Life Goes On

When I suddenly went deaf, the doctor said, writing it down, “You are deaf and there is nothing more I can do. Life goes on.”

Halting my life in tracks—no more work, and I am disabled—nothing I could do—though Johns Hopkins Hospital (Dr. Matt Stewart) gave me a cochlear implant so I could hear again.

When Joe Biden stumbled last night in a debate with Donald Trump, the frail senior statesman had a weak performance against a convicted felon and fraudulent and despicable former President. A nation being without a sound and patriotic leader is like a person discovering deafness. What’s next?

Life goes on. The American Political System that is grossly flawed will self-correct. Ideally, both parties would reject their current candidates for different reasons. They probably won’t, but it is not impossible. 

I don’t think Americans will tolerate an authoritarian regime. There are too many politicians in government who resist and do their jobs under oath.

I didn’t know about cochlear implants when I went deaf. I don’t know what the Democratic Party will do to improve the situation, though I am hopeful.

Rescuing the Democratic Candidacy

President Biden’s faltering through the debate with Donald Trump can’t be called a blessing; however, it is more than a wake-up call. Americans have two deficient choices—one poor and the other perilous.

 

Joe Biden is a frail elder statesman and incumbent whose patriotism is unfettered. Donald Trump is a fraudulent con man and convicted criminal whose defective patriotism is flaunted for all to see. The wake-up call is for both parties.

 

The trouble with the American Political System is systemic, and the nation needs a government performance audit, examining the need for change and improvement, new amendments, laws, and regulations. I address those topics in:

·      How to Select an American President,

·      Standards for American Political Parties,

·      Regenerating America with Sustainable Economics

·      A Presidents Manifesto

 

The patient has a sucking chest wound demanding emergency action. There is no time to attend to the vast troubles in our democracy all at once. However, we must save democracy from tyranny, and it requires both parties to address their candidates and their directions.

 

The free press is doing a good job of helping us stay informed about the situation, while the political parties are not.

Questions:

1. Is Kamala Harris prepared for the Presidency? Could she win a national election? Would she help the Democrats control Congress?

2. Who are the senior governors of significant states who could become eligible and desirable candidates?

3. Should Joe Biden step down and assist the party in redirecting the candidacy?

Creator: Brian Snyder 

| Credit: OSV News photo/Brian Snyder, Reuters

Copyright: Reuters

What Fuels North Korea’s Authoritarian Economy?

James George

Political Science

19 June 2024

What Fuels North Korea’s Authoritarian Economy?

Pondering how to shut them down.

When I see Russia and North Korea coming up again, it prompts the question, how do authoritarian regimes stay afloat? How can they continue to develop advanced technologies sufficient to put the free world on guard? 

I looked at Wikipedia to understand more quickly.

“The economy of North Korea is a centrally planned economy, following Juche, where the role of market allocation schemes is limited, although increasing.^[11][12] As of 2024, North Korea continues its basic adherence to a centralized planned economy. With a total gross domestic product of $28.500 billion as of 2016, there has been some economic liberalization, particularly after Kim Jong Un assumed the leadership in 2012, but reports conflict over particular legislation and enactment.^{[13][14][15][16][17][18]} Since the 1990s, informal market activity has increased, which the government has tolerated.^[19] These markets are referred to as 'Jangmadang', and were formed as a result of the economic collapse during the 1990s, which made the regime unable to distribute food to its people.^[20]

The collapse of the Eastern Bloc from 1989 to 1992, particularly North Korea's principal source of support, the Soviet Union, forced the North Korean economy to realign its foreign economic relations, including increased economic exchanges with South Korea. China is North Korea's largest trading partner. North Korea's ideology of Juche has resulted in the country pursuing autarky in an environment of international sanctions.^[21] While the current North Korean economy is still dominated by state-owned industry and collective farms, foreign investment and corporate autonomy have increased.

North Korea had a similar GDP per capita to its neighbor South Korea from the aftermath of the Korean War until the mid-1970s,^[22][23] but had a GDP per capita of less than $2,000 in the late 1990s and early 21st century. For 2018, the South Korean Bank of Korea estimated the GDP growth as −4.1%.^[24] For the first time, in 2021, the South Korean Ministry of Unification estimated that the North Korean private sector outgrew the public sector.^[12][25][26]"

Key Points:

North Korea relies on natural resource sales to China and Russia, among others. 

“According to AI Overview, North Korea's main exports include minerals, metallurgical products, textiles, agricultural and fishery products, and armaments. Some of their most recent exports include tungsten ore, refined petroleum, ferroalloys, electricity, and molybdenum ore. North Korea's most common export destinations are China, Senegal, Nigeria, Poland, and the Netherlands.

Since Poland is a NATO nation, NATO should request that Poland curtail trade with North Korea.

Nigeria: “The United States and Nigeria enjoy strong bilateral cooperation on cultural heritage protection and preservation and signed a bilateral cultural property agreement in January 2022. Nigeria is one of only two countries in sub-Saharan Africa with a similar agreement with the United States.” Can we not ask Nigeria to curtail trade with North Korea?

“The United States and the Netherlands, whose military ties were forged during the battles of World War II, cooperate closely within NATO to support stability within Europe and across the globe. As close allies and partners, the U.S. and Dutch militaries work together at all levels of command.”

Can we not request that the Netherlands curtail trade with North Korea?

https://www.cnn.com/2024/06/19/asia/north-korea-russia-putin-visit-thursday-intl-hnk/index.html

Image: Kremlin.ru

D-Day 80th Anniversary

On this D-Day 80th Anniversary, the theme is to fight against tyranny to preserve democracy.

Terrifying to know that the Republican Party led by Donald Trump and his cult minions are openly attacking our government, our Constitution, our democracy, and our way of life.

It is still our watch, mine and yours. Under no circumstance will I allow Republicans to carry out their intentions to undermine the rule of law and to subvert our democracy?

It is incorrect to tolerate tyranny and authoritarianism by Republicans. Their party must be defrocked. Defenestration is the answer in addressing them--take them to court.

If the court continues to be undermined by conflict of interest by appointees of the firmer President, Congress must act to amend the Constitution, imposing standards of ethics for the Supreme Court, enforceable by law.

Very Bad

James George

Political Science

3 June 2024

Is It As Bad As It Seems?

When I read the polls and see that Biden and Trump are in a dead heat, it disturbs me. Here are the facts about Trump. What do many Americans, especially Republicans, not understand?

“From the 1970s until he was elected president in 2016, Donald Trump and his businesses were involved in over 4,000 legal cases in United States federal and state courts, including battles with casino patrons, million-dollar real estate lawsuits, personal defamation lawsuits, and over 100 business tax disputes.” Wikipedia

“Between October 2021 and July 2022 alone, the Republican National Committee paid more than US $2 million to attorneys representing Trump in his presidential, personal, and business capacities. The New York Times published an overview of his legal involvements as of September 2022. In January 2023, a federal judge fined Trump and his attorney nearly $1 million, characterizing him as "a prolific and sophisticated litigant who is repeatedly using the courts to seek revenge on political adversaries.”

On December 6, 2022, the parent company of Trump's many businesses, The Trump Organisation, was convicted on 17 criminal charges.

On May 9, 2023, regarding E. Jean Carroll's claims of defamation and sexual assault, an anonymous jury found Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation but was found not liable for rape according to the New York state definition. Presiding Judge Lewis A. Kaplan later stated that the jury had ruled that Trump had committed rape according to the common definition of the word. Trump was ordered to pay Carroll $5 million in damages. On January 26, 2024, Trump was ordered to pay Carroll an additional $83.3 million in damages in a second defamation lawsuit.

In June 2023, Trump was indicted on federal criminal charges relating to his handling of classified documents and was arraigned in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida in Miami. Pretrial deadlines for Trump’s alleged violations of the Classified Information Procedures Act (CIPA) are set for June and July 2024.

On August 14, 2023, Trump was criminally indicted by a grand jury in Georgia on state election-related charges. Fulton County, Georgia, district attorney Fani Willis investigated his efforts to overturn that state's 2020 presidential election results.

On September 26, 2023, in New York v. Trump, a judge issued a summary judgment finding Trump and his two adult sons liable for fraud regarding fraudulent overvaluation of The Trump Organisation's assets and Trump's net worth.[20] On February 16, 2024, following a three-month trial, Trump, The Trump Organisation, his sons, and the former chief financial officer were fined $364 million.[21] A week later, the court finalised that Trump must also pay $100 million in interest. On March 25, 2024, the required bond payment was reduced to $175 million on appeal, which Trump paid on April 1, 2024, thus averting the seizure of his properties and assets. The original judgment (plus interest) against the defendants still stands.

On January 12, 2024, a case regarding an alleged pyramid scheme was dismissed from federal court, with plaintiffs recommended to file cases in state courts.

In People v. Trump, on May 30, 2024, Trump was convicted on 34 New York state felony criminal counts of falsifying business records related to hush money payments to an adult film actress before his election to the presidency. A grand jury in Manhattan indicted him on March 30, 2023. He was arraigned on April 4, 2023, and pleaded not guilty to all counts. The trial began on April 15, 2024, and ended with his conviction.

Defenestrate the GOP

James George

Political Science

1 June 2024

Defenestrate the GOP

They say, ‘Love it or leave it.’

An Associated Press story headlined this morning: “Republicans join Trump’s attacks on the justice system and campaign of vengeance after the guilty verdict.”

Instead, what I advocate is taking the Republican Party to court or at least to public task and holding all accountable for despicable acts against the rule of law and the Constitution. They swore oaths of allegiance to the nation; we got subservience to a convicted criminal. He was a criminal before entering office, during, and after. Trump continues to undermine our democracy, and that cannot be tolerated. As he is being prosecuted, so must his co-conspirators. All must pay the price for being traitors to the nation. 

“BY  LISA MASCARO AND MARY CLARE JALONICK

Updated 8:04 AM EDT, June 1, 2024

WASHINGTON (AP) — Embracing Donald Trump’s strategy of blaming the U.S. justice system after his historic guilty verdict, Republicans in Congress are fervently enlisting themselves in his campaign of vengeance and political retribution in the GOP bid to reclaim the White House.

Almost no Republican official has stood up to suggest Trump should not be the party’s presidential candidate for the November election — in fact, some have sought to hasten his nomination. Few others dared to defend the legitimacy of the New York state court that heard the hush money case against the former president or the 12 jurors who unanimously rendered their verdict.

In fact, any Republicans who expressed doubts about Trump’s innocence or political viability, including his former hawkish national security adviser John Bolton or top-tier Senate candidate Larry Hogan of Maryland, were instantly bullied by the former president’s enforcers and told to ‘leave the party.’”

https://apnews.com/article/trump-guilty-republicans-vengeance-a05db7fa2512a62afe035992f2baaf16