or would not answer. He threw up his hands in futility. Why? He could not think about it in detail or express his opinion because he had no basis for his feelings.</p><p class="p6" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px; text-indent: 27px;"><br /></p><p class="p5" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;"><span class="Apple-converted-space">When I asked him why he was a Trump supporter, the answer came down to his belief that Trump stood for minimal control by the government and my cousin's affinity for joining the crowd whom he perceived as “winners.” </span></p><p class="p6" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px; text-indent: 27px;"><br /></p><p class="p5" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;">What is a winner, I asked. His answer was surprising — people who have money and play golf.</p><p class="p6" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px; text-indent: 27px;"><br /></p><p class="p5" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;">Did my cousin have money? No, not much. Did he play golf? Yes. Did my cousin gamble and drink? The answer was when he could.</p><p class="p6" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px; text-indent: 27px;"><br /></p><p class="p5" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;">My cousin didn’t want his feathers ruffled. He wanted to be on a winning team. He died believing he won. That is for others to judge.</p><p class="p5" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSOXaTg_mHTKzvD5tFPQ98q6sEVxtFfgV2f3mhMQNSv4TXeHlz8LRUyJNiDfEVDTVM4S4W888HpfJxMPWzUfpwUz28PUgLEvE5iesjVMMcinoLMdHJ3MiaNcNcwDcElcHxEyKkIzl_v9NM4EiBUV5h8ZkFlcrIsDQEY-Lsqz8IZWrgf6Q55IO5k7x4oNl7/s1200/1200x798.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="798" data-original-width="1200" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSOXaTg_mHTKzvD5tFPQ98q6sEVxtFfgV2f3mhMQNSv4TXeHlz8LRUyJNiDfEVDTVM4S4W888HpfJxMPWzUfpwUz28PUgLEvE5iesjVMMcinoLMdHJ3MiaNcNcwDcElcHxEyKkIzl_v9NM4EiBUV5h8ZkFlcrIsDQEY-Lsqz8IZWrgf6Q55IO5k7x4oNl7/s320/1200x798.jpg" width="320" /></a><br /><br />Bloomberg Image</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p class="p5" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;"><br /></p><p class="p6" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px; text-indent: 27px;"><br /></p><p class="p6" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px; text-indent: 27px;"><br /></p><p class="p6" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px; text-indent: 27px;"><br /></p><p class="p6" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px; text-indent: 27px;"><br /></p><p class="p6" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px; text-indent: 27px;"><br /></p><p class="p6" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px; text-indent: 27px;"><br /></p><p class="p6" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px; text-indent: 27px;"><br /></p><p class="p6" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px; text-indent: 27px;"><br /></p><p class="p6" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px; text-indent: 27px;"><br /></p><p class="p6" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px; text-indent: 27px;"><br /></p>James Georgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03390672305277920091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9134423595393382451.post-71748575996550778392024-03-06T14:41:00.000-08:002024-03-07T05:41:25.251-08:00Too Late to Say Goodbye<p><span style="font-family: Graphik; font-size: 13px;">James George</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Graphik; font-size: 13px;">How to Select an American President</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">6 March 2024</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="color: #20817d; font-family: Canela; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 28px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><b>Too Late to Say Goodbye</b></p><p class="p4" style="color: #4c4c4c; font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 35px; text-align: center;">Biden or Bust</p><p class="p5" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;">When writing my book, <i>How to Select an American President</i> (c) 2017 Archway Publishing, I scored Joe Biden over Hillary Clinton. In 2016, Joe Biden was America’s best choice. That didn’t happen, and we ended up with Trump.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p6" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px; text-indent: 27px;"><br /></p><p class="p5" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;">Using my system of evaluating resumes, I see that Trump and Clinton were equally wrong for different reasons. Trump had no elected office experience. His corporate experience was from a large-scale mom-and-pop real estate enterprise, and the management comparison didn’t fit. Hillary had government experience, though she was smeared by lies and some mistakes.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p6" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px; text-indent: 27px;"><br /></p><p class="p5" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;">In 2020, Biden competed and won. Since then, he has managed well, and the economy is great. His problems are immigration and foreign affairs—Ukraine and Palestine.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p6" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px; text-indent: 27px;"><br /></p><p class="p5" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;">Trump and Republicans have attacked women’s rights and minorities. They are not aligned on the side of morality. They are unpatriotic. Trump is a crook and a convicted rapist.</p><p class="p6" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px; text-indent: 27px;"><br /></p><p class="p5" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;">What is America to do?</p><p class="p6" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px; text-indent: 27px;"><br /></p><p class="p5" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;">Go rid’n with Biden. If he falters after being elected, his backup is great. Kamala Harris has come on strong. Backed by a Democratic House and Senate, she would manage quite well. Biden may very well perform for another four years. Democracy will survive.</p><p class="p6" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px; text-indent: 27px;"><br /></p><p class="p5" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;">On the other hand, if America gives Trump another term, the nation is asunder. It is our choice as voters.<br /><br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2uSxHdQbiN561YVNV9paFmmFiP7y5SMJehUjrMxSN28yl_MH6W_yjQHSDKyA2Fd1H-94GnfiJ6DvkxhKBCrsrwxgLfqiw9bkdReeGKQId1NYQu0WFTsqkkfWdL4kvr1IYSE1G4NaAvwo-NTeh32tdsQcird49ZVP2PCYU0jnzrNfl6h8eCZ2z8oXnWGMB/s750/Biden_Harris_750x500.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="750" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2uSxHdQbiN561YVNV9paFmmFiP7y5SMJehUjrMxSN28yl_MH6W_yjQHSDKyA2Fd1H-94GnfiJ6DvkxhKBCrsrwxgLfqiw9bkdReeGKQId1NYQu0WFTsqkkfWdL4kvr1IYSE1G4NaAvwo-NTeh32tdsQcird49ZVP2PCYU0jnzrNfl6h8eCZ2z8oXnWGMB/s320/Biden_Harris_750x500.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Berkeley News</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p class="p6" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px; text-indent: 27px;"><br /></p><p class="p6" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px; text-indent: 27px;"><br /></p>James Georgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03390672305277920091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9134423595393382451.post-65794973584353827032024-03-04T15:30:00.000-08:002024-03-07T05:37:06.846-08:00Not Wanting to Be Cynical<p><span style="font-family: Graphik; font-size: 13px;">James George</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Graphik; font-size: 13px;">How to Select an American President</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">4 March 2024</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="color: #20817d; font-family: Canela; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 28px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><b>Not Wanting to Be Cynical</b></p><p class="p4" style="color: #4c4c4c; font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 35px; text-align: center;">Obama warned against it.</p><p class="p5" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;">President Obama cautioned not to be cynical and to vote at the polls. He was correct about voting, though, in the face of the Trump cult era confounded by a corrupt and immoral Republican Party, a dysfunctional House of Representatives, and a shaky Senate, people have every right to feel cynical.</p><p class="p6" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px; text-indent: 27px;"><br /></p><p class="p5" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;">“Believing that people are motivated purely by <a href="https://www.google.com/search?newwindow=1&sca_esv=6416c49529b0d5b1&rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS926US926&q=self-interest&si=AKbGX_o31t0LiMsEloM2rO5Vmah9Z9T4_aglMvbR5ZuW2WE5ZsGj6R3OJQQriPh3w1YFEREJ4P3faz1s5ReRGJvHEm84Gw1hht-jDK-8B9L4pyd2LltTJyg%3D&expnd=1"><span class="s1">self-interest</span></a>; <a href="https://www.google.com/search?newwindow=1&sca_esv=6416c49529b0d5b1&rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS926US926&q=distrustful&si=AKbGX_q4mkMHy1Nmq4yITjHYVzep7g5XKyRIgDIvmavGbMoUMmexGmLAISCb4M3mtuaBlbj-awEq-P_is_ZSZ2fhuFpdKYfO9dIt6Ln7yOKmJVGnaHjkefw%3D&expnd=1"><span class="s1">distrustful</span></a> of human <a href="https://www.google.com/search?newwindow=1&sca_esv=6416c49529b0d5b1&rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS926US926&q=sincerity&si=AKbGX_onJk-q0LQUYzV7-GRhpJ5DCnjKCcSr6Oe-awHk5B9kAwwZRqQZBSyVROJs6lN5aBhTJ-cGhOknbITWZfQBnqD_UAcpdm-3bjkbxIhOdlaAH7PhiO8%3D&expnd=1"><span class="s1">sincerity</span></a>, or integrity.”</p><p class="p6" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px; text-indent: 27px;"><br /></p><p class="p5" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;">America has fallen flat on its face worldwide, and it isn’t Joe Biden stumbling. I believe the Democratic Party could have and must do more to demonstrate leadership and to shore up its leader, Biden. I see VP Kamala Harris coming forward, and she appears more competent and confident onstage. After all, if Biden goes down for whatever reason, Kamala will lead the way.</p><p class="p6" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px; text-indent: 27px;"><br /></p><p class="p5" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;">Comparing Harris and Haley, Harris has more executive branch experience. Haley’s credentials and performance give me confidence — both women are excellent candidates, and Harris is the incumbent.</p><p class="p5" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;"><br /></p><p class="p5" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;">Trump and his cult are reasons to be cynical, to the extent that we must use our vote to purge them.</p><p class="p5" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheoyvzh6uNGANm0ZiqPWX07EeHSxXryCSHjwWywi6gRSkwfTIKyf_DQGt8clyi6KQHogNdkZb4h6PW2b7DndHKCoFwA0O9WDYxbtJroBQ8AV4eC7NYw8aATqSbqdW2sKPtmx1FmkZlJvjsHfWhjG3anWtEhyRQxJqjHTzRvR9mDle4g3rOPidFmkqfQ01g/s676/Screenshot%202024-03-04%20at%2018.30.11.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="420" data-original-width="676" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheoyvzh6uNGANm0ZiqPWX07EeHSxXryCSHjwWywi6gRSkwfTIKyf_DQGt8clyi6KQHogNdkZb4h6PW2b7DndHKCoFwA0O9WDYxbtJroBQ8AV4eC7NYw8aATqSbqdW2sKPtmx1FmkZlJvjsHfWhjG3anWtEhyRQxJqjHTzRvR9mDle4g3rOPidFmkqfQ01g/s320/Screenshot%202024-03-04%20at%2018.30.11.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p class="p5" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;"><br /></p>James Georgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03390672305277920091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9134423595393382451.post-2668396039654707732024-02-21T14:17:00.000-08:002024-02-22T05:25:33.349-08:00Allegations against US Representative Jim Jordan<p><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;">Anyone watching the news over the past several years has become familiar with Ohio’s US Representative, Jim Jordan.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;">Jim Jordan was complicit in Donald Trump’s initiative to overturn the 2020 election. He obstructed justice and continued to lie about the failed insurrection. He is democracy’s enemy planted as a Trump cog.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;">To be fair, he says what he does: “Jordan has been an advocate of the taxpayer, looking for waste, fraud, and abuse in the federal government. He serves as the Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and serves on the House Oversight Committee.” (His website)</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><i>"What has he accomplished?</i></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><i> </i></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><i>His Legislative Record<br /><br /></i></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><i>Jordan has sponsored 825 bills and resolutions since 2011 (when Bill Track 50 began tracking legislation). But if you narrow down to the bills where he was the primary sponsor, you're left with 16. They are set out on this stakeholder page. Interestingly, <b>not a single one of them has passed and become law</b>. There are some broad categories of topics. Several aim to protect second amendment rights, there are some intents on reducing federal spending and taxation and a few more defending the right to free speech. <b>HR408 - the Spending Reduction Act of 2011, sought to slash federal spending by $2.5 trillion. It never made it out of committee. In 2013, he introduced the Life at Conception Act, which again died in committee. Other notable failures include the Welfare Reform Act of 2014 (which sought to, among other things, link food stamps to a 'healthy marriage' and restrict funding for health benefits coverage that includes abortion) and The Second Amendment Enforcement Act of 2015."</b></i></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><b><br /></b></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b><a href="https://www.billtrack50.com/blog/house-race-jim-jordan/">https://www.billtrack50.com/blog/house-race-jim-jordan/</a></b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><b> </b></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><b>Jim Jordan</b></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;">Chair of the House Judiciary Committee</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;">Incumbent</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;">Assumed office</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;">January 3, 2023</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;">Jerry Nadler</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;">Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;">In office</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;">March 12, 2020 – January 3, 2023</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;">Doug Collins</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;">Jerry Nadler</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;">Ranking Member of the House Oversight Committee</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;">In office</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;">March 31, 2020 – June 29, 2020</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;">Mark Meadows</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;">James Comer</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;">In office</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;">January 3, 2019 – March 12, 2020</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;">Elijah Cummings</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;">Mark Meadows</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;">Chair of the House Freedom Caucus</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;">In office</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;">October 1, 2015 – January 3, 2017</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;">Position established</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;">Mark Meadows</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;">Member of the U.S. House of Representatives</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;">from Ohio's 4th district</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;">Incumbent</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;">Assumed office</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;">January 3, 2007</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;">Mike Oxley</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;">Member of the Ohio Senate</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;">from the 12th district</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;">In office</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;">January 3, 2001 – December 31, 2006</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;">Robert R. Cupp</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;">Keith Faber</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;">Member of the Ohio House of Representatives</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;">from the 85th district</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;">In office</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;">January 3, 1995 – December 31, 2000</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;">Jim Davis</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;">Derrick Seaver</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;">Personal details</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;">James Daniel Jordan</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;">February 17, 1964 (age 60)</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;">Troy, Ohio, U.S.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;">Republicans</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;">Polly Jordan</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;">(m. 1985)</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;">4</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;">University of Wisconsin–Madison (BS)</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;">Ohio State University (MA)</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;">Capital University (JD)</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;">Presidential Medal of Freedom (2021)</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCtV6NHmxMeG4lhb3_0OC_2jqz5PWL9SGozW-CWe7MskOf3JMqQatOZF3Ns9Ar0hS02hC3g6AwOKdXpLuXm9SHvBm3WA47cS0rk5NRwB3uC5cq8uiWE6tD5r2svTM7-MF_y4qCCPDzx3bHU2gDK10_mQTUdZkBKm3YhsOd76yU-GNR4xR9-21Fv3m4iEZu/s834/Screenshot%202024-02-21%20at%2017.15.58.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="758" data-original-width="834" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCtV6NHmxMeG4lhb3_0OC_2jqz5PWL9SGozW-CWe7MskOf3JMqQatOZF3Ns9Ar0hS02hC3g6AwOKdXpLuXm9SHvBm3WA47cS0rk5NRwB3uC5cq8uiWE6tD5r2svTM7-MF_y4qCCPDzx3bHU2gDK10_mQTUdZkBKm3YhsOd76yU-GNR4xR9-21Fv3m4iEZu/s320/Screenshot%202024-02-21%20at%2017.15.58.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">WOSU TV</div><br /><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><br /></p></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /><p></p>James Georgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03390672305277920091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9134423595393382451.post-29706978080148495172024-02-13T13:37:00.000-08:002024-03-07T05:36:15.700-08:00Republicans Are The Enemies Within<p> <span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">While Donald Trump sews doubt about the US commitment to NATO, and he threatens to unleash Russia, the US Republican Congress tried and failed to impeach Department of Homeland Secretary </span><a href="https://www.dhs.gov/person/alejandro-mayorkas" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"><span class="s1">Alejandro Mayorkas</span></a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Concurrently, the Republicans refuse to enact Senate-passed bipartisan legislation to help Homeland Security cope with the immigration problem. They blocked it because Donald Trump told them a solution would be bad politics for him (not the nation.)</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Therefore, reasonable citizens might wonder, are Republicans good for America or are they aligned with the enemies?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">I submit Republicans are the enemies within<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_dRXqMueTVr0UAPqcMGKHkWtgbUIOH8FqddlVq_YyrOUCyR5nusH4BP_UUlU0zo-adE6PhCEvm71d9IgdV0avk9lpLHI9zEi2a5jVHEty8ducrkyStQI7PYWsiQlA8yXfexlFDDk0lPqFA6UtxaV15sIZDLNp-1YKw8gLtAk4o6yJvT802nKH1Vf1ITbl/s590/Screenshot%202024-02-13%20at%2016.36.38.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="590" data-original-width="578" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_dRXqMueTVr0UAPqcMGKHkWtgbUIOH8FqddlVq_YyrOUCyR5nusH4BP_UUlU0zo-adE6PhCEvm71d9IgdV0avk9lpLHI9zEi2a5jVHEty8ducrkyStQI7PYWsiQlA8yXfexlFDDk0lPqFA6UtxaV15sIZDLNp-1YKw8gLtAk4o6yJvT802nKH1Vf1ITbl/w313-h320/Screenshot%202024-02-13%20at%2016.36.38.png" width="313" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />James Georgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03390672305277920091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9134423595393382451.post-10848435725023270542024-02-09T06:15:00.000-08:002024-02-09T06:15:32.750-08:00Republican Incumbents<p>Republican Incumbents have mostly declared war on American democracy. They are enemies of the state, radicals who must be expelled by American voters. <br /><br />Some participated as co-conspirators with Donald Trump, who allegedly participated in the illegal and violent insurrection. His prosecution continues as he is <u>eligible without immunity</u>. Trump interfered with the election process, intimidating and corrupting voting officials in multiple states. </p><div style="text-align: left;">Donald Trump committed fraudulent crimes in business for which he was convicted. He was convicted of rape and slander against an innocent woman. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><p style="background-color: white; background-repeat: no-repeat; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: var(--font-1); font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.55; margin: 0px 0px 20px; text-align: left;">"For years, <span class="LinkEnhancement" style="background-repeat: no-repeat; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: calc(1em + 4px);"><a class="Link AnClick-LinkEnhancement" data-gtm-enhancement-style="LinkEnhancementA" href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump" rel="noopener" style="background-color: transparent; background-repeat: no-repeat; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: calc(1em + 4px); touch-action: manipulation;" target="_blank">Donald Trump</a></span> hurled insults at <span class="LinkEnhancement" style="background-repeat: no-repeat; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: calc(1em + 4px);"><a class="Link AnClick-LinkEnhancement" data-gtm-enhancement-style="LinkEnhancementA" href="https://apnews.com/hub/e-jean-carroll" rel="noopener" style="background-color: transparent; background-repeat: no-repeat; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: calc(1em + 4px); touch-action: manipulation;" target="_blank">E. Jean Carroll</a></span>, saying the advice columnist fabricated a <span class="LinkEnhancement" style="background-repeat: no-repeat; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: calc(1em + 4px);"><a class="Link AnClick-LinkEnhancement" data-gtm-enhancement-style="LinkEnhancementA" href="https://apnews.com/article/new-york-lawsuits-donald-trump-legislature-sexual-assault-f94c39cb0fd983445d084ba30b58891a" rel="noopener" style="background-color: transparent; background-repeat: no-repeat; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: calc(1em + 4px); touch-action: manipulation;" target="_blank">sexual assault allegation</a></span> against him to sell a book.</p><p style="background-color: white; background-repeat: no-repeat; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: var(--font-1); font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.55; margin: 20px 0px; text-align: left;">Will Trump keep that up, now that he’s been hit with a <span class="LinkEnhancement" style="background-repeat: no-repeat; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: calc(1em + 4px);"><a class="Link AnClick-LinkEnhancement" data-gtm-enhancement-style="LinkEnhancementA" href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-carroll-defamation-trial-e4ea8b93cdeb29857864ffd8d14be888#:~:text=NEW%20YORK%20(AP)%20%E2%80%94%20A,in%20a%20Manhattan%20department%20store." rel="noopener" style="background-color: transparent; background-repeat: no-repeat; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: calc(1em + 4px); touch-action: manipulation;" target="_blank">$83.3 million defamation judgment?</a></span></p><p style="background-color: white; background-repeat: no-repeat; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.55; margin: 20px 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: var(--font-1);">A jury on Friday found that Trump had maliciously damaged Carroll’s reputation in 2019 after she went public with her accusations. Jurors awarded her $18 million to compensate for the personal harm she experienced, then added $65 million more to punish Trump — and maybe prevent him from continuing to go after her on social media."</span><br /><br />https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-e-jean-carroll-defamation-trial-6a869676243b99640002912470b62309</p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"Over five months, former President Donald Trump was charged in four criminal cases. In Washington, D.C., he faces four felony counts for his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. In Georgia, he faces 13 felony counts for his election interference in that state. In New York, he faces 34 felony counts in connection with hush money payments to a porn star. And in Florida, he faces 40 felony counts for hoarding classified documents after he left office and impeding the government’s efforts to retrieve them."</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">https://www.citizensforethics.org/reports-investigations/crew-reports/trumps-91-criminal-charges-and-where-they-stand/</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #363636; font-family: nyt-imperial, georgia, "times new roman", times, serif;">"Mr. Bragg seized on those checks and other documents, accusing Mr. Trump of lying about the repayment to Mr. Cohen to hide its true purpose. The former president’s company falsely classified the reimbursement in internal records as a “legal expense,” leading Mr. Bragg to charge Mr. Trump with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records."</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #363636; font-family: nyt-imperial, georgia, times new roman, times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #363636; font-family: nyt-imperial, georgia, times new roman, times, serif;">https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/25/nyregion/trump-hush-money-trial-stormy-daniels.html</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #363636; font-family: nyt-imperial, georgia, times new roman, times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6iM3Z6YT-dvYZrW2nXLHgLTAgOecyJ5fP4QMKa70hHNnoL6mqZuCxuZTekcF_jF_Age_rdMDbd78bWeZ-P9D9ta55tcB5CSWQvheUwr4WbKMpj-fW12zisDrHkqAbq2uS1A2mBfTuvzMsn8xwUfMRhqhdWAXToMaDKw608r7Hz5UcaQFeHzAW-xNRLy7p/s1768/Screenshot%202024-02-09%20at%2008.41.01.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="922" data-original-width="1768" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6iM3Z6YT-dvYZrW2nXLHgLTAgOecyJ5fP4QMKa70hHNnoL6mqZuCxuZTekcF_jF_Age_rdMDbd78bWeZ-P9D9ta55tcB5CSWQvheUwr4WbKMpj-fW12zisDrHkqAbq2uS1A2mBfTuvzMsn8xwUfMRhqhdWAXToMaDKw608r7Hz5UcaQFeHzAW-xNRLy7p/s320/Screenshot%202024-02-09%20at%2008.41.01.png" width="320" /></a><br /><br /><br /></div><br /><span style="color: #363636; font-family: nyt-imperial, georgia, times new roman, times, serif;"><br /></span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #151824; font-size: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #151824; color: white; font-size: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>James Georgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03390672305277920091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9134423595393382451.post-74739228033446270952024-02-06T07:23:00.000-08:002024-02-06T07:23:25.089-08:00What Is Not To Understand?<p> With the American democracy on the verge of hijacking and collapse under Trump-led Republicans, where are America's corporations and corporate voices in the press? Do our corporate CEOs and boards not fear the ramifications of Republicans in Congress and the executive branch and corruption in the Supreme Court?<br /><br /><i>Time Magazine</i>:<br /><br /><span style="font-family: var(--font-pt-serif);">Florida Governor Ron DeSantis recently taunted business leaders in The Wall Street Journal column, announcing, "Old-fashioned corporate Republicanism won't do in a world where the left has hijacked big business…policies that benefit corporate America don't necessarily serve the interests of America's people and economy."</span><span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.95); font-family: var(--font-pt-serif); font-size: 1.0625rem; letter-spacing: 0.03125rem;"> It used to be evident that CEOs were reliably Republican. Corporate executives wanted lower taxes, less regulation, and a stable economy. They were usually men with military experience who moved out to the suburbs with their families. Ronald Reagan was their favorite president: pro-business, pro-free markets, and anti-government. Historically, 57.7 percent of big company CEOs contributed to the GOP, but only 18.6 percent contributed to Democrats,</span><span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.95); font-family: var(--font-pt-serif); font-size: 1.0625rem; letter-spacing: 0.03125rem;"> </span><a href="https://www.nber.org/system/files/working_papers/w25815/w25815.pdf" rel="noopener" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(229, 231, 235); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: var(--font-pt-serif); font-size: 1.0625rem; letter-spacing: 0.03125rem; text-decoration: inherit;" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;">according</span></a><span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.95); font-family: var(--font-pt-serif); font-size: 1.0625rem; letter-spacing: 0.03125rem;"> </span><span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.95); font-family: var(--font-pt-serif); font-size: 1.0625rem; letter-spacing: 0.03125rem;">to the National Bureau of Economic Research.</span></p><p class="self-baseline px-0 font-pt-serif text-17px leading-7 tracking-0.5px" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; align-self: baseline; border: 0px solid rgb(229, 231, 235); box-sizing: border-box; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.95); font-family: var(--font-pt-serif); font-size: 1.0625rem; letter-spacing: 0.03125rem; line-height: 1.75rem; margin: 0px; padding-left: 6.5rem; padding-right: 3.5rem;">It was an anomaly that FDR's administration, as a Democratic team, was packed with Wall Streeters. The Eisenhower team was more typical for the GOP, with many business leaders on board—two with the same name, Charles Wilson. "Engine Charlie" was the CEO of GM, and "Electric Charlie" was the CEO of GE. The interests of big business and GOP politics were presumed to be in tight alignment with poor Engine Charlie haunted to his deathbed by the misquote, "What is good for General Motors is good for the US." (He actually said the reverse.)"</p><p class="self-baseline px-0 font-pt-serif text-17px leading-7 tracking-0.5px" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; align-self: baseline; border: 0px solid rgb(229, 231, 235); box-sizing: border-box; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.95); font-family: var(--font-pt-serif); font-size: 1.0625rem; letter-spacing: 0.03125rem; line-height: 1.75rem; margin: 0px; padding-left: 6.5rem; padding-right: 3.5rem;"><br /></p><p class="self-baseline px-0 font-pt-serif text-17px leading-7 tracking-0.5px" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; align-self: baseline; border: 0px solid rgb(229, 231, 235); box-sizing: border-box; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.95); font-family: var(--font-pt-serif); font-size: 1.0625rem; letter-spacing: 0.03125rem; line-height: 1.75rem; margin: 0px; padding-left: 6.5rem; padding-right: 3.5rem;"><br /></p>James Georgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03390672305277920091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9134423595393382451.post-25926371357786254652024-02-05T14:26:00.000-08:002024-02-05T14:26:58.376-08:00The Supreme Court's Necks are on the line<p> The Supreme Court can play fancy footwork and try to dodge the finding that Trump is disqualified for participating in an insurrection. They can ignore his behavior, including his saying he didn't sign on to the oath! What are Republicans thinking?<br /><br /></p><h1 class="text__text__1FZLe text__dark-grey__3Ml43 text__medium__1kbOh text__heading_3__1kDhc heading__base__2T28j heading__heading_3__3aL54" data-testid="Heading" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: #404040; font-family: var(--tr-font-medium); font-size: 40px; font-weight: 500; line-height: 48px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Trump heads to US Supreme Court with a familiar claim: He is untouchable</h1><div class="info-content__info__2bKqs" style="align-items: flex-end; display: flex; justify-content: space-between;"><div class="info-content__author-date__1Epi_" style="display: flex; flex-direction: column;"><div class="text__text__1FZLe text__dark-grey__3Ml43 text__medium__1kbOh text__small__1kGq2 info-content__author__1GnSx" data-testid="Text" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: #404040; font-family: var(--tr-font-medium); font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 1; margin: 8px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="text__text__1FZLe text__dark-grey__3Ml43 text__regular__2N1Xr text__small__1kGq2" data-testid="Text" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: var(--tr-font-regular); letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">By </span><a class="text__text__1FZLe text__dark-grey__3Ml43 text__medium__1kbOh text__small__1kGq2 link__link__3Ji6W link__underline_on_hover__2zGL4 author-name__author__au-bT" data-testid="Link" href="https://www.reuters.com/authors/andrew-chung/" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade" rel="author" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: #404040; display: inline; font-family: var(--tr-font-medium); letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none;">Andrew Chung</a><span class="text__text__1FZLe text__dark-grey__3Ml43 text__regular__2N1Xr text__small__1kGq2" data-testid="Text" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: var(--tr-font-regular); letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> and </span><a class="text__text__1FZLe text__dark-grey__3Ml43 text__medium__1kbOh text__small__1kGq2 link__link__3Ji6W link__underline_on_hover__2zGL4 author-name__author__au-bT" data-testid="Link" href="https://www.reuters.com/authors/john-kruzel/" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade" rel="author" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: #404040; display: inline; font-family: var(--tr-font-medium); letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none;">John Kruzel</a><br /><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB2p9E-7xGTfHrQw-OJ60KounQ3Y_c8ujOB-ivCngevjovQv8rXkDP-vRwwwywNSIBkDkO-XPosLkZxIaOBoZIwEuUefhYeEovv6fIXBC4CUkNjOKX4pdpXE9ShmA8LXAv4mpFRcRTLmR6J2xDDKZBnHqp_YCiDBHMofekyv9k3mUmXEDAaLYxtPq_D6jZ/s1386/Screenshot%202024-02-05%20at%2017.26.03.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="818" data-original-width="1386" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB2p9E-7xGTfHrQw-OJ60KounQ3Y_c8ujOB-ivCngevjovQv8rXkDP-vRwwwywNSIBkDkO-XPosLkZxIaOBoZIwEuUefhYeEovv6fIXBC4CUkNjOKX4pdpXE9ShmA8LXAv4mpFRcRTLmR6J2xDDKZBnHqp_YCiDBHMofekyv9k3mUmXEDAaLYxtPq_D6jZ/s320/Screenshot%202024-02-05%20at%2017.26.03.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.reuters.com/legal/trump-heads-us-supreme-court-with-familiar-claim-he-is-untouchable-2024-02-05/">https://www.reuters.com/legal/trump-heads-us-supreme-court-with-familiar-claim-he-is-untouchable-2024-02-05/</a></div><br /></div></div>James Georgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03390672305277920091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9134423595393382451.post-57709420258511859162024-01-31T14:36:00.000-08:002024-01-31T14:36:36.571-08:00Alarms are Sounding, Loud and Stong<p>Every day, the Trump news bears more warnings and alarms about the prospect of his being president again. Many Republicans are beginning to express concern and appear to be standing back from the Trump candidacy. Many voters indicate they won't vote for him.<br /><br />I know John Bolton from my days working as a National Defense Consultant.</p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0c0c0c; font-family: inherit; font-weight: var(--theme-headline__font-weight);">"Trump's former national security adviser says world leaders think he's a 'laughing fool.' </span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #0c0c0c; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: var(--theme-headline__font-weight); letter-spacing: 0.4px;">Former Trump national security adviser John Bolton tells CNN's Kaitlan Collins how dictators around the world view former president Donald Trump and what a second term would mean for the US."</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: #0c0c0c;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.4px;">https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2024/01/31/john-bolton-trump-second-term-dictators-src-vpx.cnn<br /><br />Many Americans believe Mike Johnson, Speaker of the House, is a laughing fool, along with a host of his Republican colleagues. One can only hope that the light bulbs go on in the heads of 20% of the sitting members of the House and all of the Republicans in the Senate and stop listening and marching to Trump's ignorant beat. He is robbing donors to pay legal bills and bilking the campaign as a source of income. It is not about America; it is about him.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #0c0c0c;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c0c0c;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeJW5OO4jdiKvUGtjGLv_ZnZgTWBQrTHWRMTL2aPlb5ZK7zFPFFOSuYXQOJ9Ls8IM0_uYl-GQck3sDVZQW8ftZiNlj0c0imUklVdUz4bK5mosbxD84HoJ98iDkTirwBFb5WhUbc_bn14Hg8oKJf1DbEPF4CK0vaOfLTBWKIgnQ6FHK0OSMJAWFk9vJckr1/s768/Screenshot%202024-01-31%20at%2017.35.29.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="768" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeJW5OO4jdiKvUGtjGLv_ZnZgTWBQrTHWRMTL2aPlb5ZK7zFPFFOSuYXQOJ9Ls8IM0_uYl-GQck3sDVZQW8ftZiNlj0c0imUklVdUz4bK5mosbxD84HoJ98iDkTirwBFb5WhUbc_bn14Hg8oKJf1DbEPF4CK0vaOfLTBWKIgnQ6FHK0OSMJAWFk9vJckr1/s320/Screenshot%202024-01-31%20at%2017.35.29.png" width="320" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c0c0c;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c0c0c;"><i>The Hill</i>, Image</span></div><span style="color: #0c0c0c;"><br /><span style="letter-spacing: 0.4px;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #0c0c0c;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.4px;"><br /><br /><br /></span></span></span></p><p><br /><br /></p>James Georgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03390672305277920091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9134423595393382451.post-25130674305548168402024-01-19T06:11:00.000-08:002024-01-19T06:11:01.846-08:00Haley Says She'll Pardon Trump<p>She doesn't know how egregious his crimes against democracy are. Or, she doesn't care because she is one of them, enemies of the nation. <br /><br />The foolishness in the Republican cultist clan must stop. We must defrock them as a legitimate political party--remove their status as a non-profit--hold them accountable for their crimes.</p><p><a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4391848-haley-says-she-would-only-pardon-trump-if-hes-found-guilty/">https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4391848-haley-says-she-would-only-pardon-trump-if-hes-found-guilty/</a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaKD9htL0N21V5nj5HWV1scNUCGUdcJ-JJ7FvoK7wjtIkfYZXe5QIYoQxyFqIAEuXEGhTlkly31O80laPMWW-KU0ttPHJRpUf_NWZ5GckeE9NyKH4AUr5NRuxI-5mSZ-YQ2z_Aewxv9OgPqJnUq417yBQArwnmMV_1eW-Od-OH8M474pyRi3Sto6EdpMSs/s1260/Screenshot%202024-01-19%20at%2009.09.24.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="678" data-original-width="1260" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaKD9htL0N21V5nj5HWV1scNUCGUdcJ-JJ7FvoK7wjtIkfYZXe5QIYoQxyFqIAEuXEGhTlkly31O80laPMWW-KU0ttPHJRpUf_NWZ5GckeE9NyKH4AUr5NRuxI-5mSZ-YQ2z_Aewxv9OgPqJnUq417yBQArwnmMV_1eW-Od-OH8M474pyRi3Sto6EdpMSs/s320/Screenshot%202024-01-19%20at%2009.09.24.png" width="320" /></a><br /><br />Image from <i>The Hill</i></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /><br /></p>James Georgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03390672305277920091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9134423595393382451.post-91345427897581830782024-01-16T11:10:00.000-08:002024-01-16T11:10:02.448-08:00Trump: Convicted of Business Fraud<p>The fact is Donald Trump and his organizations are convicted of fraud. He should not be a qualified candidate for any party. He never again should be president. <br /><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; background-repeat: no-repeat; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: var(--font-1); font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.55; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><span></span></p><a name='more'></a>"A judge ruled Tuesday that <span class="LinkEnhancement" style="background-repeat: no-repeat; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: calc(1em + 4px);"><a class="Link AnClick-LinkEnhancement" data-gtm-enhancement-style="LinkEnhancementA" href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump" style="background-color: transparent; background-repeat: no-repeat; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: calc(1em + 4px); touch-action: manipulation;">Donald Trump</a></span> committed fraud for years while building the real estate empire that catapulted him to fame and the White House, and he ordered some of the former president’s companies removed from his control and dissolved.<p></p><p style="background-color: white; background-repeat: no-repeat; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: var(--font-1); font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.55; margin: 20px 0px;"><span class="LinkEnhancement" style="background-repeat: no-repeat; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: calc(1em + 4px);"><a class="Link AnClick-LinkEnhancement" data-gtm-enhancement-style="LinkEnhancementA" href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-james-new-york-investment-fraud-ff102cde324ca748ed83dd0e66de28a0" rel="noopener" style="background-color: transparent; background-repeat: no-repeat; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: calc(1em + 4px); touch-action: manipulation;" target="_blank">Judge Arthur Engoron</a></span>, ruling in a <span class="LinkEnhancement" style="background-repeat: no-repeat; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: calc(1em + 4px);"><a class="Link AnClick-LinkEnhancement" data-gtm-enhancement-style="LinkEnhancementA" href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-letitia-james-trial-new-york-21b345c8f611915f8313f3e25ec3391f" rel="noopener" style="background-color: transparent; background-repeat: no-repeat; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: calc(1em + 4px); touch-action: manipulation;" target="_blank">civil lawsuit</a></span> brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James, found that Trump and his company deceived banks, insurers, and others by massively overvaluing his assets and exaggerating his net worth on paperwork used in making deals and securing loans.</p><p style="background-color: white; background-repeat: no-repeat; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: var(--font-1); font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.55; margin: 20px 0px;">Engoron ordered that some of <span class="LinkEnhancement" style="background-repeat: no-repeat; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: calc(1em + 4px);"><a class="Link AnClick-LinkEnhancement" data-gtm-enhancement-style="LinkEnhancementA" href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-investigations-other-charges-b8b064a00caad4306fb54d2f6a320468" rel="noopener" style="background-color: transparent; background-repeat: no-repeat; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: calc(1em + 4px); touch-action: manipulation;" target="_blank">Trump’s business</a></span> licenses be rescinded as punishment, making it difficult or impossible for them to do business in New York, and said he would continue to have an independent monitor oversee Trump Organization operations."<br /></p><p style="background-color: white; background-repeat: no-repeat; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.55; margin: 20px 0px;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-letitia-james-fraud-lawsuit-1569245a9284427117b8d3ba5da74249">https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-letitia-james-fraud-lawsuit-1569245a9284427117b8d3ba5da74249</a><br /><br />What is it that Republicans don't understand?<br /></span></p><p class="paragraph inline-placeholder" data-analytics-observe="off" data-article-gutter="true" data-component-name="paragraph" data-editable="text" data-uri="cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/paragraph_B87B7623-04FB-0EF9-5C2C-AB9D660B7B7C@published" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: cnn_sans_display, helveticaneue, Helvetica, Arial, Utkal, sans-serif; left: 118.297px; letter-spacing: 0.4px; line-height: var(--theme-paragraph__line-height--from-small); margin: 0px 0px 16px; max-width: 676px; overflow-wrap: break-word; position: relative; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">"The Trump Organization was fined $1.6 million – the maximum possible penalty – by a New York judge Friday for running a decade-long tax fraud scheme, a symbolic moment because it is the only judgment for a criminal conviction that has come close to former President Donald Trump.</p><p class="paragraph inline-placeholder" data-analytics-observe="off" data-article-gutter="true" data-component-name="paragraph" data-editable="text" data-uri="cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/paragraph_FCB77BBB-B80F-0ACA-F1B5-A7B1AC6E9844@published" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: cnn_sans_display, helveticaneue, Helvetica, Arial, Utkal, sans-serif; left: 118.297px; letter-spacing: 0.4px; line-height: var(--theme-paragraph__line-height--from-small); margin: 0px 0px 16px; max-width: 676px; overflow-wrap: break-word; position: relative; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">Two Trump entities, The Trump Corp. and Trump Payroll Corp., were convicted last month of 17 felonies, including tax fraud and falsifying business records.</p><p class="paragraph inline-placeholder" data-analytics-observe="off" data-article-gutter="true" data-component-name="paragraph" data-editable="text" data-uri="cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/paragraph_C20FDC24-B587-A8E9-BD96-A7B1AC727508@published" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; left: 118.297px; line-height: var(--theme-paragraph__line-height--from-small); margin: 0px 0px 16px; max-width: 676px; overflow-wrap: break-word; position: relative; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><span style="font-family: cnn_sans_display, helveticaneue, Helvetica, Arial, Utkal, sans-serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.4px;">Under New York law, the most the companies can be fined is about $1.6 million, a penalty the Trump Organization can easily afford."</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: cnn_sans_display, helveticaneue, Helvetica, Arial, Utkal, sans-serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.4px;"><a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-letitia-james-fraud-lawsuit-1569245a9284427117b8d3ba5da74249">https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-letitia-james-fraud-lawsuit-1569245a9284427117b8d3ba5da74249</a><br /><br /><br /></span></span></p><p class="paragraph inline-placeholder" data-analytics-observe="off" data-article-gutter="true" data-component-name="paragraph" data-editable="text" data-uri="cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/paragraph_C20FDC24-B587-A8E9-BD96-A7B1AC727508@published" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; left: 118.297px; line-height: var(--theme-paragraph__line-height--from-small); margin: 0px 0px 16px; max-width: 676px; overflow-wrap: break-word; position: relative; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><span style="font-family: cnn_sans_display, helveticaneue, Helvetica, Arial, Utkal, sans-serif;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: cnn_sans_display, helveticaneue, Helvetica, Arial, Utkal, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-1FnM0h08Iz6FStepn0krFndX43ZapDvemeQoqRT8fBY4w-c618QLI7VIrw6dsJFbH9WUuIpIWTmiRqK56sOPTAzFCg9z2btid1VkqjjD0fB9hTI1VOtlUgWE44npaxDaEUjCAIY4W0VFnYJ72KM1MoIuwckLR0KIgkML52kxCioGMDbW778O1H1cCoBX/s1182/Screenshot%202024-01-16%20at%2014.09.21.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="822" data-original-width="1182" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-1FnM0h08Iz6FStepn0krFndX43ZapDvemeQoqRT8fBY4w-c618QLI7VIrw6dsJFbH9WUuIpIWTmiRqK56sOPTAzFCg9z2btid1VkqjjD0fB9hTI1VOtlUgWE44npaxDaEUjCAIY4W0VFnYJ72KM1MoIuwckLR0KIgkML52kxCioGMDbW778O1H1cCoBX/s320/Screenshot%202024-01-16%20at%2014.09.21.png" width="320" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: cnn_sans_display, helveticaneue, Helvetica, Arial, Utkal, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: cnn_sans_display, helveticaneue, Helvetica, Arial, Utkal, sans-serif;">Image from Politico</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: cnn_sans_display, helveticaneue, Helvetica, Arial, Utkal, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: cnn_sans_display, helveticaneue, Helvetica, Arial, Utkal, sans-serif;"><br /><span style="letter-spacing: 0.4px;"><br /></span></span><p></p>James Georgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03390672305277920091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9134423595393382451.post-21332010352235173332024-01-16T10:13:00.000-08:002024-01-16T10:13:07.327-08:00Guilty: Sexual Abuse and Defamation<p>The fact is Donald Trump is "Guilty of Sexual Abuse and Defamation." He was ordered to pay a massive fine to E. Carroll. He continued the abuse and is back in court, where a jury will determine how much more he should be fined. <br /><br />Republicans are backing Trump as convicted in a civil case. That means it is alright with them to abuse women physically and with words. That's what the Republicans in Iowa think. What about the rest of you?</p><p>Trump is facing criminal charges of the highest order. If convicted, how many Republicans will continue to march with this defective human being? Like the Nazis followed Hitler, Republicans followed Trump. They can't see what they have become--despicable and deplorable.<br /><br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPDMMKLL56KaXlvcue7TU4O6lmsCvZRgtAolMxpPpLN6-cezJbV_U3JDOAVn-lgxpnv2d7WCXTdMlWEvDN1Skmv5fkbfl3Md_TCZkXibsJnZQ0Xq_6Nq8DVpaXk38G1dCz-4-1DIBHvYLJA1vUsOmXT94eG2IAm2U_kWhJEO-YpB-xIONLYkdZXcqMLZOG/s1398/Screenshot%202024-01-16%20at%2013.11.40.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="780" data-original-width="1398" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPDMMKLL56KaXlvcue7TU4O6lmsCvZRgtAolMxpPpLN6-cezJbV_U3JDOAVn-lgxpnv2d7WCXTdMlWEvDN1Skmv5fkbfl3Md_TCZkXibsJnZQ0Xq_6Nq8DVpaXk38G1dCz-4-1DIBHvYLJA1vUsOmXT94eG2IAm2U_kWhJEO-YpB-xIONLYkdZXcqMLZOG/s320/Screenshot%202024-01-16%20at%2013.11.40.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">They think it is cute to be stupid.<br /><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: "Open Sans", arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; text-align: left;">(The Deplorable Choir/Facebook)</span></div><br />James Georgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03390672305277920091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9134423595393382451.post-19290764826347810442024-01-16T06:30:00.000-08:002024-01-16T07:52:52.442-08:00Beyond Desperation<p> <span style="font-family: Graphik; font-size: 13px;">James George</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">How to Select an American President</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">16 January 2024</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="color: #20817d; font-family: Canela; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 28px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><b>Beyond Desperation</b></p><p class="p4" style="color: #4c4c4c; font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 35px; text-align: center;">Save the Democracy</p><p class="p5" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;">Seeing that the Republican caucus in Iowa continued to endorse a radical renegade right-wing authoritarian as their leader underscores the necessity for liberty-loving Americans to rescue the nation from tyrannical grasp. We must mobilize to neutralize bigots, religious extremists, and ignorants, otherwise known as deplorable.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p5" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;">The second civil war is well underway, except the Democratic Party is lagging in leadership. Democrats are failing to attract essential support and energy to lead away from the unAmerican behavior that lies in rural America and gerrymandered districts that are not representative of the population.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p5" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;">Democrats cannot stand by while statesman Biden moves on his last leg with an ineffectual Vice President. They are not garnering the youth who are our future. They are not regaining people in small towns and suburbs where we need women to support their rights.</p><p class="p5" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;">The war is on, and Democrats need firepower to win. Our arsenal is jammed with duds.<br /><br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCHiFCQuq88L2_ygrNZ49xzDu1RcV0RYyU8M_eIsxa9gKjQBwJl_ld2-jvYnnENxdjtt9GXN49Xwvlap3vA8wMYaO65m6CsUyWTzXrE7d7de9TwoD3BVlM6R9m8pfEHG5ByJBawwhK0moLA9xvuY291hq4VVcBx_j7ZTi0h33SFdYgWIu5m-uOLOBOgk41/s746/Screenshot%202024-01-16%20at%2009.28.28.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="746" data-original-width="562" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCHiFCQuq88L2_ygrNZ49xzDu1RcV0RYyU8M_eIsxa9gKjQBwJl_ld2-jvYnnENxdjtt9GXN49Xwvlap3vA8wMYaO65m6CsUyWTzXrE7d7de9TwoD3BVlM6R9m8pfEHG5ByJBawwhK0moLA9xvuY291hq4VVcBx_j7ZTi0h33SFdYgWIu5m-uOLOBOgk41/s320/Screenshot%202024-01-16%20at%2009.28.28.png" width="241" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />James Georgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03390672305277920091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9134423595393382451.post-77368532162331876022023-12-27T05:53:00.000-08:002023-12-27T05:55:48.371-08:00Call for Help<p class="p4" style="color: #4c4c4c; font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 35px; text-align: center;">Big Dem Donors</p><p class="p5" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;">We know who you are, and we need more than a whisper in Joe Biden’s ear. He has to go. For the nation’s well-being, Democrats need a new leader and a fresh ticket comprising the best.</p><p class="p5" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;">There is no need to belabor Joe’s accomplishments and good intentions. All that is fine. We need the next generation to appeal to a broader base of loyalists. Corporate American and large donors can seize the leadership’s attention.</p><p class="p5" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;">Get it done. Move Joe and Kamala out, now.</p><p class="p6" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px; text-indent: 27px;"><br /></p><p class="p5" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/elections-overview/biggest-donors">https://www.opensecrets.org/elections-overview/biggest-donors</a></span></p><p class="p5" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8kpRHY-HZitJlPle0Uk5RYaQJ-OFmNRMkGqBaOY7qIfJYo_wrE_o-bQ_Cjprm-ADRQzUpwQOutCwTCQz9n6gWEtUUf6DltW_1BSv5IhIJuGOuJS3j4WweSlU9AlAcSkd_6EMTk5NBxa0UOy6FRq0fbOe6nUXfe5J-p-l96u_xfDF_SzDOdXx_Wz90Iwye/s694/Screenshot%202023-12-27%20at%2008.52.52.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="314" data-original-width="694" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8kpRHY-HZitJlPle0Uk5RYaQJ-OFmNRMkGqBaOY7qIfJYo_wrE_o-bQ_Cjprm-ADRQzUpwQOutCwTCQz9n6gWEtUUf6DltW_1BSv5IhIJuGOuJS3j4WweSlU9AlAcSkd_6EMTk5NBxa0UOy6FRq0fbOe6nUXfe5J-p-l96u_xfDF_SzDOdXx_Wz90Iwye/s320/Screenshot%202023-12-27%20at%2008.52.52.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p class="p5" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;"><br /></p>James Georgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03390672305277920091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9134423595393382451.post-55811110436158600752023-12-20T07:05:00.000-08:002023-12-20T07:05:47.104-08:00Immigration Policy<p> <b style="color: #20817d; font-family: Canela; font-size: 28px; text-align: center;">Immigration Policy</b></p><p class="p2" style="color: #4c4c4c; font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 35px; text-align: center;">Capacity for Ensuring a Good Life</p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;">My book, <i>Regenerating America with Sustainable Economics,</i> addresses this issue in the context of the nation’s capacity for ensuring a good life for all, and I add, for citizens and immigrants.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;">Before embarking on “immigration,” one must ask, is the US Government doing enough to eliminate poverty and to ensure all citizens an equal opportunity?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;"><span class="Apple-converted-space">As of this moment, the US Census Bureau reports, “the official poverty rate in 2022 was 11.5 percent, with 37.9 million people in poverty.” </span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;">Using the 2021 poverty data from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as an example, the official poverty measure, a family of four would be considered in poverty if their annual household income was $26,500 or less before taxes.</p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;">“More than a quarter of the people living in poverty in the United States receive <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/trump-wants-to-overhaul-americas-safety-net-with-giant-cuts-to-housing-food-stamps-and-health-care/2018/02/12/a7cfd03e-102f-11e8-9570-29c9830535e5_story.html?utm_term=.349f17fa3284&itid=lk_inline_manual_2"><span class="s1" style="color: #1f1f1f;">no help </span></a>from food stamps and other nutrition programs, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/its-like-the-real-life-hunger-games-in-america-shutdown-threatens-huds-protections-for-vulnerable/2019/01/24/68d2df2a-1b2d-11e9-9ebf-c5fed1b7a081_story.html?utm_term=.f399670afa81&itid=lk_inline_manual_2"><span class="s1" style="color: #1f1f1f;">subsidized housing</span></a>, welfare, and other cash benefits, or child-care assistance, according to a <a href="https://www.urban.org/research/publication/five-things-you-may-not-know-about-us-social-safety-net"><span class="s1" style="color: #1f1f1f;">new Urban Institute analysis</span></a> examining the reach of the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/we-would-literally-not-survive-how-trumps-plans-for-the-social-safety-net-would-affect-americas-poorest/2018/02/14/11f34f92-10f6-11e8-8ea1-c1d91fcec3fe_story.html?utm_term=.2b5e22626366&itid=lk_inline_manual_2"><span class="s1" style="color: #1f1f1f;">social safety net</span></a>.</p><p class="p4" style="font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px;"><br /></p><p class="p4" style="font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px;"><br /></p><p class="p5" style="font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The analysis found that 13 million people living below the poverty line — a household income of less than $25,100 a year for a family of four — were disconnected from <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/food-stamps-housing-subsidies-and-other-services-for-vulnerable-americans-in-jeopardy-as-shutdown-drags-on/2019/01/09/e025549c-1374-11e9-803c-4ef28312c8b9_story.html?utm_term=.231245ef8fbc&itid=lk_inline_manual_4"><span class="s1" style="color: #1f1f1f;">federal programs for the neediest Americans</span></a>."</p><p class="p4" style="font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px;"><br /></p><p class="p6" style="font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>13 million people in poverty are disconnected from the social safety net. Most of them are white.</b></p><p class="p7" style="font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p6" style="font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">By <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/people/tracy-jan/?itid=ai_top_jant">Tracy Jan</a>, <span class="s2" style="text-decoration-line: underline;">February 4, 2019 at 11:42 a.m. EST</span></p><p class="p7" style="font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span class="s2" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"></span><br /></p><p class="p6" style="font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i>The Washington Post</i></p><p class="p7" style="font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;">The first question is, are we Americans and our government obliged to take responsibility for ensuring that all citizens and persons living in America have the means to live above the poverty line?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> This means ensuring</span> children have proper housing, clothing, food, and shelter. It means ensuring that adults with children have work and work opportunities commensurate with their responsibilities.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;">The answer should be yes; however, this affirmation is essential on an annual basis as a reminder and reinforcement to citizens about our obligation to humanity.</p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;">The obligation to humanity begins at a higher level than the US government alone. It begins with <i>The Universal Declaration of Human Rights,</i> to which our nation is a signatory.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;">If persons such as Texas Governor Greg Abbott and the indicted former President Trump are obliged to know, actions against the free movement of people are a violation of human rights. That also extends to Israel and Palestinians, and to Ukraine. People are protected from tyranny, such as from Russian President Putin and many members of the Republican Party.</p><p class="p8" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px; text-indent: 27px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;">“Immigrants in the United States make up approximately 1-in-7 residents and 1-in-6 workers, creating about 1-in-4 new businesses.1 Immigrants are diverse in many ways: country of origin, race and ethnicity, education, and occupation.2 Nearly half of all immigrants are naturalized citizens (20.7 million), 27 percent are lawful permanent residents (12.3 million), and 5 percent are temporary residents with legal status (2.2 million).3 Less than one-fourth of the foreign-born population (10.5 million) are undocumented.4 Immigrants are more likely to be of prime working age (between 25 and 54 years old), balancing out the relatively older native-born population.)” Joint Economic Committee<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;">“Immigrant labor sustains the U.S. food supply. Foreign-born workers account for more than 1-in-5 of all workers spread across the U.S. food supply chain — growing crops, harvesting fruits and vegetables, processing meat, transporting products and materials, and engaging in wholesale and retail sales. 8 Immigrants comprise more than 30 percent of many of the most physical of these jobs: farm laborers, graders and sorters, crop production, meat processing and commercial bakeries.9 In some states, the majority of workers in these jobs are immigrants. Foreign-born workers make up: 69 percent of the agricultural workers in California, 70 percent of the seafood processing workers in Alaska and 66 percent of the meat processing workers in Nebraska.” JEC</p><p class="p8" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px; text-indent: 27px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;">This essay is the start of a discussion to answer the question about our capacity to manage immigration. Moreover, the discussion needs to expand to consider our policy toward nations on our southern border who are the source of many immigrants.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFMC6y80lAXuiQaM7jx7iDD02MtHdndGJgvIPOa1wyFt06uAStzAIbcDJ-4U3Pf5_Bhdpfrvk_3pLNw-nGAjmCGRWTpVwUhWpg5jePipDBnDhmG2023WMce1bKjL_mQ-iQ-zrNBcmQovi8GLPxh2Iz7Xe-9BhR1J1MP67ArOrrMsXdPaUnR2AayJjXeLdv/s1242/Screenshot%202023-12-19%20at%2020.49.52.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="656" data-original-width="1242" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFMC6y80lAXuiQaM7jx7iDD02MtHdndGJgvIPOa1wyFt06uAStzAIbcDJ-4U3Pf5_Bhdpfrvk_3pLNw-nGAjmCGRWTpVwUhWpg5jePipDBnDhmG2023WMce1bKjL_mQ-iQ-zrNBcmQovi8GLPxh2Iz7Xe-9BhR1J1MP67ArOrrMsXdPaUnR2AayJjXeLdv/s320/Screenshot%202023-12-19%20at%2020.49.52.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />James Georgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03390672305277920091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9134423595393382451.post-19864131733153322092023-12-19T13:09:00.000-08:002023-12-19T13:09:55.685-08:00Addressing NPR’s Ten Questions<p> <span style="font-family: Graphik; font-size: 13px;">James George</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">How To Select An American President</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">19 December 2023</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="color: #20817d; font-family: Canela; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 28px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><b>Addressing NPR’s Ten Questions</b></p><p class="p4" style="color: #20817d; font-family: Canela; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 28px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 42px; text-align: center;"><b></b><br /></p><p class="p5" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;">"Subtitle: Every presidential year is a consequential one. 2024 is no different, as the competing visions for the country couldn’t be more disparate. In my last campaign newsletter of the year, here are 10 questions for the year ahead in politics. (<a href="https://click.nl.npr.org/?qs=2c511d6734f43f986e5756b93bb916159dde328383b2acbc2e802c2f42692d7943e000881c2d88f745b6bc1fa0bc28d3d1fb35b43ff3f6e3"><span class="s1" style="color: #1d1d1d;"><b>Domenico Montanaro</b></span></a>, NPR’s senior political editor/correspondent)</p><ol class="ol1"><li class="li6" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"><b></b></span><b>Do perceptions of the economy improve?</b> It’s the top issue for voters, and they are in a bad mood about it, despite receding inflation.</li><li class="li6" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"><b></b></span><b>Does abortion retain its salience?</b> This is the first presidential election since the <i>Dobbs </i>decision.</li><li class="li6" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"><b></b></span><b>How do the situations in Ukraine and Israel change?</b> Perceptions of how Biden is handling foreign policy have hurt his presidency.</li><li class="li6" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"><b></b></span><b>Do younger voters rally to Biden’s side despite their misgivings — or not?</b> Israel’s war with Hamas, voting rights and student loans have all been areas of frustration for younger voters.</li><li class="li6" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"><b></b></span><b>Can Haley or DeSantis actually give Trump a run — or does Trump wrap up the primary quickly?</b> They’ve been decided underdogs. It’s time to see whether one of them actually has the goods when voters vote. </li><li class="li6" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"><b></b></span>Do Trump’s trials wind up mattering — if not for Republican primary voters, for persuadable ones in a general election? Most Republicans may think he’s being persecuted, but Independents and Democrats think he did something wrong. </li><li class="li6" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"><b></b></span><b>Do third-party candidates gain real traction and become the 2024 wildcard?</b> Trump did not get above 47% of the popular vote in either 2016 or 2020. A third-party that pulls votes from Biden could help clear a path back to the White House for Trump.</li><li class="li6" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"><b></b></span><b>How will attrition among election officials affect vote counting in states?</b> A lot of institutional knowledge in election administration has been lost because of threats from the right after Trump’s 2020 election lies. </li><li class="li6" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"><b></b></span><b>Do democratic institutions hold again?</b> The reason Trump's attempts to stay in power did not work is because institutions — like election officials across the country, Congress and the courts — did their jobs. But they’ve been targeted in a three-year campaign by Trump and allies. </li><li class="li6" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"><b></b></span><b>Which ends up mattering more — frustrations with how Biden is doing his job (and his age), or negative views of Trump? </b>This may be the most critical question of this presidential election. Most voters say Biden is too old, and they give him low approval ratings, but they also really don’t like Trump. Democrats will spend millions of dollars to wipe away voters’ <a href="https://click.nl.npr.org/?qs=2c511d6734f43f987286348be712ab0347882d9139d405fd1dace5a0cbab139d44997ee9db90d6adaf32b6d58f8cb43be328067123134c13"><span class="s3" style="color: #224d9e;">“brain fog”</span></a> and remind them of Trump’s actions and views, many of which have become increasingly anti-democratic on the campaign trail. Which will win out in the end?</li></ol><p class="p7" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px; text-indent: 27px;"><br /></p><p class="p8" style="color: #4c4c4c; font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 35px; min-height: 24px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p class="p8" style="color: #4c4c4c; font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 35px; min-height: 24px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p class="p9" style="color: #4c4c4c; font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 35px; text-align: center;">Jim George’s Answers</p><p class="p10" style="font-family: "Graphik Light"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1. Economy</p><p class="p7" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px; text-indent: 27px;"><br /></p><p class="p5" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;">The chances are Americans will experience positive economic returns in 2024.</p><p class="p7" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px; text-indent: 27px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">“Ten business trends for 2024</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>1</b> Central banks including America’s Federal Reserve start to reduce interest rates as price rises slow. With global inflation still at 5%, however, consumers remain thrifty.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>2 </b>Amid efforts to slow climate change, renewable-energy consumption climbs by 11% to a new high. But fossil fuels still meet over four-fifths of energy demand.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>3</b> IT spending picks up, rising by about 9%. Artificial intelligence generates remarkable hype but produces precious little revenue and plenty of scrutiny.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>4</b> The gap between the infrastructure the world needs and what it gets amounts to $3trn. To plug its infrastructure hole, Asia’s gross fixed investment expands by 4%.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>5</b> Revenue in the advertising industry increases by 5%, thanks to America’s presidential election and big sporting events such as the Paris Olympics.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>6</b> International tourism rises above geopolitical and economic uncertainty to create record revenue of $1.5trn, fuelled by high prices and post-pandemic wanderlust.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>7</b> A greying world spends vigorously on health. With about one in ten people aged 65 or older, health care makes up one-tenth of global gdp.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>8</b> America shells out $886bn on defence, supporting Ukraine and countering China—whose neighbours, including Japan, Taiwan and the Philippines, also bolster their defences.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>9</b> Electric vehicles speed forth, driven by strong government support. One in four new cars is a plug-in, with more than half of these sold in China.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>10</b> With 60% of America’s firms allowing working from home, a fifth of American offices lie empty. The eu’s less relaxed employers will keep its vacancy rate at just 8%.</p><p class="p11" style="color: #0c0c0c; font-family: Charter; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p12" style="color: #0c0c0c; font-family: Charter; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">From <i>The Economist,</i> Nov 13, 2023</p><p class="p11" style="color: #0c0c0c; font-family: Charter; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p13" style="color: grey; font-family: "Graphik Semibold"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span class="s4" style="font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"><b>Federal borrowing and debt</b></span></p><p class="p11" style="color: #0c0c0c; font-family: Charter; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">“<span class="s5" style="background-color: rgba(65, 128, 255, 0.18); color: #050a1e;">The deficit is projected to grow to $1,846 billion in 2024</span>, and debt held by the public is projected to grow to $27,783 billion, or 102.0 percent of GDP. As a percent of GDP, the deficit is projected to fall in 2025 and 2026 and then remain fairly stable at roughly 5 percent of GDP.”</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px;"><br /></p><p class="p10" style="font-family: "Graphik Light"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2. Abortion</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px;"><br /></p><p class="p5" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;">Women will vote in high numbers, driven by the desire to protect their rights.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">“Nearly two dozen Republican-controlled states have taken advantage of the ruling to impose new restrictions on abortion, curtailing access to the procedure for tens of millions of women.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">But the ruling has also turned the issue into a political liability for Republicans. Voter backlash was widely credited with limiting Republican gains in the 2022 congressional <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/abortion-trump-dash-republican-hopes-red-wave-2022-11-09/"><span class="s6">midterm elections</span></a>, as well as propelling Democrats to victories last month in <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/abortion-rights-center-tuesdays-ohio-virginia-elections-2023-11-07/"><span class="s6">Virginia and Kentucky</span></a>.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Every statewide ballot question about reproductive rights since 2022 - seven in all - has yielded victory for abortion rights advocates, including in conservative states such as Ohio, Kansas and Kentucky.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Republican presidential candidates, including frontrunner Donald Trump, have <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/republicans-face-2024-dilemma-after-abortion-rights-issue-powers-democrats-2023-11-08/"><span class="s6">struggled to articulate</span></a> a position on abortion that would satisfy both the evangelical Christians who comprise a critical Republican voting bloc as well as the swing voters who prefer abortion remain accessible.”</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Reuters</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px;"><br /></p><p class="p10" style="font-family: "Graphik Light"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">3. Ukraine and Israel change</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px;"><br /></p><p class="p5" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;">Both allies with get their money, Compromise on immigration reform will cost both parties — no one wins.</p><p class="p7" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px; text-indent: 27px;"><br /></p><p class="p10" style="font-family: "Graphik Light"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">4. Younger Voters</p><p class="p7" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px; text-indent: 27px;"><br /></p><p class="p5" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;">Democrats will appeal to younger voters as their democracy is at stake. Biden’s policies toward Palestinians will ultimately yield to humanity.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p7" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px; text-indent: 27px;"><br /></p><p class="p10" style="font-family: "Graphik Light"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">5. Trump Alternatives</p><p class="p7" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px; text-indent: 27px;"><br /></p><p class="p5" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;">Trump will fail in the court and in public opinion giving way to Republican alternatives. You can’t count Liz Cheney out, as she may steal votes.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Biden may well face pressure to appoint a more favorable VP. Deal making.</p><p class="p7" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px; text-indent: 27px;"><br /></p><p class="p10" style="font-family: "Graphik Light"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">6. Trump Trials Matter</p><p class="p5" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;">It will get ugly.</p><p class="p7" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px; text-indent: 27px;"><br /></p><p class="p10" style="font-family: "Graphik Light"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">7. Third-party Candidates</p><p class="p7" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px; text-indent: 27px;"><br /></p><p class="p5" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;">Historically, they fail.</p><p class="p14" style="font-family: "Graphik Light"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24px;"><br /></p><p class="p10" style="font-family: "Graphik Light"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">8. Attrition</p><p class="p7" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px; text-indent: 27px;"><br /></p><p class="p5" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;">The loss of experienced election officials can make outcomes less clear.</p><p class="p7" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px; text-indent: 27px;"><br /></p><p class="p10" style="font-family: "Graphik Light"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">9. Democratic Institutions</p><p class="p7" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px; text-indent: 27px;"><br /></p><p class="p5" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-indent: 27px;">They will hold, but not without a fight.</p><p class="p7" style="font-family: "Canela Text"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px; text-indent: 27px;"><br /></p><p class="p10" style="font-family: "Graphik Light"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">10. Trump Negatives Bolster Biden</p><p class="p10" style="font-family: "Graphik Light"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1h9dMus4gi4Phsq0UjGEZwv-Ik5GeXvVffca6hkAcX3TiSRz-ERvbvOcYM_AAp4OofsoKrBVJgKlB-cWp0CdDuIL8s7WS-XVtN5ThpKkGGWBU26ssjbYLRJyAw81QKNJwatEuMMf0c4MD35aKZa4A6usL45scibbQn5hZmJLv1r62P794WWZ_BTflUXRj/s850/Screenshot%202023-12-19%20at%2016.08.54.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="564" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1h9dMus4gi4Phsq0UjGEZwv-Ik5GeXvVffca6hkAcX3TiSRz-ERvbvOcYM_AAp4OofsoKrBVJgKlB-cWp0CdDuIL8s7WS-XVtN5ThpKkGGWBU26ssjbYLRJyAw81QKNJwatEuMMf0c4MD35aKZa4A6usL45scibbQn5hZmJLv1r62P794WWZ_BTflUXRj/s320/Screenshot%202023-12-19%20at%2016.08.54.png" width="212" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">https://www.amazon.com/Select-American-President-James-George/dp/1480840882</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p class="p10" style="font-family: "Graphik Light"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Graphik; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px;"><br /></p><p class="p15" style="color: #313131; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p16" style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 20px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 23px;"><br /></p>James Georgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03390672305277920091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9134423595393382451.post-41878862558976853902023-12-12T06:40:00.000-08:002023-12-12T11:47:10.488-08:00Have We Lost It?<p> Have We Lost It?</p><p><br /></p><p>When I see the polls, the results say that more people prefer an authoritarian insurrectionist fraud over an elder patriotic statesman whose factual record far exceeds the impeached and indicted former president. Many Americans have lost their bearing or lack the intelligence to discern right from wrong.</p><p><br /></p><p>I am losing it. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>James Georgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03390672305277920091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9134423595393382451.post-51670546582467536892023-11-02T12:28:00.004-07:002023-11-03T03:35:05.599-07:00Trumps Disturb Me to the Bone<p>I am an entrepreneur, now retired, who once founded a research and publishing company for which I was the CEO. I struggled with the start-up, where my research process and performance convinced clients from large corporations to retain my services. They didn't know I had difficulty paying the office rent to have a fine conference facility they used during engagements. They didn't know how I anguished over cash flow to pay my employees and contractors. </p><p>I retained an accountant to help me with the books even though I graduated with a business degree and knew accounting practices. The reason I paid a significant fee for his services is that I performed some work for the U.S. Government and wanted to make sure everything was correct. </p><p>I did my record keeping and gave them to my accountant each month. He was impressed by how impeccably I kept my books. He hinted that maybe I only needed him at tax time, though I wanted assurance that I made no mistakes.</p><p>For me, it was a matter of responsibility and hands-on integrity. As a CEO, I was responsible for everything.</p><p>When I see how cavalier the Trump executives appear about their business practices and how they use accounting and legal professionals as alibis for their errant performance and behavior, it stuns my conscience. How could they be so abusive to our system of laws, regulations, and accounting practices and seemingly ignorant? </p><p>Ignorance of the law is no excuse, and the buck stops with them. I want them to be wholly accountable and to pay dearly for abusing our system.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNK8mCttEDWZclLO7kFt2naCnEtsVg8by6hLG0DLzEZA9nEEEpupYDypm4iLRZHaplmJmI5rozwAEvvwGDCfOO5h1CyHs8OMI7kNLhX5Fdj3Jk7ltb9WkMWwflgvoIRSrF_lvPbH-ShhW9pT9YDCnQ-67grOAE3bpxYdRp3xVkpvjrvL-xh4E2yaHYCbkS/s1024/42333027_1135927026571102_4276021349148786688_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="923" data-original-width="1024" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNK8mCttEDWZclLO7kFt2naCnEtsVg8by6hLG0DLzEZA9nEEEpupYDypm4iLRZHaplmJmI5rozwAEvvwGDCfOO5h1CyHs8OMI7kNLhX5Fdj3Jk7ltb9WkMWwflgvoIRSrF_lvPbH-ShhW9pT9YDCnQ-67grOAE3bpxYdRp3xVkpvjrvL-xh4E2yaHYCbkS/s320/42333027_1135927026571102_4276021349148786688_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>James Georgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03390672305277920091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9134423595393382451.post-63678707171837327542023-10-27T07:15:00.006-07:002023-10-27T08:25:42.638-07:00Where Were You When the Lies Came Out?<p>I have a question for those present during various nefarious Trumpcapades: Where Were You When the Lies Came Out? If you don't admit you were there and we have the evidence you were, that is purgery. </p><p>Admitting you were present, what was your role?</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Political Advisor</li><li>Administrative Assistant</li><li>Spokesperson</li><li>Lawyer</li></ul><p></p><p>Who else was present?</p><p>What did they do, and how did they react to Trump's instructions and tirades?</p><p>Factually, we know that: Republican members of the House of Representatives were running for cover when Trump incited and unleashed the mob on Capitol Hill. Some may have witnessed the Vice President scurrying for safety as the mob wanted to hang him with sentiment from Trump. <br /><br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLsZVzsXLEIZRCMhY9JcjKQTY8FE_zPJRlQgJLZ9RHVO0K-b6GR1uA99rzRTx9o0xBdnfi-sSqlca9HE6Ei-3He8texs-FY632GZouhIxiIcb63sud-ZbPUVXbN_y37TAuxuINCgGChG2bxsCaI00jHoU0CuuaOEAXu-H2DCcI_f9YOLAESvlVfaD5lB0p/s1920/106821283-1610112225696-gettyimages-1230473117-AFP_8YD2T6.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLsZVzsXLEIZRCMhY9JcjKQTY8FE_zPJRlQgJLZ9RHVO0K-b6GR1uA99rzRTx9o0xBdnfi-sSqlca9HE6Ei-3He8texs-FY632GZouhIxiIcb63sud-ZbPUVXbN_y37TAuxuINCgGChG2bxsCaI00jHoU0CuuaOEAXu-H2DCcI_f9YOLAESvlVfaD5lB0p/s320/106821283-1610112225696-gettyimages-1230473117-AFP_8YD2T6.jpeg" width="320" /></a><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Image: CNBC</div><br />James Georgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03390672305277920091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9134423595393382451.post-12104480106320699042023-10-26T06:04:00.000-07:002023-10-26T06:04:00.663-07:00Call for Legal Action Against the Republican Party<p> My Understanding and Desire</p><p><br /></p><p>Facts:</p><p><br /></p><p>The Republican Party continues to support candidate Donald J. Trump.</p><p><br /></p><p>The Republican Party elected an election denier as Speaker of the House.</p><p><br /></p><p>"Johnson is a Trump ally. The speaker was a key congressional figure in the failed efforts to overturn the 2020 election for former President Donald Trump. He sent an email from a personal account in 2020 to every House Republican soliciting signatures for an amicus brief in the long-shot Texas lawsuit seeking to invalidate electoral college votes from multiple states."</p><p> CNN</p><p><br /></p><p>Postulate:</p><p><br /></p><p>The Republican Party consistently and continually engaged in actions that undermined the rule of law and the U.S. Constitution, including attempts to undermine the 2020 lawful election results.</p><p><br /></p><p>The Republican Party consistently and continually supports candidate Trump and alleged co-conspirators who attempted an act of violence to overthrow our government.</p><p><br /></p><p>These actions by Republican Party leaders and Members of the House of Representatives constitute an attack on the nation. They must be addressed by defrocking the Republican Party as a political entity and prosecuting all members who serve in government while violating their oaths of office.</p><p><br /></p><p>To achieve justice, I am asking the American Civil Liberties Union to address my claims through professional and scholarly legal action through the court system. <br /><br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ0rymrNPuL30gxSBUKFB8gkuqgi6g3-7iqTR0YtlZKUkXkegne8bGwEr8v-XvuRnHXgXxxK6s8yDqRLu7JGIy7uj1CCFojzWjahQakZf_AH3d9cVV5-b70F85EyauquHk4xwN04kTHWPC2JYH7ADs8chE2L-JI0fWQcSmIv56XjvZXVWthFLCFxQ_PaPW/s315/American_Civil_Liberties_Union.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="140" data-original-width="315" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ0rymrNPuL30gxSBUKFB8gkuqgi6g3-7iqTR0YtlZKUkXkegne8bGwEr8v-XvuRnHXgXxxK6s8yDqRLu7JGIy7uj1CCFojzWjahQakZf_AH3d9cVV5-b70F85EyauquHk4xwN04kTHWPC2JYH7ADs8chE2L-JI0fWQcSmIv56XjvZXVWthFLCFxQ_PaPW/s1600/American_Civil_Liberties_Union.jpeg" width="315" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.aclu.org/">https://www.aclu.org/</a></div><br /><p><br /></p>James Georgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03390672305277920091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9134423595393382451.post-50928728605327590392023-10-25T04:10:00.002-07:002023-10-25T04:10:54.388-07:00A Better Way to Remove and Replace Hamas<p><span style="color: #0e101a;">The free world cannot tolerate terrorists anywhere, nor can we accept authoritarianism. </span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">The people living in Palestine need and deserve democratic self-governance and independence. Being a geographical enclave imposes constraints on sustainability because 1) the population is too large for the confined space, and 2) essential resources need to be larger in supply.</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">The solution to the Palestinian problem requires the following:</span></p><ol style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; list-style-type: decimal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Arab-led international assistance, as Palestine, is a perpetual welfare entity.</span></li><li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; list-style-type: decimal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Elimination of Hamas and any other like-kind terrorist group in Palestine.</span></li><li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; list-style-type: decimal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Cooperation from Israel as a partner in the process.</span></li><li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; list-style-type: decimal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Creation of Palestine as an independent self-governing entity.</span></li></ol><div><span style="color: #0e101a;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #0e101a;">Arab nations must engage Israel in this pursuit.</span></div><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">"Israel</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"> </span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">As the humanitarian crisis in the Middle East deepens, the main UN agency working in Gaza said it will be forced to </span><a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://e.newsletters.cnn.com/click?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" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #4a6ee0; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;" target="_blank"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">halt its operations later today</span></a><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"> due to a lack of fuel. Doctors in overwhelmed hospitals on the brink of shutting down have repeatedly warned that waves of new patients injured in the </span><a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://e.newsletters.cnn.com/click?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" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #4a6ee0; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;" target="_blank"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">daily bombings</span></a><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"> and babies relying on oxygen supplies will die if fuel is not brought in. Just eight out of 20 aid trucks scheduled to cross into Gaza on Tuesday made the journey, UNRWA said. No specific reason was given as to why the other 12 trucks didn't make it. This comes as Israel's leadership said a ground offensive is still on track after they </span><a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://e.newsletters.cnn.com/click?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" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #4a6ee0; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;" target="_blank"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">vowed to wipe out Hamas</span></a><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"> in response to its October 7 terror attacks and kidnapping rampage in which 1,400 people — mostly civilians — were killed and more than 200 taken hostage."</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">CNN<br /><br /><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #0e101a; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR-Hw87pftJoocd-kVW1mRSBAQ2GCBjajdx88FWAv3ym7rGBJPqfLyAJaD3CO60OfhjlND2CBMfbAr-Id6umro_D4jJlYj4OTXzCpzGQxsLuErMdq64Hy7380J6N_LGqaRTxYKN0VOTofD5bz9sPN3yE2f6QCLexlBbKP9RPMf8LqWp0tvYtb-Ba0gOz7E/s750/palestine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="503" data-original-width="750" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR-Hw87pftJoocd-kVW1mRSBAQ2GCBjajdx88FWAv3ym7rGBJPqfLyAJaD3CO60OfhjlND2CBMfbAr-Id6umro_D4jJlYj4OTXzCpzGQxsLuErMdq64Hy7380J6N_LGqaRTxYKN0VOTofD5bz9sPN3yE2f6QCLexlBbKP9RPMf8LqWp0tvYtb-Ba0gOz7E/s320/palestine.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #0e101a; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0e101a;">https://countercurrents.org/2017/08/70-years-on-palestinians-are-still-locked-in-the-same-position/<br /><br /></span></div><br /><p></p>James Georgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03390672305277920091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9134423595393382451.post-14650568980957834372023-10-24T15:14:00.002-07:002023-10-24T15:14:24.726-07:00 Red Rover<p>I tried to imagine a game metaphor to describe a possible strategy for Democrats to gain control of the House speakership. Red Rover is close, though not perfect.</p><p>To start, the Democrats must target who they want on their team. Candidates include all of the Biden-softened districts and some more mature Republicans, even those hand-picked by Biden and Harris as targets.</p><p>Red Rover begins with Democrats working privately to recruit candidates to join their cause to elect Hakeem Jeffries. There must be promises and horse-trading.</p><p>Next, let the game begin. Red Rover, Red Rover, let Republican X come over.</p><p>When the Democrats have six or seven committed votes, Jeffries and the nation win.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcmY5dPHy3p-G5b7qNzzNyLvF1i41i7gJzKo1bN2KDdOgvILV4VKVR7ANwPHC-Yg8gU2yAvgppTuGPSWLbx0L0yCerghS8Qs35p2qvGj67GznOkVXBccp19Phx9YDPb9ciL14DcvkVHjDRK_noY6RDYYVIG9scOpH-9XoqM8JISbnyPPC0jxDFxAFOWwDD/s2048/licensed-image.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcmY5dPHy3p-G5b7qNzzNyLvF1i41i7gJzKo1bN2KDdOgvILV4VKVR7ANwPHC-Yg8gU2yAvgppTuGPSWLbx0L0yCerghS8Qs35p2qvGj67GznOkVXBccp19Phx9YDPb9ciL14DcvkVHjDRK_noY6RDYYVIG9scOpH-9XoqM8JISbnyPPC0jxDFxAFOWwDD/s320/licensed-image.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>James Georgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03390672305277920091noreply@blogger.com0