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Guard Against Despotism

6/28/2017

media.boingboing.com

With the final touches applied to the Fifth Edition of How Our Government Really Works, Despite What They Say a lot of updates have been included since the Fourth Edition, including the 2016 election and the ascendency of Donald Trump to the Presidency. In writing the book, I was diligent to distinguish any inherent bias I may have from that which may be concluded by any truly objective observer. In order to bring this point across in the new edition, I made every effort to take the view of the Founding Fathers and Framers as if they were watching what is currently unfolding in our body politic. Unfortunately, you can imagine they would not be very happy with how their system of government is being abused by our current political leaders.
Case in point, the manner in which the GOP Senate Leadership crafted the "repeal and replace" Obamacare legislation - in total secret, not just hidden from the public, but from an overwhelming number of Senators themselves. So much for having faith in their fellow members of the esteemed institution. After the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office ("CBO") rated the Bill a disaster for over 22 million Americans, GOP Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell was forced to back off a floor vote that would have certainly led to an embarrassing defeat. But would the vote have been nearly as embarrassing to the GOP? Perhaps the shameful manner in which they attempted to develop the Bill itself and avoid open debate on the Senate floor should be the most embarrassing aspect of this debacle. After claiming Obamacare was "a disaster" to be repealed and spending precious legislative time by presenting over 60 attempts to do so, the GOP has shown they have no real alternative when it comes to health care policy. Which leads to a question our Founders and Framers would be asking. "You call that leadership?" (According to one poll, only 17% of Americans approve the proposed GOP health care Bill - See: www.cnbc.com/2017/06/28/senate-gop-health-care-bill-has-dismal-approval-rating-poll.html). I wonder if some of these include the same folks that believe chocolate milk comes from brown cows? (See: www.peta.org/blog/american-adults-think-chocolate-milk-comes-from-brown-cows/).
Then you have the President of the United States pushing Senators to give him a much needed "win" with the passage of the GOP sponsored Bill regardless of the fact if enacted, it would openly cut Medicaid along with the public's approval of certain existing Obamacare provisions - all promised by Candidate Trump to be exempt from cuts from a new bill. When the CBO scored the GOP Bill, it found it would in fact raise the deficit, provide deep cuts to Medicaid and take away life saving lifetime caps on total insurance coverage. Premiums would not go down as promised, but would penalize the very poor, the sick and the elderly. Not exactly what Candidate Trump promised on the campaign trail.
Ironically, while I was on the road, I had a chance to talk to a self-declared "Libertarian." Her comment? "It's just like ObamaCare, we didn't know what was in it until they passed it!" Except that is not true. ObamaCare had over 100 GOP Amendments offered, countless committee meetings over 13 months and a slew of town halls (filled with Tea Party advocates fueled by Sarah Palin "death panel" style claims). When I pointed out these facts behind the ACA's route through the Senate, she immediately disengaged from the conversation. But this is not new, is it? When confronted with facts, it seems easier for people to simply "walk away" when they have them all wrong. But can we as a nation just walk away when we should know there are obvious problems with the truth? What Would The Framers Do (WWTFD? ) if confronted with this seemingly modern phenomena? They certainly would give no quarter to those refusing to face demonstrable facts, that's for sure.
Speaking of demonstrable facts, the New York Times recently published a list of over 600 lies or misleading statements made by the President since his inauguration. (See: www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/06/23/opinion/trumps-lies.html). Despite these demonstrable lies, the President and his spokespeople continue to label media outlets purveyors of FAKE NEWS! (See: www.motherjones.com/media/2017/06/reporter-rips-into-sarah-huckabee-sanders-for-inflaming-media/). Now we have had all types of media in our history that has not always been truthful. But to go as far as to make official presidential statements that all media that the President does not agree with is "Fake" is a step away from the democratic principals embodied in our Constitution. Can you ever imagine a Founding Father or Framer giving the President absolute power over the media? Of course not! This is the most troubling part of the current Administration. The ability to sell so many Americans on the notion that only a supreme leader like the President can determine facts from lies and no others are to be listened to or heeded. Absolute power without a check from within the government or through a free and open media IS a threat to our democracy.
So instead of going point by point on why the Founders and Framers would find the current state of the presidency so disgusting, I'll leave you with these two quote from the following Founders and Framers - Benjamin Franklin; "Without freedom of thought, there can be no such thing as wisdom - and no such thing as public liberty without freedom of speech" and George Washington; "The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge natural to party dissension, which in different ages and countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism. But this leads at length to a more formal and permanent despotism." Freedom of Speech and of the Press were embodied in the First Amendment for very valid reasons. Encroachment on them, by any sitting president, must be fought, no matter how trivial. *I will be away from my desk for the next month. Please feel free to check back and catch up on old blogs. I hope to be "back at it" by August 1. Be safe and be well! DRR

On the road again

6/25/2017

Due to travel arrangements, I am unable to post a blog today or tomorrow. I hope to be able to post something by Wednesday (flying home Tuesday evening). Until then, be well!

Happy Founding Fathers' Day!

6/18/2017

Happy Father's Day! Yes, it's that time of year again when children make and send cards or telephone calls to their dad's to wish them the very best. It's also a time when some of us reminisce a tad bit about our dads that are no longer with us, but whose memories remain very strong. But some fathers seem to be often forgotten in today's modern times. Those fathers? The Founding Fathers that's who!
As I complete writings relating to the updated Fifth Edition of "How Our Government Really Works, Despite What They Say", I can only think what some of our Founding Fathers would think after witnessing the current political atmosphere in America. I also wonder how they would address our current president whom seems to have little to no regard to the traditions founded in our presidential history. I mean, we celebrate our fathers because of all they have done for us. I know I learned a few things from my dad. Isn't it past time we learn more from our Founding Fathers and celebrate them? So let's get at it, shall we.
What would George Washington say this Father's Day to America? "There is nothing which can better deserve your patronage, than the promotion of science and literature. Knowledge is in every country the surest basis of public happiness." You think folks today still believe that science and literature are true hallmarks of devotion? From climate change deniers to purveyors of "Alternate Facts" on social media, I doubt Mr. Washington would get many to agree with him (but you can still count me in George, really!).
How about Benjamin Franklin? Ever wonder what his position would be on the whether Americans should trust science rather than the rumor mill we now call "social media?" Franklin once wrote; "An investment in knowledge pays the best interest." Gee, any businessman (surely Mr. Trump) would recognize the return on any investment must include dividends. But I'm doubtful our current president or those that support him appreciate or understand that true knowledge, especially in the ways government is structured and designed to work for the direct benefit of all Americans, and not the chosen few (supported by those under the far-fetched notion they too may one day be rich- which is a real illusion). Instead of categorizing those with knowledge as a feared and distrusted "elite", perhaps we should heed Washington's guidance? Actual knowledge IS power, and half-baked belief's based upon partisan driven rumors, fake news and alternative facts (err, lies) is not.
What about Alexander Hamilton? Which of his words of guidance ring most true today? "Real liberty is neither found in despotism or the extremes of democracy, but in moderate governments." I guess these are words extremists refuse to recognize because they have fallen prey to their own hypocrisy when it comes to their views of the country. Wouldn't it be great if Hamilton's words would take root in our modern society? Can we ever expect to return to a time when moderation and compromise in our government is respected as the only positive way forward for our great nation?
I believe James Madison penned several very astute observations about our government and its role in our society. But the following suits my purpose today more than others; "I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments by those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." This gradual "usurpation" falls at the feet of those working tirelessly to undermine public education, hoping to leave the American electorate clueless when it comes to our government and the role America must play in the modern world. When folks claim "America First" they clearly have no clue that inherently means America LEADS the Free World. If we pay no heed to the gradual influence of Fake News, we run the real risk of allowing the corrosion from these outlets to further take hold and weaken the bedrock of our democracy. We must guard against such erosion, just as Madison warned.
Ah, Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence. What did he say about our liberties?
"Educate and inform the whole mass of the people... They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty." I doubt Jefferson meant to educate the masses via social media without teaching the public to use critical thinking skills first. I know this is a difficult task in today's "get info now" society, but it requires brain power and our education system must be free to teach these basic human skills again.
I could go on and on, but I think you get my point. If we honor our fathers today, let us all honor our Founding Fathers by demanding more from our politicians and the president. As John Adams once wrote; "Liberty, according to my metaphysics is a self-determining power in an intellectual agent. It implies thought and choice and power." Makes you wish Mr. Adams and all of our Founding Fathers could sit down with our elected officials and the president, right? I mean, "thought" (and non-partisan intelligence) sure seem to be missing in today's politically partisan society. So happy Fathers Day to all dads, with us or not - and to our Founding Fathers whose lessons on liberty must be learned if we are to make America Great Again! Have a great week!

Understand Government

6/11/2017

    Anyone else feel like it was a long month this week? I mean, with the Trump Train rolling along with a few wheels off the rails, it's difficult to ever remember a time in America where the last few months seem like years. To clarify, since the inauguration of Donald Trump as president, Americans have come to expect policy changes and issues advocating the views of the electorate that most recently voted in the election. But did anyone predict the Trump Train would not only go "off the rails" so quickly, but so consistently?
As any long-term reader of my blogs know, although not a supporter of President Trump, I was willing to give him a chance to prove himself the "business leader some felt this nation needed to move us forward." Unfortunately, this view rather quickly devolved into an illusion, as Donald Trump's inability to appreciate the office of the Presidency was put on display front and center right from his inauguration speech all the way through this past week.
   Can anyone possibly recall (in recent memory) a time when a former Director of the FBI testified to the Senate that the President of the United States cannot be trusted because he is a "liar?" Can anyone recall a sitting president respond with both threats of litigation or a claim to make the record straight by asserting a willingness to "testify under oath" in order to prove that former FBI Director is a liar instead? That our Commander-In-Chief's main strategy to deal with adversity (inherent in the position) is to denigrate perceived opponents in a child playground game of "got you last?" (See: www.nytimes.com/2017/06/09/us/politics/trump-comey.html). This is serious stuff folks, not some petty spat that can be mediated with mommy in the room.
Now it appears Trump (and his lackeys) are attempting to paint Comey as some sort of criminal for his admission of passing off typed notes to a friend with the understanding he would in turn release it to the media. His notes? A personal memorializing of his conversations with the president asking him to let the Flynn investigation "go." Comey explained the basis for allowing his memos to be given to the press through a third party because he anticipated Trump would either mischaracterize their conversations regarding the pending Russian collusion investigation or just outright lie about what really was discussed between them. One problem exists for those buying the Trump narrative - giving his memos to a third party relating to a conversation already discussed by the President on social media and on national television interviews, is not a revelation. It is simply a presentation of the other side by the other participant to the conversation(s). Moreover, nothing in the "leaked" memos were deemed "Classified" and therefore nothing was improperly released to the third party and eventually to the media. Executive Privilege does not apply to individuals that are not employed in the government nor on matters already aired publicly by the president (or on any actions that may be considered criminal in nature, ie., Obstruction of Justice. See: US v. Nixon, 1974 - www.oyez.org/cases/1973/73-1766).
In other words, claiming transparency by not invoking a privilege that does not exist is a clever propaganda move for the president's base, but it has no impact on reality. Just another misinformation tactic from an administration put together with spit and glue without actual long-range planning. Haven't we witnessed enough evidence of this through the president's incessant and prolific use of his Twitter account? (See: abcnews.go.com/US/questions-raised-comey-admitting-leaked-contents-memo-trump/story?id=47918343, www.rawstory.com/2017/06/cnn-legal-analyst-eviscerates-trumps-illegal-leak-argument/).
   Ironically, Paul Ryan, GOP Speaker of the House response to Comey's testimony indicating Trump not only attempted to coerce a halt to the investigation into Micheal Flynn, but also Trump's considerable misrepresentations (aka LIES), had the chutzpah to claim Trump deserved some sort of break because he is "Just new at this." (See: www.vox.com/2017/6/8/15762530/paul-ryan-comey-testimony-trump). Huh? When FDR died, Harry Truman was forced to deal with the immense pressure of prosecuting a World War and the fact America was completing the construction of two nuclear bombs. According to historians, Truman immersed himself in the briefings provided by (then reluctant FDR aides) to learn everything he could in order to determine whether to use the new bombs in an effort to end the War in the Pacific. (See: www.history.com/this-day-in-history/truman-is-briefed-on-manhattan-project). He invested his time to LEARN what Presidents need to know in order to proceed as Commander-In-Chief. He did not ask for a mulligan because he was "new at this."
   According to Article II of the US Constitution, the President of the United States is to "Take Care" of the country ("Take Care Provision"). It does not afford a learning curve and do-overs once an individual is sworn into office. This learning curve must be completed by the end of the Transition Period between the election and the Inauguration. Clearly, President Trump and the GOP Leadership somehow missed this lofty requirement of our elected leader. Trump now continues to prove he was unfit to be considered President of the United States, let alone elected to serve as such.
   So where do we go from here? Unfortunately, we seem to be destined to careen from one guardrail to another heading up a mountaintop with the hope America does not go over a cliff. As President Harry S. Truman once wrote; "A politician is a man who understands government. A statesman is a politician who's been dead for 15 years." Clearly President Trump does not understand government, and he certainly is no statesman! We can only wonder what this next week will bring us as the Trump Train continues to careen along the rails. Have a great week!

Any Price

6/4/2017

Ever feel like you've been on a rollercoaster but when you arrive at the station, no one is in line to take your seat so you can simply sit back and ride along again and again? Doesn't that seem a lot like each week we have experienced under Donald Trump's presidency? From day to day, week to week we seem to be on an endless circuit of missteps, miscalculations, inappropriate or ignorant tweets, twists and turns, unexpected dips and drops and high speed falls. All on top of an ever-widening investigation into the Trump's campaign's ties to Russia's willful interference in our democratic elections (See: www.politico.com/story/2017/06/02/trump-tweets-russia-probes-239040), we now have to deal with the fallout of Trump's decision to exit the Paris Climate Accords.
   Why the "fallout?" Because once again, the president lied about the reasons why the United States needed to exit the Agreement. According to Trump, the Paris Climate Accords do a number of bad things for America and therefore, despite 192 countries signing on, we the (former) leader of the Free world must turn our backs on it. Why? He claims we can "negotiate a better deal for America (if we walk away from the existing accords), one that would be more "fair" to us. Except nothing in the Paris Climate Accords obligated us to do anything except create parameters for environmental behavior. It was not enforceable in any way. Now despite what you may read by the public educated by Right Wing Media, The United States did not commit to anything that could lead to punishment or trial in some World Court for violating the Accords. I say this because many in support of President Trump make these claims.
I raise it further because I understand why the United States Senate could not agree and ratify the League of Nations provisions in the Treaty of Versailles as it obligated America to enter War(s) should fellow member nations be attacked. This clearly would abdicate the power of Congress under Article I of the Constitution to "Declare War" before militarily committing our nation. But no such language exists in the Paris Accords granting any other country enforcement authority over America. None. So another lie believed by the ignorant and easily manipulated.
Second, President Trump claimed the Agreement prohibited America from building coal plants while allowing China to build "hundreds of additional coal plants." Nothing in the Accords prohibited or allowed any single country to increase or reduce coal plant construction. Ironically, China has officially declared a policy to reduce fossil fuel emissions and encourage the development of alternate clean fuel sources (See: news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/05/china-renewables-energy-climate-change-pollution-environment/). Another lie from the President.
   A third reason for his determination America must walk away from the accords? Climate compliance "could cost American workers up to 2.7 million jobs by 2025." What? Could? Yet, there is no data to support his claim of job losses. Moreover, it ignores the growing clean energy technology sector and all of the jobs it would create by 2025. So perhaps not an outright lie, but one so misleading it's damn close to one.
   A fourth reason? Because even if fully implemented it will only lead to a "2 tenth of a celsius reduction in global temperatures by 2100." This too is an unsupported dubious claim. The Accord allows for each country to agree to modify and adjust emission standards no later than 2030. So how can the man make a judgment based upon the year 2100 (and ignore the 2030 adjustment date)? Just another lie. (See: www.nytimes.com/2017/05/31/climate/qa-the-paris-climate-accord.html). Regardless, many States and Cities now have decided to continue to comply with the Accords, no matter what the President claims.
   President Trump's claim "I was elected to represent Pittsburgh and not Paris" may have been a catchy soundbite carefully thought out and created by his "spin team." Yet, Pittsburgh has a long history of recovery from being one of the most polluted cities in America to now being one of the cleanest. In fact, Bill Peduto the mayor of Pittsburgh himself, in reaction to Trump's announcement tweeted: "As mayor of Pittsburgh, I can assure you that we will follow the guidelines of the Paris Agreement for our people, our economy & future." (See: qz.com/996765/paris-climate-agreement-pittsburgh-and-paris-mayors-reject-trumps-claim-that-he-speaks-for-pittsburgh-not-paris/). So much for protecting Pittsburgh Mr. President.
This week the President also claimed Congress was working on his beautiful tax reform bill. Except no such bill has been introduced in Congress. Just another lie from the "spin doctors" of the Trump Administration. (See: www.cnbc.com/2017/06/01/trump-cites-nonexistent-tax-bill-that-is-moving-along-in-congress.html). Yet, millions of Trump supporters believe everything that the man says. The intellectually blind seem so easy to mislead (my apologies to those actually blind - I would believe their other senses would be engaged that would make them less susceptible to the mounting lies coming from the White House).   So as we continue careening through the Trump presidency, rocking and rolling, shifting back and forth, dropping and twisting (the truth), we can now see how President Trump and his team are working hard to spin falsehoods into beliefs while crafting polices more geared toward advertising than actual substance. Governing is a tough business. Lying repeatedly is no way to lead.
But my final point is clear. Throughout the Obama Administration, Right Wing media and its supporters seem to make political headway with the talking point that America lost its way by the then president "leading from behind." That by waiting for others to move, we someone lost our leadership role in the world, making America less safe and less powerful. Yet, those same critics seem suddenly mute when actions by Trump no longer have us leading from behind, but not leading at all. President Trump scolds NATO, blames Germany for their nation's choice to spend less on imports and now says America can't afford to be bound by international agreements. With all of the blood, sweat and tears poured into saving the world after WWII, walking away and giving up our role as leaders of the Free World is certainly not going to make America great again. It simply makes America nothing less than second rate. Not something Americans should be particularly proud of.
   As President John F. Kennedy once wrote; "Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty." Leadership often comes at a hefty price. The price already paid by America over the past 80 years should not be so readily ignored or discarded by a president careening from one mistake to another. Have a great week!

Guard Against Despotism

On the road again

Happy Founding Fathers' Day!

Understand Government

Any Price

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