Jeff Bezos moved quickly to congratulate the former president, now elected to be the next president. In an unctuous post on Elon Musk’s X (formerly Twitter), Bezos fawned,
Big congratulations to our 45th and now 47th President on an extraordinary political comeback and decisive victory. No nation has bigger opportunities. Wishing @realDonaldTrump all success in leading and uniting the America we all love.
He’s hoping this will erase any doubt of his loyalty to the new administration. It’s a stronger signal than killing The Washington Posts’s endorsement of Kamela Harris, which he tried to justify as principled.
Perhaps a prudent business move, yet it reeks of unscrupulous opportunism.
I moved my phone from the bedroom so I wouldn't be tempted to look at it during the night. Before going to bed, I checked a few races from our old state of New Hampshire.
At 5:25, my wife’s phone dinged, indicating a message from our daughter. I went back to sleep, not knowing whether she was relaying joy or horror.
Shortly after 7, I got up to see the outcome. My wife asked me to read the results to her. My daughter's text read, "Gutted this morning." My response: "Stunned. Deeply saddened. Fearful."
We walked downtown to pick up a coffee order at Mama Mochas and lamented the outcome with Papa Mocha.
I'm avoiding diving into the post mortem, instead cherrypicking the results from a few of the races. Shomari Figures won, a relief since he was behind when I went to bed. It seems many of the abortion referendums passed: Arizona, Missouri, Montana. That's some compensation for the losses in Florida and Nebraska.
Trying not to think much beyond today. Trying to contain my deep disappointment, keeping it from running into despair.
Yesterday, we volunteered with the NAACP, giving rides to the polls. This morning, I'm trying to recall the satisfaction of giving one person a voice, even if not sufficient to change the nation.
This morning, the NAACP chat group is processing the results. Someone shared this poem by Venice Williams, which reminds me of my privilege and the need to do more.
You are awakening to the
same country you fell asleep to.
The very same country.
Pull yourself together.
And,
when you see me,
do not ask me
"What do we do now?
How do we get through the next four years?"
Some of my Ancestors dealt with
at least 400 years of this
under worse conditions.
Continue to do the good work.
Continue to build bridges not walls.
Continue to lead with compassion.
Continue the demanding work
of liberation for all.
Continue to dismantle broken systems,
large and small.
Continue to set the best example
for the children.
Continue to be a vessel of nourishing joy.
Continue right where you are.
Right where you live into your days.
Do so in the name of
The Creator who expects
nothing less from each of us.
And if you are not "continuing"
ALL of the above,
in community, partnership, collaboration?
What is it you have been doing?
What is it you are waiting for?
The texts and emails keep coming, more urgently asking for contributions. I'm skeptical that dollars now will change the outcome — more likely contribute to the next race. The cards for 2024 are dealt. It's in the hands of the voters to play their tarot cards.
I've given money — more than I have ever contributed to political campaigns. I've written postcards and letters. Tomorrow, I'll help provide rides to the polls for those without transportation. Then, we await the future.
This morning I voted around 9 — in and out in five minutes. The lady welcoming us at the door said the line was long during the first hour, and the turnout had been steady. Yet the organized process was efficiently keeping the line to just a few people deep.
Vote early and vote often.
I first heard that line associated with the corrupt Democratic machine in Chicago, when Richard Daley was mayor. According to Perplexity AI, it was actually used first in the 1850s by pro-slavery voters in Kansas. (See the footnote if you want to go down that path.)
I was able to double my vote today — legally — by providing a ride for someone with no transportation. I was one of a dozen who volunteered for a Lee County NAACP program to provide free rides for anyone needing transportation to vote. Although my rider and I did not discuss how either of us voted, I suspect we are supporting the same candidates.
Historical Footnote
John Van Buren is associated with the phrase “Vote early and vote often” due to historian James Morgan’s identification of him as its originator. This association is supported by Laurence Urdang and Janet Braunstein, although there is limited direct evidence linking him to the phrase. The phrase itself became popular in the mid-19th century, particularly among pro-slavery voters in Kansas who were trying to influence elections. Source: Perplexity AI
We (a newspaper) must be believed to be accurate… What presidential endorsements actually do is create a perception of bias.
While I feel that bitter pill of bias, it’s not because of the editorial team. Their opinions clearly state the bias and what informs it. It’s the “news” side that slants articles with pejorative words and headlines that go beyond a neutral reporting of facts or that create a “false equivalence” between two arguments that don’t have equal weight.
Ironically, Bezos acknowledges the decision won’t add much trust — quite the opposite — and the poor timing:
By itself, declining to endorse presidential candidates is not enough to move us very far up the trust scale, but it’s a meaningful step in the right direction. I wish we had made the change earlier than we did, in a moment further from the election and the emotions around it. That was inadequate planning, and not some intentional strategy.
Then why do it now? Why not wait until after the election, with a four-year runway to build support within and outside the paper?
Bezos’ argument is unconvincing, inviting speculation of Machiavellian motivations.
You already know Donald Trump. He is unfit to lead. Watch him. Listen to those who know him best. He tried to subvert an election and remains a threat to democracy. He helped overturn Roe, with terrible consequences. Mr. Trump’s corruption and lawlessness go beyond elections: It’s his whole ethos. He lies without limit. If he’s re-elected, the G.O.P. won’t restrain him. Mr. Trump will use the government to go after opponents. He will pursue a cruel policy of mass deportations. He will wreak havoc on the poor, the middle class and employers. Another Trump term will damage the climate, shatter alliances and strengthen autocrats. Americans should demand better. Vote.
The Washington Post editorial board — more likely the management above it — has announced it will not endorse a presidential candidate in this year’s historic election.
We see it as consistent with the values The Post has always stood for and what we hope for in a leader: character and courage in service to the American ethic, veneration for the rule of law, and respect for human freedom in all its aspects. We also see it as a statement in support of our readers’ ability to make up their own minds on this, the most consequential of American decisions — whom to vote for as the next president.
Lewis, with The Post for just a year, ironically justifies the decision by implying a long history of the Post not making endorsements in presidential elections:
We are returning to our roots of not endorsing presidential candidates.
Correction: In my original post, I wrote that the exceptions to not making endorsements were for Eisenhower in 1956 and Jimmy Carter in 1975. Fact checked by Perplexity Al,
The Washington Post has had a varied history of presidential endorsements since 1960:
1960-1972: The Post did not endorse presidential candidates during this period.
1976-2020: The Post endorsed presidential candidates in every election during this period. Specifically, the Post endorsed Jimmy Carter in 1976, marking the beginning of their modern endorsement era. From 1976 through 2020, the paper consistently endorsed presidential candidates. In 2020, the Post endorsed Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.
I was too young to recall Eisenhower’s election, but I have followed every election since, beginning with Kennedy’s in 1960. This election is by far the most dangerous to American democracy of any in my lived experience. That The Post should ignore this and hide behind a so-called long tradition of independence is unconscionable.
Lewis also seems to confuse a newspaper’s editorial and news functions. The news side is supposed to be neutral, just reporting the facts, while the editorial side is supposed to argue positions, providing a variety of voices. The editorial board making a recommendation based on its collective judgment is expected. If that’s out of line, then the editorial board should not make recommendations on any topic.
Lewis argues we readers are best left to make up our own minds, implying we won’t if we see an endorsement from The Post. I assure you we will, although we will consider the collective wisdom of the editorial team, which offers much more access to and history with the candidates.
Lewis further claims the Post stands for “character and courage in service to the American ethic, veneration for the rule of law, and respect for human freedom in all its aspects.” Donald Trump as president and candidate violates all these values, surely justification for the Post to take a stand.
At least acknowledging that the decision will be criticized, Lewis writes,
We recognize that this will be read in a range of ways, including as a tacit endorsement of one candidate, or as a condemnation of another, or as an abdication of responsibility.
It surely is an abdication of responsibility, and I suspect it’s a political move to appease a man who has promised revenge and retribution should he be reelected.
The Post should recognize the risk to the country after the chaos of Trump’s presidency, his denial that he lost, his demonizing rhetoric during this campaign, and the comprehensive plans of Project 2025. By not being clear about this choice, the management of The Washington Post is blowing out the light that you claim protects democracy.
I have cancelled my subscription to the newspaper.
Last night I had the chance to listen to a tribute to Antonio Carlos Jobim’s music sung by Sasha Masakowski, accompanied by five extraordinary musicians. The concert at Opelika’s The Sound Wall was a wonderful flashback to the music of my youth.
In high school I worked for an FM station, call letters KSRN. Our tag line was “Stereo 104.”
FM radio was a relatively new consumer product, offering much higher fidelity than the decades-old AM radio that was often plagued with static and interference. In 1961, the FCC authorized FM stereo broadcasts, complementing the stereo high-fi systems many people were adding to their homes. To attract listeners and advertisers, the early FM stations played to their strength and broadcast music.
KSRN adopted a format called “easy listening” or “middle-of-the-road.” Antonio Carlos Jobim was one of the staples of the playlist. One of the musicians introducing bossa nova to America, he became popular in the 1960s.
I rarely listen to FM radio these days. When I do, it’s an NPR station. The music I played at KSRN and grew to love is readily available on Spotify, accessible whenever I want to listen to my KSRN playlist.
Asides
To avoid interference at night, when AM radio transmissions would bounce off the atmosphere and propagate farther, local market stations had to reduce their transmitter power, which often limited their local coverage.
A key decision that accelerated consumer adoption of FM was FM/AM radios in cars, not just AM. After 60 years, the debate is now whether to remove AM radios from cars. Their susceptibility to interference is particularly troublesome for electric vehicle manufacturers.
I first noticed Donald Trump when he claimed Barack Obama was not born in the U.S. Seriously? It seemed like a racist publicity stunt.
Then, he came down the escalator and announced he was running for president, disparaging Mexico and Mexicans. Seriously?
When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best… They’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people. (Source: Time, Here’s Donald Trump’s Presidential Announcement Speech, June 16, 2015.)
Donald Trump’s campaign was a rant of negativity about the state of the country, claiming he alone could fix the ills and “make American great again.”
I didn’t take him seriously, wondering how anyone could. So I was stunned when he won and became president — he actually lost the popular vote to Hillary Clinton, 65,853,514 (48.2%) to 62,984,828 (46.1%) but won in the Electoral College. Seriously?
Trump’s presidency was tempestuous, violating norms of civic discourse and ethical governance. He has refused to concede the 2020 election to Joe Biden and hatched illegal schemes to remain in office, culminating in the attack on Congress on January 6, 2021. Arguably, an attempted coup.
So I’m stunned that he’s back on the ballot after being impeached twice, convicted and accused in multiple indictments, and promising revenge and retribution if reelected.
That we’ve come to this crossroad truly reflects a broken America.
This morning I finished reading The Opposite of Namaste and wrote this review for Goodreads. They have a nice feature enabling the review to also be posted on a blog.
I'm a longtime fan of Timber Hawkeye, listening to his podcast and now completing this third book of wisdom. The "Opposite of Namaste" compiles short takes on living that inspire me to live aligned with positive values.
Each chapter is conversational, presenting ideas that are thought-provoking and often counter-intuitive: "Those who challenge us actually teach us more than those who agree with us." Or "Everything (and I mean EVERYTHING), becomes more enjoyable when we let go of the illusions we have about how the world 'should' be and how people 'should' behave."
While reading, I highlight inspiring passages, then review them at the end of each chapter to reinforce my retention. I find periodically sampling and reflecting on the passages in a chapter a helpful spiritual practice.
I recommend the book as a gift, particularly for young adults framing their worldviews.
Unfathomable. I cannot imagine how the Republican party has fallen to such depths of depravity. The party of my youth that reflected conservative principles framing views of Federal governance, foreign policy, and the exconomy has abandoned policies for demonizing the other in a distorted view of Christianity.
The next execution in Alabama is scheduled for January 25, when the state plans to execute Kenneth Smith. If carried out, the execution will be the first in the United States to use nitrogen hypoxia.
Smith confessed to the 1988 murder of Elizabeth Sennett and was duly convicted of the crime. Yet his death sentence warrants commutation for reasons beyond philosophical opposition to the death penalty, as advocated in my email to Governor Kay Ivey.
Governor Ivey,
Please commute the death sentence of Kenneth Smith to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
While Mr. Smith confessed and was duly convicted of the murder of Elizabeth Sennett, a jury of his peers recommended a life sentence, 11 to 1. The judge for the case disregarded the jury’s wishes and imposed the death penalty. The use of judicial override has since been repealed by the Alabama legislature, although this grace was not extended to Mr. Smith.
This is not justice and calls for your intervention.
Former Alabama governors Robert Bentley and Don Siegelman, from both political parties, have urged an end to executions where the jury was not unanimous or the judge overruled the jury’s recommendation.
Grace for Mr. Smith is further compelled by the state’s failed attempt to execute him in 2022, now compounded by the planned use of nitrogen hypoxia for this next attempt on January 25. As you well know, Mr. Smith would be the first prisoner in the U.S. to be executed using nitrogen hypoxia, an experimental and unproven procedure that is clearly unusual and arguably cruel.
Commuting Mr. Smith’s death sentence to life would be a tangible application of God’s grace: honoring Elizabeth Sennett and her family while ensuring a just and fair punishment for Kenneth Smith.
In the news today, former vice president Mike Pence has suspended his campaign for president. The longtime evangelical, who arguably should have garnered the support of the evangelicals who elected President Trump to office, never gained a following. His obsequious support of the former president — up to the point of refusing to violate his oath of office on January 6 — was seen by the base as a betrayal, not an act of allegiance to the U.S. Constitution. Pence was too much of a loyal milquetoast who betrayed Trump when it truly mattered. The MAGA base remains committed to the former president, despite the numerous indictments, violations of the norms of office, and lack of human decency.
As Mike Pence exits stage right, Mike Johnson enters stage left, elected this week to serve as the Speaker of the House replacing ousted Kevin McCarthy. The relatively unknown representative from Louisiana, who was only elected in 2016, distinguished himself by opposing the certification of the 2020 election, in the House on January 6 and earlier lawsuits filed in various states.
An evangelical and MAGA conservative, Johnson
supported bills that would institute a nationwide ban on abortion, and advocated for overturning the 2015 U.S. Supreme Court decision Obergefell v. Hodges, which affirmed a fundamental right for same-sex couples to marry. (Source: Wikipedia)
Announcing his decision to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race, Pence urged a gathering of Jewish Republicans to choose a Republican candidate that will
“appeal to the better angels of our nature, and not only lead us to victory, but lead our nation with civility back to the time-honored principles that have always made America strong and prosperous and free.”
Despite Pence’s wish and personal efforts, it seem likely that Trump will be the Republican candidate, and Johnson will be leading the House when the time comes to certify the 2024 election. I hope it’s not close.
“Some things cannot be fixed; they can only be carried.” — Megan Devine
I delivered this reflection at the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship service on September 10. The proximity of the service to 9/11 called for a commemoration of the tragedy and its continuing echoes. Collecting my thoughts from over two decades was an instructive exercise, an example of William Faulkner’s quip, “I never know what I think about something until I read what I've written on it.”
§
T
omorrow will be the 22nd anniversary of 9/11, the audacious and traumatic attack on America by al-Qaeda. We’re approaching a generation since that day. While the physical destruction has been cleared, new buildings constructed, the Pentagon repaired, and memorials erected, the emotional scars remain. In the words of Megan Devine, “Some things cannot be fixed; they can only be carried.”
The echoes of 9/11 persist. This morning I want to share my reflections on a few of the many.
John Ogonowski and his family — wife Margaret and daughters Laura, Caroline, and Mary Catherine — lived on a 150 acre farm in Dracut, Massachusetts, not far from where John was raised. Beyond raising crops — hay, corn, pumpkins, blueberries, and peaches — he was known for promoting farming in Massachusetts and helping Cambodian farmers who had settled in the area after the Vietnam War.
9/11 dawned a crisp fall morning, with not a cloud in the sky. I recall that morning, as I lived in nearby New Hampshire. John Ogonowski was up early to drive to Logan Airport. In addition to farming, he was a pilot for American Airlines, scheduled to captain a Boeing 767 from Boston to LAX. He and First Officer Thomas McGuinness were among the first to die, possibly before their plane struck the north tower.
John’s daughter, Laura, was 16, just starting her junior year in high school. She was in class that morning. A teacher led her out into the hallway and, as she recalls, said, “Laura your father was killed in a plane crash.”
“Watching the plane fly into the World Trade Center towers was, and still is, the most horrific thing to see,” she says. “That day that started out so bright and crisp turned out to be the darkest day of my life.”
The Ogonowski family turned their grief toward memorializing John’s love of farming. And trying to resume their lives. John’s widow says, “There’s just this undeniable void. They took a person bigger than life, and he disappeared in a heartbeat.”
John Ogonowski was one of the 2,977 people who died at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and in an open field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. They ranged from 2 to 82 years old and came from some 102 countries. The medical examiner staff of New York City continues to identify the remains of victims using DNA samples. As of two years ago, some 1,100 people had not been identified, their families waiting for closure.
Some 71,000 individuals who responded to the destruction at Ground Zero and were exposed to the smoke and dust and trauma, suffer physical and mental health illnesses. More than 300 fire fighters have died from illnesses attributed to their exposure in the aftermath.
Another echo from 9/11: The failures in security that allowed the 19 hijackers to pull off 9/11 led to the formation of the Homeland Security Administration and the Transportation Security Administration, dampening the fun of air travel, likely forever. Our airports have been restructured into people chutes, so TSA can assess each one of us as a possible threat.
After an intense 10-year hunt, the U.S. finally found Osama bin Laden, the leader of al-Qaeda, and killed him in a surgical strike. While that brought some sense of justice, al-Qaeda remains active in the world. It took the U.S. another decade to find Ayman al-Zawahri, who took over the leadership after bin Laden’s death.
The U.S. government had demanded that the Taliban leadership of Afghanistan turn over bin Laden. After the Taliban refused the ultimatum, President Bush ordered an invasion of the country to capture the elusive leader. Bin Laden escaped, leaving the U.S. with a misguided and unsuccessful attempt to turn the country into a peaceful democracy. After nearly 20 years of what became known as the “forever war,” the U.S. hastily and chaotically withdrew from Afghanistan, leaving the Taliban in control. Other than the destruction of war, the U.S. presence in the country disappeared like an oar lifted from the water.
Yet our vengeance echoes with deaths and injuries. During the two decades, 2,462 U.S. military and 1,822 civilian contractors died. Almost 21,000 service members were wounded. The Costs of War Project estimates at least 176,000 Afghans were killed, comprising civilians, Afghan military and police, and opposition fighters.
One short-lived success of the U.S. occupation: Afghan women gained many freedoms: going to school, working, and participating in government and public life. Tragically, the Taliban quickly reimposed its patriarchal interpretation of Islamic law, leaving only memories of those freedoms.
Another echo: As the U.S. sought the perpetrators of 9/11, it established a military prison at the isolated Guantánamo Bay Naval Base. The secluded location was outside the sovereign territory of the U.S., enabling the Bush administration to argue that detainees did not have the rights and protections of the U.S. legal system. Further, the island location made it unlikely any of the prisoners could escape to threaten U.S. citizens.
The New York Times reports 780 people were detained at Guantánamo since January 2002. 30 are still there, five accused of plotting the 9/11 attacks. The trial of the five has been stalled for years because each was tortured by the CIA. Torture undermines confessions and other evidence that would be presented at a trial.
Prosecutors have proposed a plea deal, where the defendants admit guilt in exchange for life sentences. The five have agreed to that point, also asking to serve their terms where they can eat and pray together, which they do now. They fear being isolated in solitary confinement for the rest of their lives. They have also asked for medical treatment for the sleep disorders, brain injuries, gastrointestinal and other health problems which they attribute to repeated torture. Last week, President Biden rejected those requests.
Three of the 30 prisoners at Guantánamo are being held in a category called “indefinite law of war detention.” They live in a Kafka-esque world where the U.S. keeps them imprisoned as a “national security necessity,” not eligible to be transferred to another country. Yet they have not been formally charged with any crimes and may never be.
Another echo: 9/11 launched a wave of anti-Muslim attacks in the U.S.: verbal and physical assaults, murders, vandalism of mosques and personal property. Donald Trump used anti-Muslim bias as a pillar of his 2016 campaign for the White House. After being elected, his proposed policies were slowed only by the courts. Islamophobia remains a simmering part of American culture, resurgent with the rise of Christian Nationalism.
§
These echoes continue to reverberate 22 years after 9/11. Sitting with them is heartbreaking. As a nation that calls itself religious, what should we learn from this past?
First, we should never forget the evil perpetrated that morning. For those of us who witnessed it, the trauma surfaces every 9/11, every time we see a photo or video from that day or its aftermath. So many innocent lives were lost, causing unfathomable pain for those who loved them. “Some things cannot be fixed; they can only be carried.”
Second, our military forces are most effective deterring the aggression of other countries. Our military is a blunt instrument of destruction when used offensively, leading to tragic civilian casualties. An initial welcome by civilians usually turns to resentment and a guerrilla war.
Third, regardless of our intentions, an American occupation cannot create a democracy with enlightened human rights where the history, culture, and religious traditions of the country won’t nurture those seeds.
Fourth, torture and interminable detention are appalling violations of human dignity. Our first principle calls us to respect the inherent worth and dignity of every person, and those words reflect the values of religious people and the foundation of our Constitution.
Last, and most pertinent for us, our Muslim neighbors remain targets of bias. This is likely to become more threatening and visible with the hateful rhetoric of the upcoming presidential campaign.
22 years after 9/11, it’s easy to be so busy with life that we lose track of these continuing echoes. On this anniversary, let us remember we are called to turn our faith into action and to engage in the political process, doing what we can to right the wrongs that still echo from 9/11. In the words of Martin Luther King, Jr., “The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people but the silence over that by the good people.”
§
As I researched and wrote this homily, I found the message depressing. Being an optimist, I want to end on a hopeful note.
Likely, you have heard the story told by Mr. Rogers: “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’ To this day, especially in times of ‘disaster,’ I remember my mother's words, and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers — so many caring people in this world.”
We can’t tell the story of 9/11 without recounting so many acts of bravery and selfless kindness. Here’s one:
That morning, the FAA ordered all aircraft in U.S. airspace to land, to determine whether other planes had been hijacked and were heading for destruction at unknown locations. There were many flights coming from Europe that were too close to the U.S. to return to Europe. 38 planes carrying some 6,600 passengers and crew landed at the airport in Gander, Newfoundland, which had a very long runway but a population of just 9,000. The residents there rallied to feed and house their stranded visitors until their flights were cleared to return to the U.S.
Victoria’s song this morning, from the musical “Come From Away,” shares the story of Beverly Bass. She was an American Airlines captain flying from Paris to Dallas-Fort Worth that day. “Come From Away” tells of the goodness and generosity of the Canadian community that responded to the tragedy.
With the vision of peace for a hurting world, let’s join our voices to sing our closing hymn, “Imagine” by John Lennon.
Alabama's legislature recently concluded a special session to redraw Alabama's congressional districts mandated by the federal courts — including a 5–4 decision from the U.S. Supreme Court.
In a state where 27 percent of the residents are Black, the federal government argued — and the argument was supported by the courts — that more than one of the seven congressional districts should be expected to elect a Black representative. Not so. Historically, only one district was configured to elect a Black representative, which the federal government viewed as a violation of the Voting Rights Act.
Agreeing with the federal government, the court ordered the legislature to create
“an additional majority-Black congressional district, or an additional district in which Black voters otherwise have an opportunity to elect a representative of their choice.”
Providing further guidance, the judges wrote,
"As the Legislature considers such plans, it should be mindful of the practical reality … that any remedial plan will need to include two districts in which Black voters either comprise a voting-age majority or something quite close to it."
GOP maps created a new 7th Congressional District in the western Black Belt with a bare majority of Black voters (it ended up at 50.65 percent) and a new 2nd Congressional District in southeast Alabama with a Black population that ranged from 38 to 42 percent.
Rep. Chris Pringle, R-Mobile, who co-chaired the reapportionment committee, said while the district wasn’t majority-Black, Black voters would have the "opportunity" to elect leaders of their choice, according to the Alabama Reflector.
Opportunity doesn't mean the outcome is likely. I can buy a lottery ticket, with the outcome most assuredly the opposite of what I hope. A population that's 38 to 42 percent hardly meets the criteria of "a voting-age majority or something quite close to it."
So it's back to court, the Alabama legislature wasting taxpayer money to defend Jim Crow.
However, my assessment may be too harsh. A thought experiment written by Brian Lyman posits the legislature may be motivated more by the fear of retribution from their hard-core voters than racial bias.
For the first time in U.S. history, a former president has been indicted on a criminal charge: on Tuesday, Donald Trump was officially charged with 37 counts related to keeping classified documents after his term ended, then obstructing justice by his efforts to keep the documents after ample opportunity to return them.
This first for American democracy should be stunning. Yet it’s no surprise. It’s just another dot on a very straight line drawn by the most observed, analyzed, and polarizing person in, perhaps, all of U.S. history. A human who, to me, is the antithesis of the values and norms that inspire this country — or did until Donald Trump came down the escalator to announce his presidential campaign.
What does stun me is the abject support from most leading Republicans — ironically, even those competing with Donald Trump for the Republican nomination for the 2024 election. They echo Trump’s preposterous claims of witch-hunt, judicial overreach, and persecution by the Biden administration, ignoring the photos and other compelling circumstantial evidence in the indictment. Our elected officials should let the judicial process proceed and refrain from adding political rhetoric to inflame an already historic and volatile situation.
Photo of classified documents stored in a bathroom at Mar-A-Lago. Source: Department of Justice
In addition to stunned, I’m disheartened by the values reflected by Republicans’ continued fealty to Donald Trump, despite his immorality and continuous lies, which led to his unprecedented attempt to prevent Joe Biden from assuming the presidency. Certainly a large number of Americans voted for Donald Trump. Many apparently believe his false claims of election fraud, some enough to storm the Capitol on January 6. But for the Republican leaders of our government to support Trump’s propaganda seems a clear violation of the oath of office to uphold the Constitution.
Senator Tommy “Coach” Tuberville, who sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee, has stopped the Senate’s confirmation of general and flag officer nominations and appointments, claiming the Department of Defense (DoD) policy funding travel and paid time off for service members having an abortion is illegal. So far, the Senator’s hold has caught more than 180 nominations, according to al.com.
“Congress writes the laws, and Congress directs all federal spending,” saying, “Nobody in Congress voted for this.”
Lloyd Austin, the Secretary of Defense, says the DoD policy is legal. At a Senate hearing he said,
“About one in five of our troops are women. I want them focused on the mission and not worried about whether or not they’re going to have access to reproductive health care.”
The DoD policy was implemented in response to the Supreme Court’s decision in the Dobbs v. Jackson case, which overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision. Roe said a women had the right to an abortion under the Constitution (with certain restrictions). The Dobbs ruling reversed that decision, saying no such right is explicitly defined in the Constitution. Where do you see the word abortion? The outcome of Dobbs is that legal access to abortion is determined independently by each state. Many states essentially prohibit all abortions.
The conundrum is we have troops based in all states, as well as around the globe. To prevent a two-tiered military, this DoD policy provides consistent access to reproductive health care. Unfortunately, some women will have to travel outside the states where they are based, so the policy grants them time off and reimburses travel expenses — which the Coach objects to because he is against abortion.
Another letter:
Senator Tuberville,
I write to express my disagreement with your policy of blocking military confirmations because of your opposition to the Pentagon’s medical policies, which include leave and travel for service members who have an abortion.
While I understand and respect your personal beliefs on abortion, enforcing your beliefs on all women serving in the U.S. military is an abuse of your power as a Senator and a violation of the separation of church and state, which is enshrined in the Bill of Rights.
Your religious beliefs on abortion are not shared by all Americans, even Christians. A Pew Research Center survey conducted one year ago found 61% of Americans feel abortion should be legal in all or most cases, compared to 37% holding your view.
Memorial Day is a fitting time for you to lift your hold and let the military proceed without further unwarranted delay.
The latest estimate by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellon forecasts the U.S. government hitting the debt ceiling — unable to incur any further debt to make payments — as early as June 1. Despite approving increases during the Trump administration, the House has tied this increase to a long list of spending cuts, reducing spending for most federal programs to the levels two years ago, according to NPR.
Disguised as concern for America's fiscal future, the House gambit is taken from classic Republican orthodoxy: cut spending except for defense and lower taxes, ignoring that the latter will actually increase the debt.
There's another dimension to this looming crisis, that of speaker Kevin McCarthy held hostage by the most conservative members of his caucus, forcing him to play a no compromise hand. Such is the price of his power.
Hard to say if rationality will prevail or we'll hit the ceiling and hope for the best. Nonetheless, it seemed prudent to reach out to my representative in the House, Mike Rogers:
Representative Rogers,
I urge you to approve an increase in the debt ceiling before the U.S. government defaults on any of its obligations. A default would be a first for the country, a self-inflicted error with unpredictable consequences for our credit rating and global financial markets.
As Jerome Powell said yesterday, “No one should assume that the Fed can protect the economy and financial system and our reputation from the damage that such an event might inflict.” A default could upend the Fed’s measured interest rate strategy to reduce inflation without incurring a recession.
As you well know, the debt ceiling simply reflects the approved spending of past sessions of Congress, Republicans as well as Democrats. Refusing to honor those debts is like me refusing to pay my credit card bill. The appropriate action for me is to reduce future charges to my credit card. The same holds for Congress.
The increasing federal debt is a longterm economic concern and should be addressed by Congress through its appropriations process. The list of spending cuts recently approved by the House is a starting point for negotiating the fiscal 2024 budget with the Senate.
The current strategy of tying a long list of wished for spending cuts to the debt ceiling in a political competition has way more downside than the outcome of reducing federal spending.
This week President Biden announced he’s running for a second four-year term, urging “let’s finish this job.”
The video announcement made official what was expected, so the news has focused on the president’s low standing in the polls and his age — born in 1942, Biden will be 86 at the end of a second term.
My take: based on his decades of experience in government, life experience, and good health, Joe Biden is the most qualified to serve as president, certainly far better than his leading and likely opponent, former president Trump.
Should ill health or death prevent Biden from completing the term, Vice President Kamala Harris will step in, with more than four years in the administration in addition to her experience in the Senate. This twist of history would be far better for the country than another four divisive years of a Trump administration.
In addition to supporting a second term for President Biden, I hope the Democrats will retain their majority in the Senate and regain the majority in the House so the administration can, indeed, finish the job. The Democrat’s vision for the country is far more inclusive and inspiring than the vision and policies I’ve heard from Republicans.
Hard to believe how absurd and damaging “anti-woke” politics has become.
Governor Ivey,
I am dismayed that you asked — forced according to the Alabama Reflector — the secretary of early childhood education to resign because of her support of a resource for educators, a book your communications director said included “woke concepts.”
First, the term “woke” should be banished from any government communication. It’s a pejorative, inflammatory political term that plays to your conservative base and precludes a thoughtful, reasoned discussion of any legitimate concerns about the book published by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).
Second, the NAEYC is a respected organization, formed in 1926, that helps educators and schools create a supportive learning environment for children through age 8. NAEYC’s policies and recommended practices are based on decades of research. 25 years ago, the preschool my two children attended was accredited by NAEYC after a rigorous audit to assure the school’s program was appropriate for their stages of development.
Third, it’s so important that young children begin developing socialization skills: seeing that everyone is different, learning that each person deserves respect, and beginning to feel empathy for the other. According to the Alabama Reflector, your office received a complaint about the NAEYC book, claiming it teaches “white privilege, structural racism and messaging promoting ‘equality, dignity and worth’ around LGBTQIA+ identities.” If that was indeed the complaint, it’s a gross distortion that mirrors the bias, fear, and political agenda of the person making the complaint.
An actual passage from the book encourages teachers “to be particularly aware of providing supporting environments and responses to children who are members of marginalized groups and those who have been targets of bias and stereotyping.” Bullying based on perceived differences — gender, racial, ethnic, language, economic, academic, athletic — is a significant issue in our schools, with potential outcomes that increase in severity as children progress from preschool through high school. Telling teachers to ignore the innate diversity of our children won’t solve these issues and yield a more civil society.
Last, I’m confident all parents want their children’s teachers to see and encourage their uniqueness, helping them gain the confidence to pursue their potential. That’s the vision promoted by the NAEYC and what makes this complaint of “wokeness” — which is counter to acceptance and encouragement — so perplexing.
Perhaps you reacted to the word reflexively, not looking beyond the term to see the accusation as the unfair and fearful political play it is. Unfortunately, Alabama has lost Ms. Cooper’s talent and devotion to our children.
Senator Tommy “Coach” Tuberville, who sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee, has stopped the Senate’s confirmation of general and flag officer nominations and appointments, claiming the Department of Defense (DoD) policy funding travel and paid time off for service members having an abortion is illegal. So far, the Senator’s hold has caught more than 180 nominations,