THREATENING TO END DEMOCRACY .....

Voter suppression is alive and well in many if not all battleground States across America, Republicans are trying to rig the rules in their favor. Instead of trying to appeal to the needs of voters, and after their 2020 loss, they just want to limit who can vote. Like Georgia, many States are proposing strict voter ID laws, and less voting stations, disenfranchising black, brown, low-income, elderly and young student voters. We cannot go backwards, we urgently need a more equal and just democracy.

Vote by mail is under heavy attack from Trump/Republicans, they want to make voters believe it's a source of massive voter fraud. Despite zero evidence, since the 2020 elections till now, the Trump oligarchy and the Republican machine's lawyers exhausted the judiciary branch with so many cases that were all repudiated in their entirety. It's all part of the GOP big lie they're using to justify voter suppression, Americans from all walks of life should make sure lies are not taking hold in crucial voting districts as well as in all different States. 

Already this year, here in the U.S. 155 mass shootings occurred, plus a full scale insurgency against the government and democracy, the answer to all these massacres and violent acts: Let's make it easier to buy guns and machineguns. Let's protect our sacred second amendment rights. while in the 2020 elections process only 2 minor cases of voter fraud were registered, the answer to that is: let's make it harder to vote. Much harder as a matter of fact, especially in poorer districts and where colored people are the majority. 

Does the GOP care more about rigging elections than supporting and protecting their constituents. I think many GOP officials and delegates nowadays, only take the words of their inspired leader, " Mr. Trump" that if every American will be given a fair chance to vote, Republicans will never win an election. They are all totally convinced that the less people vote, the better their chances are in winning any election, even in their own districts, we have seen it in Georgia. 

Another major problem in American elections is the amounts of money amassed by all candidates and parties. It practically only depends on the amounts to win the seat. They all forget the principal theories and policies and rely on money to fund TV and radio ads, mostly to ridicule and blame the adversary, proudly calling it real/fake news. Most politicians would absolutely panic if and when the adversary collects a bigger amount, even the top leaders and the newcomers watch each other fundraising and how successful they are. Nancy Pelosi just announced that as she watched Trump host the Republican's biggest fundraiser of the year at Mar a Lago club, she decided that if they fail to close this gap, it means defeat to Democrats.

The big difference though, is that Mr. Trump and most of Republican contestants raise their money from rich people, corporations and wealthy donors, all with special agendas and requests. While Democrats rely on individual donations not exceeding 20 or 25$ in most cases, and usually asking for 3 to 5 $ contributions with their ads.

While next year's mid-term elections are getting closer, Republicans need only one or two seats to topple Senate majority, and pick not more than 5 to 7 seats to take back the House. Republicans are sure ahead in collecting and spending their money and raising tens of millions for next year's elections. American voters in general may have turfed Trump out of the White-House but the threat to American Democracy remains high. 

Attacks on voting rights are in fact ramping up nationwide, driven initially by the Trump machine lies and adopted by most Republican politicians and propagandists. In fact in most advanced and democratic countries, legislations strive to making voting easy, accessible, secure and protected, as a right to every citizen. While dozens of States, headed by Georgia are moving to legislate limiting voting rights every day, It's an unprecedented assault on Democracy and the right to vote. 

They proudly call it Patriot powered elections. We cannot go back in time, we urgently need a more equal and just democracy, let's all defend real democracy everywhere. 

          My usual many thanks for your time, stay well and safe.                  

 

     

TRANSFORMING AMERICA .....

Back in 1840, Alexis De Tocqueville in "Democracy in America" said ; An observation may be made respecting public officers, it is easy to perceive that the American democracy errs in the choice of the individuals to whom it entrusts the power of the administration, but it is more difficult to say why the state prospers under their rule, even if temporarily. In the consideration of laws a distinction must be carefully observed between the end at which they aim and the means by which they are directed to that end, between their absolute and their relative excellence.

If it be the intention of the leader to favor the interests of the minority at the expense of the majority. And if the measures he takes are so combined as to accomplish the object he has in view with the least possible expenses of time and exertion, the law may be well drawn up, although its purpose be bad, and the more efficacious it is, the greater is the mischief which it causes.

The American majority are finding it more difficult for them to preserve their independence, liberty and equality against the aggression of power in America. The age old question is ; whether the members of a modern society can be citizens as well as strictly subjects, practicing genuine self- government as well as enjoying the benefits of a rational administration and the securities of a reasonable level of welfare and social programs that an efficient bureaucracy can provide in normal times. In our times many leaders have only some set rules to serve their purposes and self interests, and perpetuating their rule, all the rest are and serve a purely decorative function.

This type of modern leadership is reducing the legislative and the intellectual political strata into political impotence, and we're having many of these leaders across the world nowadays, if this trend of governance continues, it will allow most of its backers as well as their oligarchies, to retain and  increase their financial privileges and to exercise an increasingly oppressive power over the less advantaged classes of the population at large, extracting resources from the poor and transferring them to the rich.

The idea is that whether we as Americans are content, happy or unhappy depends on whom we compare ourselves with. What America is getting from success or failures in its too many adventures and wars of domination for the past 50 or 60 years is a pseudo national glory, a false increase in self-confidence and solidarity, but all at the high cost of overwhelming and destroying every other major advancement in our lives, it hinders, compromise, enervates, dazes and finally reduces this nation and every nation to being nothing more than a herd of timid and industrious domesticated animals of which the government and the big corporate entities are the shepherds.

White America is no longer Anglo-American, we embraced innumerable other European immigrants, including Catholics from Ireland, Italians, eastern and southern European, followed by Jews fleeing Russian pogroms and various oppressions elsewhere, the opening of our western territories brought in Asian laborers, and the country picked up a substantial Latino and Mexican population by conquest and more by immigration, and seekers of a better life from all over, all of which led to our country's astonishing scientific, technical and cultural inventiveness.

 But we are not anymore the closed white Evangelical bunch, running our little affairs and literal beliefs, backing blindly "Godly inspired leaders", We should,  all of us, aim to preserve and protect our freedoms and egalitarian free society .
                                                     My thanks to all my good readers, wishing you a speedy recovery from all sorts of viruses and pandemics .                  

THE "CANCEL CULTURE" MENTALITY .....

 

Radical conservatives have been fighting a full culture war. At stake is what America is to be. Their goal is to radically change America to fit the conservative moral worldview. A threat to more than 65% of Americans, to democracy itself and all that goes with it. Not just in America, but all over the world. Generally American values are fundamentally progressive, centered on equality, human rights, social and economical responsibility and the inclusion of all. Our democracy is in danger, that danger has its roots in money, power, social structure, and history. These are being politicized, compartmentalized, and only certain versions imposed on everyone by dubious tactics and politics.

Wars, hegemony, arms, genocide, apartheid, brutality and wealth inequality have all their cultural aspects, even if culture is not the core of them. We are slowly and surely establishing a full culture of forbidding any form of criticism or even giving an opinion or discussing an issue or an act, we will crush anyone even attempting to discuss or criticize a present regime, an insurrection, or even Israeli politics, tactics, behavior or brutality, it's simply forbidden, period. 

And yes, it is appropriate for people of free will to hold anyone morally responsible for their acts, we have a moral right to blame, criticize and praise people, especially politicians and civil servants. We have the right to hold representatives to account anytime we have enough reasons to doubt their motives, integrity, personal interests and intentions, we accept it to ourselves, and we have the right to give it to others. 

If "cancel culture" is not stopped it will ruin everything that America and the Western world stands for. As in free speech. We were right , and the foreign establishment was wrong, they were wrong on Iraq, they were wrong on Libya, Syria, Somalia, Yemen, Afghanistan, and now they are wrong on Iran, Israel and the entire Middle-East, they are even approaching the entire China future relationship with wrong and arrogant upper language and accusations. Yet despite so many life costing errors and wasted trillions of $, they continue to claim they are more qualified than the people when it comes to deciding if and when we should go to war, or destroy a country with its people. 

In a newly released video, Rep. Ron Johnson, Senator from Wisconsin, said he wasn't worried during the Capitol attack, because the majority-white insurrectionists "love this country" and they couldn't break the law, but if they were black lives matter or anti fascist protestors, Johnston added he would've been very concerned for his safety. This blatant racism from Ron Johnston is surely disgusting in our time and place, and its only purpose is to render the Capitol insurrection as a no big deal affair. 

But one could consequently ask; what if Johnston said something similar of whites and denigrated Jews or Zionist zealots, wouldn't he be labeled immediately an anti Semite and destroyed totally as a politician, US senator, even as a businessman, and everyone would have agreed, but to belittle and trample American blacks or left liberals, or even anti fascists, that's kosher and legitimate, even fair play. Take the State of Georgia latest GOP legislations, practically cancelling black and poorer population votes, then when confronted they whine and shout "Cancel culture". 

On the other hand, where are the video clips that show some of the insurgents of the Capitol on the 6th of Feb. carrying the Israeli flag !!! many saw those on most national TV. Since, they masterfully disappeared, the editors must have been seriously busy editing them out. As no one saw them again, a master gave the orders and POOF !!! It was carried out, Gone. Are we not hypocrites ?? Are we not adding and cancelling whatever and whoever we find inconvenient ??? 

As always my profound thanks to all, stay safe and well.