Thursday, May 02, 2019
Mueller Criticizes Barr's Attempt To Whitewash Report
When Robert Mueller submitted his report to the Justice Department, Attorney General Barr released a 4 page summary of the report that gave Trump a pass on everything. That summary was disingenuous at best, and an outright lie at worst. And it did not make Mr. Mueller happy. He sent the following letter to Barr that criticized the summary.
Wednesday, May 01, 2019
Infrastructure: Real Agreement Or Feel-Good Headlines?
The big headline news on the cable shows yesterday was about Trump meeting with Pelosi and Schumer and reaching an agreement to spend a little over $2 trillion on repairing and rebuilding this country's infrastructure.
The news was that Trump and the Democrats had reached an agreement -- an agreement that showed Trump could work with the Democrats he hated, and the Democrats could do good for the public while investigating Trump. It was a feel-good story that made everyone involved happy. It was also pure bullshit.
It was no achievement to agree that a couple of trillion dollars needs to be spend on this nation's infrastructure. Everybody in the country already knew that. That was the easy part.
Note that there is no infrastructure bill pending in Congress, or one awaiting Trump's signature. And there won't be one until the two sides agree on how to pay for that new $2 trillion in extra spending. We already have a record national debt that is growing larger by about a trillion dollars a year (thanks to the Trump/GOP tax cuts for the rich). neither side is going to be willing to tack another $2 trillion on that debt. So, how will it be paid for?
The Democrats will want to pay for much of it by taxing the rich more (either raising the taxes Trump lowered or inventing some new taxes for the rich. Trump is never going to agree to that. He's proud of the tax cuts he gave himself and his rich buddies -- and he's not about to agree to giving back even a penny.
Trump has already shown us how he will want to pay for it. He did that with the awful budget he proposed. He will want to cut Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and abolish Obamacare. Then make massive cuts to every social program that actually helps ordinary and needy Americans. The Democrats will never agree to that.
There is no real agreement, and I wouldn't advise holding your breath until there is one. There is nothing but feel-good talk. Don't expect any real plan before the next election.
3 New Polls Out On Support For Democratic Candidates
Quinnipiac University Poll -- done between April 26th and 29th of a national sample of 1,044 voters, with a 3.5 point margin of error.
Morning Consult Poll -- done between April 22nd and 28th of a national sample of 15,475 registered voters, with a 1 point margin of error.
CNN / SSRS Poll -- done between April 25th and 28th of a national sample of 1,007 adults, with a 3.8 point margin of error.
The State Of Democracy Around The World
Most people around the world want to live in a democracy. However, many don't think that the democracy is working well in their country. About 51% worldwide are dissatisfied with how their democracy is working, and in the U.S. that figure is 58% (a rise of 7 points since 2017).
The two things that most say are OK is free speech rights and the ability to better themselves. But most think their justice system is unfair, their politicians don't listen to them, their politicians are corrupt, and elections don't really change anything.
These charts are from the Pew Research Center Global Attitudes Survey done of about 1,000 adults in 27 different countries.
Our Democracy Depends On Defending The Rule Of Law
Our democracy depends on following the Constitution and respecting the rule of law. It is time for citizens to stand up and demand that Trump obey the law and respect the Constitution. He is NOT above the law.
Here is how respected journalist Dan Rather puts it:
We have long prided ourselves on being a nation of laws. And well we should. “Equal Justice Under the Law,’’ “Every Person Is Entitled to a Presumption of innocence Until Proven Otherwise Beyond Reasonable Doubt,” and “No Person Is Above the Law” are deeply embedded in our national character.
Not that we do or can always, in every way, achieve these goals. But we should be ever striving to come as close as possible. In our system of justice, these must be our navigational stars.
Which brings us to this moment in our history, and to the president. Mr Trump routinely suggests--sometimes demands---lawlessness. Sworn to obey and enforce the law, he instead flouts it, without shame.
This is difficult to say, much less believe. There is no joy in having to do so. But true--fact--it is Example: the law clearly states, unequivocally, that if Congress, with its investigative powers, requests a tax return, the Treasury Department must provide it. The President and his lawyers have ordered the Treasury Secretary not to do so. Other examples include at least several of the anti-immigration orders Mr Trump has given, officially and unofficially. On top of this is a long question of the legality of his business empire.
This is where we are. These are the depths to which we have descended.
It is not a political or ideological question over which decent-intending citizens can argue. It’s a matter of justice, of our Constitution, of our basic national identity. Either we remain committed to being a nation under the rule of law or not.
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