The Era of rivalry, Biden vs. Trump and their respective parties

Discussion in 'Political Opinions & Beliefs' started by Sandy Shanks, Jul 31, 2022.

  1. Sandy Shanks

    Sandy Shanks Banned

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    The Times reports, "Former Vice President Mike Pence appeared on Thursday before the grand jury hearing evidence about former President Donald J. Trump’s efforts to cling to power after he lost the 2020 election, a person briefed on the matter said.

    "Mr. Pence’s appearance behind closed doors at the Federal District Court in Washington came after he was subpoenaed to testify before the grand jury earlier this year. Mr. Pence is considered a key witness, given the pressure campaign that Mr. Trump engaged in to try to convince him to play a critical role in blocking or delaying congressional certification of Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s victory.

    "Both Mr. Pence and Mr. Trump tried to fight the subpoena, with the former vice president claiming it violated the “speech or debate” clause of the Constitution given his role as president of the Senate on Jan. 6, 2021, and Mr. Trump claiming their discussions were covered by executive privilege.

    "Mr. Trump’s efforts to prevent testimony based on executive privilege claims were rebuffed by the courts. Mr. Pence partially won in his effort to forestall or limit his testimony; the chief judge overseeing the grand jury ruled that he would not have to discuss matters connected to his role as president of the Senate on Jan. 6, but that he would have to testify to any potential criminality by Mr. Trump.

    "Mr. Pence’s unwillingness to go along with Mr. Trump’s plan to block or delay certification of the electoral outcome, infuriated Mr. Trump, who assailed his vice president privately and publicly on Jan. 6.

    "Mr. Pence subsequently became a target of the pro-Trump mob that swamped the Capitol building that day, with some chanting “Hang Mike Pence!” as they moved through the complex. Someone brought a fake gallows that stood outside the building."
     
  2. Sandy Shanks

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  3. Sandy Shanks

    Sandy Shanks Banned

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    Has the Republican Party become irrelevant?

    Its leader and the leading Republican candidate for the Presidency, Donald Trump, has so much baggage Republicans make an effort to avoid talking about him. Grassroots Republicans, who are infatuated with Trump, avoid talking about him or what their party is doing.

    That may be true because what their party is doing is irrelevant and does not warrant discussion.

    Republican leaders engage in various activities that are designed to keep its rural base happy. These activities have no worthwhile purpose.

    Republican legislatures are passing laws that severely restrict transgenders in education, sports, and medical care.

    Various Republicans are waging war against something called woke. They do not know what woke is, and neither do grassroots Republicans, but it sounds good.

    While attacking woke, these same Republicans are attacking the Critical Race Theory, which is an effort by Republicans to show that slavery and racism do not exist, so, we shouldn't feel guilty. So say Republicans for the benefit of their base.

    Talking about irrelevancy, House Republicans recently passed a bill concerning the debt limit that they knew was going nowhere. They think the meaningless bill is a bargaining chip with the President. Not only is the bill irrelevant, but it raises serious questions about Republican intelligence.

    To keep its evangelical base happy, Republicans think it is a great idea to pass laws in which the state controls the health of pregnant women. Come to think of it, that is not irrelevant. That is an assault on our democracy.

    The Republican governor of Florida is fighting Disney World. Disney is Florida's largest employer, paying over a billion dollars in taxes every year. Even Republicans are questioning what the Republican governor is doing. The Republican governor wants to become our next President.

    Republicans have grown weary of trying to find something wrong with President Biden who quietly goes about his duties without fanfare or controversy. So, they attack the President's son and his computer, Hunter Biden.

    Former vice-president Pence testified today concerning former President Trump's role in the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection attempt to overthrow our elected government.

    But grassroots Republicans are happy.
     
    Last edited: Apr 27, 2023
  4. Sandy Shanks

    Sandy Shanks Banned

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    So when is Garland and the DOJ going to indict Trump?
     
  5. Sandy Shanks

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    I have been wondering about this for a long time. How do Republican women in Republican-controlled states with harsh abortion laws in which the state controls a pregnant woman's health feel about women's rights?

    Aren't these harsh laws highly restrictive when it comes to women? The state controls their health, for God's sake.

    Well,, I got a partial answer today.

    Republican women are fighting back.

    NPR reports, "Abortion bans in deeply conservative Nebraska and South Carolina each fell a single vote short of passing in their legislatures amid heated debates among Republicans, yet another sign that abortion is becoming a difficult issue for the GOP.

    "As the last vote was cast in Nebraska, where abortion is currently banned after 20 weeks of pregnancy, cheers erupted outside the legislative chamber, with opponents of the bill waving signs and chanting, "Whose house? Our house!"

    "In South Carolina, Republican Sen. Sandy Senn criticized Majority Leader Shane Massey for repeatedly "taking us off a cliff on abortion."

    Thirteen other states have bans in place on abortion at all stages of pregnancy. They are Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia and Wisconsin. Four other states have bans throughout pregnancy where enforcement is blocked by courts.
     
  6. Sandy Shanks

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    Sandy Shanks said:
    If Republicans continue on the path of holding the debt ceiling issue hostage, these are the brutal consequences if our government can't pay its bills.

    The U.S. economy could quickly shed a million jobs and fall into recession if lawmakers fail to raise the nation’s borrowing limit before the federal government exhausts its ability to pay its bills on time, the chief economist of Moody’s Analytics, Mark Zandi, warned a Senate panel on Tuesday.

    The damage could spiral to seven million jobs lost and a 2008-style financial crisis in the event of a prolonged breach of the debt limit, in which House Republicans refuse for months to join Democrats in voting to raise the cap, Mr. Zandi and his colleagues Cristian deRitis and Bernard Yaros wrote in an analysis prepared for the Senate Banking Committee’s Subcommittee on Economic Policy.

    *******************************************************************************************************************************************************

    This could become catastrophic sooner than we think.


    The Times reports, "Treasury Secretary Janet L. Yellen said on Monday that the United States could run out of money to pay its bills by June 1 if Congress does not raise or suspend the debt limit, putting pressure on President Biden and lawmakers to reach a swift agreement to avoid defaulting on the nation’s debt.

    "The more precise warning over when the United States could hit the so-called X-date dramatically reduces the projected amount of time lawmakers have to reach a deal before the government runs out of money to pay all of its bills on time. The new timeline could force a flurry of negotiations between the House, Senate and Mr. Biden over government spending — or a high-stakes standoff between the president and the House Republicans who have refused to raise the limit without deep spending cuts attached.

    Mr. Biden on Monday called the top four leaders in Congress to ask for a meeting on May 9 to discuss fiscal issues. The president reached out to Speaker Kevin McCarthy and Representative Hakeem Jeffries of New York, the minority leader, along with Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the majority leader; and Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the minority leader.

    "Because the United States runs a budget deficit — meaning it spends more money than it takes in — it must borrow huge sums of money to pay its bills. In addition to paying Social Security benefits, along with salaries for the military and government workers, the United States is also required to make interest and other payments to the bondholders who own its debt."
     
  7. Sandy Shanks

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    Has DeSantis gone nuts?

    He is not only sabotaging his political career, he is sabotaging the Florida economy. Disney is Florida's largest employer. It pays over a billion dollars a year in taxes.

    CNN reports, "The board overseeing Disney’s special taxing district – which was appointed by and is aligned with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis – voted on Monday to sue the company days after the entertainment giant filed its own lawsuit against the board.

    "The fight has intensified in recent months after the Republican leader moved to take over the company’s special taxing district and install a hand-picked board to oversee Disney’s vast holdings around Orlando. Before the board was selected in February, Disney had reached agreements with the outgoing board that limited the power of DeSantis’ appointees.

    "The new board voted last week to nullify those agreements, prompting Disney to sue DeSantis and the new board. In the lawsuit, Disney accuses DeSantis of weaponizing his political power to punish the company for exercising its free speech rights.

    "The conflict between the Republican and the company behind Mickey Mouse started when Disney, responding to protests from its own employees, criticized the “Don’t Say Gay” bill limiting discussions about sexual and gender identity in the classroom."

    DeSantis decided to punish Disney even though Disney had every right to say what it did according to our Constitution's First Amendment, begging a question. Has DeSantis suspended First Amendment rights in Florida?

    This is still another example of the Republican Party's position of expanding government control over our lives.

    DeSantis wants to be our President? He and criminally indicted Donald Trump are the leading Republican candidates for President in 2024.

    The forum's Republicans will remain silent.
     
  8. Sandy Shanks

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    Similar to the forum's Republicans, Republican leaders rarely talk about what their party is doing.

    That should be a warning!

    However, when it comes to DeSantis, some Republicans make an exception.

    Politico reports, "Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie slammed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ handling of his ongoing feud with Disney.

    “That’s not the guy I want sitting across from President Xi [Jinping] ... or sitting across from [President Vladimir] Putin and trying to resolve what’s happening in Ukraine, if you can’t see around a corner [Disney CEO] Bob Iger created for you,” Christie said, adding: “I don’t think Ron DeSantis is a conservative, based on his actions towards Disney.”

    "Former President Donald Trump also criticized DeSantis’ feud with Disney, writing in a Truth Social post that DeSantis is being “absolutely destroyed by Disney.”

    “Disney’s next move will be the announcement that no more money will be invested in Florida because of the Governor. In the meantime, this is all so unnecessary, a political STUNT! Ron should work on the squatter MESS!" Trump said.

    "New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu said DeSantis’ feud with Disney is becoming a tit-for-tat because it’s not going as he had planned.

    “Look, this has gone from kind of going after a headline to something that has devolved into an issue, and it convolutes the entire Republican message,” Sununu said. "I just don’t think — it’s not good for Governor DeSantis. I don’t think it’s good for the Republican party.”

    "The Nikki Haley-aligned super PAC SFA Fund, Inc. said in a statement that after the Florida governor’s latest bid to “one-up Mickey Mouse after a devastating and embarrassing blow to his efforts to rein in Disney World, Ron DeSantis has proposed some new neighbors to the amusement park – criminals,” referring DeSantis’ comments that Florida might consider building a prison next to land owned by Disney.

    I could go on, but the reader gets the point.
     
  9. Sandy Shanks

    Sandy Shanks Banned

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    True to form, the forum's Republicans did remain silent. They are incapable of defending their party or themselves.

    "President Trump famously declared during his 2016 campaign that he loved the “poorly educated” because voters with lower levels of schooling delivered an overwhelming share of votes to him," the conservative Washington Times.

    They simply do not have the background to deal with these matters. They prove it every day.

    These same people chose our President in 2016. The former President they chose has been criminally indicted with more indictments to follow.

    Once again, Republicans will stay silent. At least they know the truth when they hear it. There is no defense against the truth.
     
  10. Sandy Shanks

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    Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen announced Monday that the U.S. may not be able to pay its bills after June 1.

    The Republican Party is using the threat of economic collapse and global market meltdown to achieve legislative goals. Those goals include the shredding of our President's administration.

    It is indeed interesting that the forum's Republicans refuse to discuss this issue. If they engage at all it is to change the subject away from the Republican threat of economic chaos.
     
  11. Sandy Shanks

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    This is a subject the forum's Republicans are avoiding, but, then, they avoid everything their party is doing.

    Perhaps, they don't have the background to reply intelligently.

    CNN reports, "President Joe Biden and House Republicans may have as little as a month to prevent the US from defaulting on its debt, which would impact millions of Americans and unleash economic and fiscal chaos here and around the world.

    "Just what would happen if the nation defaults on its debt is unknown since it’s never actually happened before. A close call in 2011 roiled the financial markets and prompted Standard & Poor’s to downgrade the US’ credit rating to AA+ from AAA."

    According to CNN, Republicans are threatening Americans in five ways:

    "About 66 million retirees, disabled workers and others receive monthly Social Security benefits. The average payment for retired workers is $1,827 a month in 2023. These payments could be delayed in a debt default scenario, though it’s possible Treasury could continue making on-time payments because of the entitlement program’s trust fund.

    "More than 2 million federal civilian workers and around 1.4 million active-duty military members could see their paychecks delayed. Federal government contractors could also see a lag in payments, which could affect their ability to compensate their workers. Also, certain veterans benefits, including disability payments and pensions for some low-income veterans and their surviving families, could be affected.

    "Americans’ investments would take a direct hit. Case in point: Markets had what was then their worst week since the financial crisis during the 2011 debt ceiling standoff after the Standard & Poor’s downgrade. Even if the debt ceiling impasse is resolved soon after a default, stocks could shed as much as a third of their value. That would wipe out around $12 trillion in household wealth, according to Moody’s Analytics.

    "If a default occurs, yields on US Treasuries will inevitably rise to compensate for the increased risk that bondholders won’t receive the money they’re owed from the government. Since interest rates on loans, credit cards and mortgages are often based on Treasury yields, the cost of borrowing money and paying off debt would rise.

    "A debt default could trigger an economic downturn, which would prompt a spike in unemployment. It would come at a particularly fragile time – when the nation is already dealing with rising interest rates and stubbornly high inflation.

    "How much damage would be done would depend on how long the crisis continues. If the default lasts for about a week, then close to 1 million jobs would be lost, the unemployment rate would jump to about 5% and the economy would contract by nearly half a percent, according to Moody’s.

    "But if the impasse dragged on for six weeks, then more than 7 million jobs would be lost, the unemployment rate would soar above 8% and the economy would decline by more than 4%, according to Moody’s. The effects would still be felt a decade from now."

    Put a different way, Republicans are threatening their own base. Pardon me, I don't mean to be disparaging, but do those voters even know that?
     
  12. Sandy Shanks

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    I will be brutally honest ... and personal.

    I am really scared. I am too old for this. This is not about politics.

    My wife and I are on Social Security. Our medical coverage is from Medicare. Both programs are in jeopardy by the Republican threat to withhold paying our bills. So are our life's savings.

    I have been through this before. The last time this happened (2008-2009) we lost half our savings. I would rather not have that happen again. Our recovery time is shorter.

    No doubt there are many who share our circumstances.
     
  13. Sandy Shanks

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  14. Sandy Shanks

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    Americans, even Republicans, are wondering when, or if, the DOJ is going to criminally indict Donald Trump. Maybe we are getting closer.

    CNN reports, "Special counsel Jack Smith sat in on the federal grand jury proceeding while former Vice President Mike Pence testified for more than five hours last week, three sources familiar with the matter tell CNN.

    "Smith’s appearance is the first known time the special counsel has attended a grand jury proceeding in the investigation. Smith is leading the criminal probe with a team of prosecutors into the aftermath of the 2020 election and efforts to overturn the results.

    "Pence was poised to recount for the first time under oath his direct conversations with Trump leading up to January 6, 2021. Then-President Donald Trump repeatedly pressured him unsuccessfully to block the 2020 election results, including on the morning of January 6 in a private phone call.

    "A federal judge previously ruled Pence could be compelled to recount conversations the two men had where Trump may have been acting corruptly.

    "Prosecutors for special counsel Jack Smith have been asking questions in recent weeks about the handling of surveillance footage from former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort after the Trump Organization received a subpoena last summer for the footage, according to multiple sources familiar with the investigation.

    "The handling of the footage, and how employees within the Trump Organization responded to the Justice Department’s demand for it, have prompted a new round of grand jury subpoenas to top Trump employees in the last few weeks, the sources told CNN."

    Donald Trump is the leader of the Republican Party and the leading Republican for the Presidency. While running to occupy the White House again, Trump may be on trial for a criminal conspiracy.

    Can a convict be our President?

    We will get no answer from Republicans. They don't like to talk about Trump. He is an embarrassment.
     
  15. Sandy Shanks

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    NBC reports, "Four members of the far-right Proud Boys organization were found guilty Thursday of seditious conspiracy in connection with the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

    Enrique Tarrio, Joseph Biggs, Ethan Nordean and Zachary Rehl were found guilty on the rare charge of seditious conspiracy under a Civil War-era statute. Dominic Pezzola, another member of the group, was found not guilty of seditious conspiracy. Tarrio, Biggs, Nordean and Rehl were also found guilty of conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding.

    "All five Proud Boys members were charged on nine counts in connection with the Jan. 6 attack.

    Great, Attorney General Merrick Garland has gotten a conviction of the foot soldiers of this insurrection.

    “We’re going to walk down to the Capitol, and we’re going to cheer on our brave senators and congressmen and women. You have to show strength, and you have to be strong.”
    “When you catch somebody in a fraud, you are allowed to go by very different rules."
    “We fight like hell and if you don’t fight like hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore.”
    "Now it is up to Congress to confront this egregious assault on our democracy. And after this, we’re going to walk down, and I’ll be there with you. We are going to try and give them the kind of pride and boldness that they need to take back our country.”
    **********************************************************************************************Donald J. Trump, Jan. 6, 2021

    Now what about Donald Trump and his cohorts?

    Then there is Stephen Miller, Trump’s former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, and Trump’s lawyers, John Eastman, Rudy Giuliani, Jeffrey Clark, and Ken Chesebro, all of whom are being investigated by the Department of Justice as potential Trump co-conspirators.

    It has been two and a half years. What is Garland waiting for? Does Garland indict the foot soldiers and allow the leaders a free ride for their sedition?

    Garland doesn't say. He is all about political-speak.
     
  16. Sandy Shanks

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    Despite the efforts of House Republicans, the Fed, banking CEO's, and experts to cause a recession, the Biden economy is on fire. Americans are spending money and there is strong job growth.

    Despite the naysayers, the stock market advanced sharply, and investors were happy, including mom-and-pop investors.

    The Biden economy provides good news all around.

    ABC reports, "America’s employers added a healthy 253,000 jobs in April, evidence of a labor market that still shows surprising resilience despite rising interest rates, chronically high inflation and a banking crisis that could weaken the economy.

    "April’s hiring gain compares with 165,000 in March and 248,000 in February and is still at a level considered vigorous by historical standards. The job market has remained durable despite the Fed’s aggressive campaign of interest rate hikes over the past year to fight inflation. Layoffs are still relatively low, job openings are comparatively high.

    "In one sign of the benefits of a consistently tight job market, Black unemployment dipped in April to 4.7% — the lowest such level in government records dating to 1972."

    Yahoo Finance reports, "U.S. stocks closed Friday's trading session sharply higher as investors digested the Labor Department's closely watched April jobs report, which showed the U.S. labor market remains strong but that growth is moderating. That gave investors hope that the Fed may pause its interest rate hikes at its meeting next month.

    "The S&P 500 (^GSPC) climbed 1.85%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) added 546 points, or 1.65%. The technology-heavy Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) closed up 2.25%."
     
  17. Sandy Shanks

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    This is part of a 48-minute deposition video that was shown to jurors in Manhattan federal court on Thursday. Trump sat for the deposition in October for a rape and defamation lawsuit brought by E. Jean Carroll, which is expected to conclude next week following jury deliberations. The person asking Trump about the comments is Roberta Kaplan, Carroll's attorney.

    In the deposition, Donald Trump defended his infamous comments that were captured on an "Access Hollywood" tape, in which he bragged to TV personality Billy Bush about kissing women and grabbing them by the genitals without their consent.

    In the "Access Hollywood" recording, Trump bragged about how women "let you" kiss them, saying stars "can do anything."

    "I just start kissing them," he said. "It's like a magnet. Just kiss. I don't even wait," he said.

    "Grab them by the *****," Trump continued. "You can do anything."

    In the deposition video, Trump watches the tape, expressionless, then said, "Historically, that's true with stars," admitting what he said was true about himself.

    "If you look over the last million years, I guess that's been largely true. Not always, but largely true. Unfortunately or fortunately," Trump added

    Kaplan then asked Trump whether he considered himself to be a star. Trump replied, "I think you can say that, yeah."

    Trump will not be allowed to take the stand on his own behalf.

    Trump's attorney Joe Tacopina has said Trump will not testify in the Carroll trial and rested the defense case on Thursday afternoon without bringing any witnesses.

    https://www.businessinsider.com/tru...hollywood-comments-in-deposition-video-2023-5

    It is very difficult to accept that this Republican was once our President. Later he goes on to incite an insurrection against our elected government, and he stole hundreds of pages of classified documents when leaving the White House after his resounding defeat in the 2020 Presidential election.

    Grassroots Republicans are infatuated with Trump, who is the current leader of the Republican Party and the leading Republican candidate for the Presidency in 2024.

    For obvious reasons, the forum's Republicans avoid any mention of Trump or what their party is doing. The proof is this thread.
     
  18. Sandy Shanks

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    They are killing each other in Texas!

    And elsewhere within the U.S. This year there has been shooting massacres every single day. There have been 128 days in 2023. There has been 202 mass shootings in 2023.


    Red flag laws, for the most part, target people with mental health problems. They allow for temporary firearm removal from individuals believed to be at risk of harming themselves or others. The mental health measure exists in 19 states and D.C.

    As he lies his way through shooting massacre tragedies in Texas, Republican Governor Greg Abbott is one of the least competent governors in the country.

    It made me sick when I heard this.

    Politico reported Sunday, "Texas Gov. Greg Abbott emphasized the importance of addressing increasing “anger and violence” in the wake of a mass shooting Saturday in Allen, Texas, that left at least eight dead and seven injured.

    “What Texas is doing in a big-time way, we are working to address that anger and violence but going to its root cause, which is addressing the mental health problems behind it,”
    Abbott said during an interview on “Fox News Sunday.”

    According to a poll by the University of Texas at Austin, the Waco Tribune-Herald reports, "More than 65% of Texans supported a red-flag law as of 2022.

    The Republican governor and the Republican legislature will not allow Red Flag laws in Texas. In the face of shooting massacres in Texas, Abbott is lying to Texans.

    It gets worse.

    CNN reports, "Mauricio Garcia, the suspected Texas mall shooter, was terminated after three months in the army and did not complete basic training, according to an army spokesperson. A US defense official said Garcia was separated because of a mental health condition.

    Garcia had purchased several guns legally. How? Texas has Open Carry laws.

    What does that mean? It means Garcia was able to buy an assault weapon in Texas without a permit and without a background check.

    On Saturday, the far-right extremist and Nazi enthusiast murdered eight and wounded several others.

    Abbott and his Republican colleagues think it is a mental health problem. No, obviously, the problem is the Republican government.

    https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/allen-texas-mall-shooting-news-05-08-23/index.html
     
  19. Sandy Shanks

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    Republican Governor Abbott thinks it is a mental health issue.

    Forbes reports:

    Texas Gun Violence Stats


    • Texas has had 17 mass shootings in 2023. The national average is 4.04 per state.
    • Texas has had 214 gun violence deaths in 2023. The national average is 296.2.
    • Texas has had three mass murders in 2023. The national average is 0.42.
    • There have been 13 children aged zero to 11 killed in Texas in 2023. The national average is 1.83.
    • There have been 56 teens aged 12 to 17 killed in Texas in 2023. The national average is 10.52.
     
  20. Sandy Shanks

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    As expected, not a word from the forum's Republicans.

    They avoid this thread. There is too much realism for them. They do not want to see the truth about their party.

    What does that say about the Republican Party?
     
  21. Sandy Shanks

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    Following Trump's criminal indictment for paying off a porn star with campaign funds, Trump has been found guilty of sexual assault.

    Although other charges may follow -- inciting the Jan. 6 assault on our capital, theft of classified documents, interfering in Georgia's 2020 elections -- Republicans remain loyal to Trump, but rarely talk about him or the Republican Party.

    Scan this thread and the forum's thread titles for proof.

    Trump is the leader of the Republican Party and the leading Republican candidate for the Presidency.

    The Times reports, "A Manhattan jury on Tuesday found former President Donald J. Trump liable for the sexual abuse and defamation of the magazine writer E. Jean Carroll and awarded her $5 million in damages in a widely watched civil trial.

    "The federal jury of six men and three women returned its verdict shortly after 3 p.m. after deliberating for only a few hours. The jury found that Ms. Carroll had not proved, by a preponderance of the evidence, that Mr. Trump had raped her, as she had long claimed."

    Trump offered no defense in the trial. He did not appear as a witness to proclaim his innocence, and defense lawyers called no witnesses. After Carroll's lawyers finished, the defense rested.

    Will the forum's Republicans continue their silence?
     
  22. Sandy Shanks

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    USA Today reports, "Federal prosecutors have filed charges against Rep. George Santos, the fabulist Republican lawmaker whose outlandish fabrications about his personal and professional life raised his national profile and attracted legal scrutiny.

    "The charges against Santos were filed in the Eastern District of New York and remain under seal. The embattled lawmaker could appear at federal court there as soon as Wednesday, according to CNN and NBC. CNN first reported the charges."

    Little wonder as to why the forum's Republicans do not want to talk about Republicans.
     
  23. Sandy Shanks

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    The debt limit crisis is looming. The President wants Congress to allow him to pay the country's current bills such as Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, veteran's benefits, and as well as other obligations to the American people.

    Republicans are not allowing this. They want to address future spending with a Republican House bill that approves the debt limit increase but guts many of the President's programs and has no chance of becoming law.

    Interestingly, when McCarthy is speaking to Americans, he never mentions what is in his failed bill. Republicans have this nasty habit of speaking in generalities because the particulars are disagreeable.

    Reuters reports, "President Joe Biden and top lawmakers failed to break a deadlock on Tuesday in face-to-face talks over raising the $31.4 trillion U.S. debt limit but vowed to meet again with just three weeks before the country may be forced into an unprecedented default.

    "After about an hour of talks in the Oval Office, Biden, a Democrat, and House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a Republican, showed no signs of softening their positions as a default looms as early as June 1. But talks among aides may continue as soon as Tuesday night on the federal budget."

    After the meeting, Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said the United States will not default on its debts.
     
  24. Sandy Shanks

    Sandy Shanks Banned

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    Breaking News!

    Santos says he is innocent. He says this is a witch hunt.

    Santos and Trump are buffoons. We know this because Republicans do not deny that fact.

    ABC reports, "Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., has been indicted on 13 criminal counts, including seven counts of wire fraud, three counts of money laundering, one count of theft of public funds and two counts of making materially false statements to the House of Representatives, federal prosecutors in the Eastern District of New York said Wednesday.

    "The embattled congressman, who was taken into custody Wednesday on Long Island, New York, pleaded not guilty on all counts at his arraignment then was released on bond."

    The Republican Party is getting used to having members in their midst who have been criminally indicted. Such an occurrence only makes them more popular. The criminally indicted party leader has a good shot at being the Republican nominee for President in 2024.

    The Republican House leader approves of Santos.

    CNN reports, "House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is standing by Rep. George Santos this morning, not calling on him to resign even after being informed of the 13-count indictment against the New York Republican.

    "After being informed of the money laundering and wire fraud charges, McCarthy told CNN that "it always concerns me."

    Note: McCarthy is good at paying lip service to a serious problem.

    The Republican House Majority Leader also approves of Santos's continued membership in the Republican-controlled House.

    CNN added, "Steve Scalise told CNN, “they are serious charges and he is going to have to go through the legal process."
     
  25. Sandy Shanks

    Sandy Shanks Banned

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    This is really strange!

    Ex-President Donald Trump is rising in the polls for the 2024 GOP nomination, and fund-raising big-time, in the wake of Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg’s blatantly political indictment, according to the New York Post.

    The Times reports, "A Manhattan jury on Tuesday found former President Donald J. Trump liable for the sexual abuse and defamation of the magazine writer E. Jean Carroll and awarded her $5 million in damages in a widely watched civil trial.

    ABC reports, "Donald Trump, a twice-impeached former president facing multiple criminal investigations and charges in one -- as he denies wrongdoing and says he is being politically persecuted -- has solidified a very early lead in the 2024 Republican primary polls.

    "The support for his comeback bid appears to be driven, in part, by voters who say they would cast a ballot for him even if he faces additional criminal charges.

    "In an ABC News/Washington Post poll released over the weekend, 51% of the 1,006 adults surveyed listed Trump as their preferred 2024 Republican nominee, compared with 25% for his nearest opponent, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

    "Trump's backers include those who think he broke the law, with 18% of respondents who said Trump should face criminal charges in investigations of his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results also saying they would be inclined to vote for him.

    "Follow up interviews with several of the poll respondents indicated there remains seemingly inexorable support from Trump from a slice of the GOP, despite his scandals and defeats. And even among those not wed to the idea of supporting Trump in a primary.

    None of this makes the least bit of sense.

    Unless one is an anarchist, has a limited education, and wants to weaken the American government.
     

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