Friends, that's Mike Pence pictured above, doing his duty as President of the Senate, and thus presiding over the Congressional certification of Joe Biden's (contested) win in the electoral college. You have to wonder what was going through his mind... "Will Trump voters ever forgive me?" "Will I be the instant favorite for the GOP nomination in 2024?" "Will the editors of the New York Times and Washington Post finally be nice to me now?" "Finally, I get my revenge on Donald Trump! No more losing at golf to that a**hole!" Be that as it may, it sure looks like Pence is setting himself up for a presidential run in 2024. He's ensconcing himself at some premier right-wing think tanks, and he's ever so eager to campaign for GOP candidates in the 2022 cycle. Me, I'm ambivalent. I don't think Pence was ever a true ally of Donald Trump, and thus his disloyalty is a distinct turnoff. In addition, I frankly believe that, if Trump had a path to retaining the presidency, it ran through Pence, and the fact that Pence joined the chorus of voices trying to persuade Trump to hit the road is or was historically significant. Truthfully, our democracy may have shriveled up and died on January 6th/7th, and if so Pence shares the blame. On the other hand, Pence is a patriot, a devout Christian, and a man who struggles to do his duty, even when the contours of that duty may be unclear. I don't hate him, but neither am I ready to hand over the fate of the nation to him. He's a little too swampy for my taste.
In other Trump-related news, DJT has resigned from the Screen Actors' Guild, which looked certain to expel him anyway. He resigned with his customary grace, needless to say! Now, Donald Trump isn't perfect, but the blacklisting of Trump -- and many Trump supporters, including Marjorie Taylor Greene -- ought to trouble us, because it's the thin edge of the wedge. Lefties would like nothing more than to marginalize ALL conservatives and label us as "racists", "insurrectionists", "conspiracy theorists", "QAnon", "white nationalists", etc. And why not? Demonizing your enemy works like a charm!
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-resigns-from-screen-actors-guild
In yet more Trump-related news, the American people are split on whether Trump should be convicted in his upcoming trial in the Senate. There are some interesting findings in the poll below, and then again the poll by and large tells us what we already know: that roughly half the country LOATHES Donald Trump and supports his conviction on pretty much any charge, no matter how fanciful.
https://www.newsmax.com/politics/senate-convict-capitol-riot-fraud/2021/02/05/id/1008781/
SCOTUS refused to save Trump's bacon in 2020, and that was a severe disappointment to many of us. Luckily, however, some of the election-related cases that stalled in 2020 are still active, and the Supreme Court has an opportunity, therefore, to clarify just how flagrantly states can violate their own election laws and still contribute to the proceedings of the electoral college. No, SCOTUS didn't want to "intervene in an election", but it might well make a major contribution to keeping future elections free and fair (relatively speaking). Fingers crossed.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/supreme-court-election-challenge-february
There are worrying signs at the border. We may be resuming the "catch and release" policies of the Biden administration. If so, expect an extended family of Guatemalans to be living under your front porch very soon!
https://www.yahoo.com/news/u-releasing-hundreds-central-american-211405002.html
https://nypost.com/2021/02/05/biden-reinstates-catch-and-release-policy-at-southern-border/
Ever wonder how you can run for re-election, get 12 million more votes than you did before, and still lose? This should explain it:
Keep an eye on Joe Manchin. He voted to begin the process of "reconciliation", which could lead to passage of the Dems' $1.9 trillion COVID "Relief" Bill. The key word there is could, because Manchin insists on bipartisanship, and thus, if he balks, without him the Dems would only have 49 votes for their massive bill. (For those of you who learned math in the public schools, 49 is less than 51).
Super-fantastic news! Parler is soon to return! I look forward to that. My advice to all conservatives is to wind up your politically-charged pontifications on Big Tech social media platforms, because sooner or later they will either come back to bite you, or you'll be deplatformed. We right-thinking patriots need to find other platforms where we're not treated like caged animals. My hope is that Parler has a bright future as the home of us Twitter exiles who enjoy a little free speech from time to time.
https://www.foxnews.com/tech/dan-bongino-monday-looks-good-parler-back
Finally, if you want a good laugh, read this article, which is about why black people are always right, and white people are always wrong. It's dripping with condescension and undisguised racism, but it represents how many progressives see the issue of race these days. One's moral rectitude and self-worth is a factor of one's skin color. That's pretty much it. If you're white, even if you're trying to be an "ally" of people of color, you can safely assume that you're doing it wrong. Incidentally, this article uses a term, BIPOC, which some of you may not know (I didn't). It stands for "black, indigenous, and people of color". Next time you want to virtue-signal, toss it out there! Impress your friends. Not your black friends, though. They'll be seething with rage because of your inauthenticity...
Please, let's be realistic. Even if Trump had conceded the election to Joe Biden in November 2020, and congratulated him, and never made his January 6, 2021 speech, he would still never be President of The United States, ever again. The man did a lot of good things for the country, in my opinion, but he is gone, gone, and gone.
ReplyDeleteWho the hell knows who is going to be President come January 2025. I suspect the next four years are going to be bleak, to say the least. I would be willing to bet we will be involved in another war somewhere, not to mention all the other grim events that will probably befall this country in a variety of areas.
Frankly, I think the "system will be fixed" in the next four years to prevent any Republican from becoming President in the foreseeable future. I also think that our Republican Members of Congress will be neutered to the extent that any opposition they attempt will be squashed very quickly.
I also think that Obama will be back at some point. It will be through Michelle of course, but the Obamas will be back in The White House. With that said, I think the Left is going to be in almost complete control of this country at least until 2050.
So, is there hope? Yes! However, that will be in our states, many of which will become bright red in response to what is going on in the DC Swamp/Sewer. The good news is that the U.S. has never really had a dictatorship as such, so the idea of DC trying to impose one, will, in the end, fail miserably. But this fight to save our Constitutional Republic is going to take about 30 more years.
Keep in mind that a period of 30 years is nothing in human history.
Wow, a 30 year plague of locusts, huh? Sounds nasty. The key is, of course, whether future elections will be competitive. I expect them to be...competitive-ish. The "ish" part seems to me to provide hope that Republicans can claw their way back into power. Yes, the system is rigged against them, but it's been that way (to a lesser extent) for decades, and that hasn't stopped the American people from defying the powers-that-be. If I'm wrong, then Ray is correct that localities and states will be struggling for decades to preserve a degree of liberty and sanity against overwhelming odds. Then again, don't underestimate the human instinct for quarrelsomeness. Even if, say, the GOP was banned, then bigger and bolder conflicts would arise WITHIN the Democratic Party. The battle for the soul of America will never be won or lost. It will always be...in progress.
ReplyDeleteMy comments represent a worst case scenario. However, I think you will have to admit that what has happened since 2016 is unusual. Quite frankly, the hatred of Trump is close to psychopathic. Very disturbing, to say the least. In any event, I don't think he will ever be President again. I think that someone will come along to take over and clean up a brand new Republican Party, but I really don't think it will be Trump. Realistically speaking, it does not have to be Trump.
DeleteP.S. I disagree that Trump is incapable of making a comeback. He's CAPABLE of almost anything!
ReplyDeleteDr. From Jack: I could not access the Fox article but your comments on Pence did give me pause. I have considered him a loyal organization man, a good soldier, a man of very solid conservative convictions who wisely saw in Donald Trump the means to fight the leftist curse. If he has acted to preserve his political future or if he thought it his duty ,it MAY redound to the benefit of the realAmerica. I think he would be a fine President. I think Donald Trump is a great American and I think that if he heroically chooses to do so at this late stage of his life, he could have decisive influence in the existential fight with the America hating left. But if Pence inherits his mantle and takes our White House from Comrade Kamalafornia, we would rejoice.
ReplyDeleteI am just not so sure, Jack...Pence has left a very bitter taste in many.
DeleteAfter all the dark money that has elected GQP candidates, and you think what Biden did was somehow nefarious ...? Sit down and be quiet! You have no credibility in this argument!
ReplyDeleteDo you want to talk about dark money and elected officials? Oh...shall we? Wow, Rod...maybe you ought to sit it out.
ReplyDeleteYes, Linda, let's talk about the Kochs, Bradleys, Mercers, etc. Before that, try reading Jane Mayer's seminal work on the topic -- Dark Money.
ReplyDeleteLinda from Jack: Just who the hell is anyone, especially one whose views, despite their opposition to the prevalent viewpoint in thisforum, are afforded full expression. Rod, you are out of line.
ReplyDeleteFrom Jack: I neglected to add above: "... expression, to bid you or I refrain".
ReplyDeleteDr. FromJack: I think it certain that the American left is engaged in a coordinated all out onslaught, to label and then ENFORCE, a perception of evil in all who question their views. The presumptuously named Southern Poverty Law Center (" I mean remember the SCLC, the heroes of the Civil Rights Movement, why we are their loyal successors) has practiced this tactic for years, despite obvious progress in the South.Gee, maybe that wasn't what they wanted! The disgusting and disingenuous advantage taken by the MSM and Pelosi to use that officer's funeral solely because his death.resulted from the Capitol riot ,which inso!ently.sullied her office with the.onerous touch of the unwashed, is proof of the now established far left's intent!
ReplyDeleteObvious progress in the South? The same region in the country that has engaged in the worst voter suppression in the nation?
ReplyDeleteIn addition, I think that it is telling that the Trump News Channel (whose ratings have cratered, and who could be bankrupted by the Dominion Voting Systems and Smartmatic lawsuits) did not cover the officer's funeral live, as CNN and MSNBC did. Where's the conservative respect for law and order?
Ray, I agree that it doesn't have to be Trump, and I would prefer that it isn't Trump, but the fact remains that it COULD BE Trump. If he runs, he probably gets the nomination. And, if gets the nomination, he gets my vote. Assuming the Democrats have royally screwed the nation and themselves in the interim, he could even win!
ReplyDeleteJack, Pence would be way better than Kam-Kam, sure. He's a solid fellow in many ways. My view is that it would be dangerous to nominate anyone who doesn't have the clear and enthusiastic support of Trumpers, though. That makes the outlook gloomy for Pence.
Rod, dark money flows mostly to Democrats. You ought to know that.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/27/politics/dark-money-democrats-joe-biden/index.html
Anyway, who cares? Both parties are awash in money. That proves little about who's right or wrong. Plus, we can split hairs about which dollars are "darker" than others. How do you feel about Bloomberg and Zuckerberg, who spent hundreds of millions EACH to elect Joe Biden? He's the champion of the little guy, right? Uh huh.
As for the officer's funeral, I didn't know anything about it. I don't watch the news. This explains why I'm so likeable and well-adjusted, I feel...
Rod, you deny the South has made progress? Where have you been? I guess that's part and parcel of denying that America has made progress, or is anything but a cesspool of oppression and prejudice. But hey, keep on insulting the South! Great way to win elections. How do you feel about the Mid-West? Those corn-eating racists! To hell with them, am I right???
Dark Money favored Dems THIS cycle. It has favored GQP for years prior.
ReplyDeleteObvious progress in the South occurred while the Voting Rights Act kept those states in check. Once SCOTUS stripped out the Feds overseeing elections, then the South went into voter suppression mode, particularly in terms of cutting the number of polling places across the South where minority voters were.
So, are lynchings occurring? No, and I guess that is progress. But that is a low bar to exceed.
You know what a great way to lose elections is? Keep focusing on a decreasing base. The GQP share of male voters increased by 4% in 2020, and by 5% with voters without a college education. Yet, female voters and voters with a college education increased as an overall share of the voters. So, GQP, keep going after less educated white guys. That is a decreasing piece of the voter pie.
Dr. From Jack: I guess it IS wrong to label the recent electoral takeover of Georgia and Virginia by know it all Yankee carpet baggers as progress!
ReplyDeleteTrue, Jack -- if the South is ruled by slavering racists, then they need to redouble their efforts in Virginia and Georgia, clearly!
ReplyDeleteRod, sure. I agree that the GOP can't rely on white males. We need a coalition. This year we were within 42,000 votes of winning the presidency, so I'd say that a victorious right/center-right coalition is a lot closer than you might like to think!