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

"They're poisoning the blood of our country. That's what they've done. They're coming into our country, from Africa, from Asia, over the world. They're pouring into our country. President Joe Biden a threat to democracy," Donald Trump.

"The Colorado Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled that Donald Trump is disqualified by the Constitution from serving as president again because he stoked an insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021."

Donald Trump is being charged with 91 felonies in four criminal indictments.
Ignoring the fact that our President is not responsible for the war in Gaza, young Democrats oppose the President's handling of the war.

Actually, it can be argued that young Democrats are more of a danger to the Democratic Party than the Republican Party.

As an example, in 2016 young Democrats, disillusioned that their candidate, Bernie Sanders, didn't become the nominee, elected Donald Trump. Young Democrats are responsible for Trump. https://www.newsweek.com/bernie-sanders-trump-2016-election-654320

CNN reports, "Only one-third of registered voters approve of President Joe Biden’s handling of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, a new poll from The New York Times and Siena College finds, with young voters especially likely to express dissatisfaction.

"Biden’s overall approval rating stands at 37% among registered voters, according to the Times/Siena poll, with a slightly lower 33% approving specifically of his handling the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Among voters younger than 30, his approval rating stands at 26% overall and 20% on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

"A 54% majority of registered voters support the US providing additional economic and military aid to Israel, with 38% opposed. But voters say, 48% to 30%, that Israel is not taking enough precautions to avoid civilian casualties in Gaza.

"As CNN previously reported, tensions are mounting between the Biden administration and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over mounting civilian casualties in Gaza. Biden is under increasing pressure, domestically and internationally, to push Netanyahu away from the heavy bombardment of Gaza, which has sparked global outcry and calls for a sustained ceasefire."

Young Democrats continue their loyalty to Trump. "Asked whom they trust more to handle the Israeli-Palestinian conflict between Biden and former President Donald Trump, 46% of registered voters in the Times/Siena poll say Trump, 38% Biden," CNN.

Apparently, young Democrats want Trump to be our next President. There are only two choices right now, and they have made their intentions clear.

Or, are they just confused?

 

I have been following Presidential elections for over five decades. This is, without a doubt, the strangest election I have ever seen. Disregarding campaign rallies, the leading Republican candidate avoids the public, and his followers avoid him (see thread titles by Trump Republicans and this thread).

I think I know why Republican voters avoid Trump and don't say much about their party

But I am getting ahead of myself.

Trump's support comes from the rural counties of America, which explains his large popularity in Iowa, a farming state. https://inthesetimes.com/article/20...ulism-peoples-action-win-rural-america-report

Then there is this factor."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."

Now we come to Trump. This is absolutely surreal.

CNN reports, "Donald Trump’s rhetoric dropped to a spine-tingling new low this weekend with less than a month before the Iowa caucuses.

"The GOP primary front-runner said migrants are “poisoning the blood” of the US and quoted Russian President Vladimir Putin about the “rottenness” of American democracy.

"Whipping up thousands of supporters at a New Hampshire hockey rink on Saturday, the former president again drew comparisons to the language of Nazi Germany with the comments about migrants from mostly Africa, Asia and South America “poisoning the blood of our country.”

ABC reports, "Trump has pleaded not guilty to the 91 charges he faces across four cases in three states and Washington, D.C.

"They're poisoning the blood of our country. That's what they've done," Trump said Saturday in Durham, New Hampshire. "They're coming into our country, from Africa, from Asia, over the world. They're pouring into our country."

"The former president, again, praised authoritarian leaders including Hungary's Viktor Orban, China's Xi Jinping and North Korea's Kim Jong Un -- and called President Joe Biden a "threat to democracy."

"Trump went on to quote Russia's president when calling the criminal cases pending against him "politically motivated."

Trump is an anarchist, and his popularity is growing within Republican ranks!

Therefore, his followers, who admire him, are fascist anarchists who prefer to remain silent about the issues. As this thread shows, Trump Republicans do not wish to disclose their political persuasion.

For those who are complaining about our President, are you saying you prefer Trump? As things stand now, there are only two choices.

Incidentally, is there anyone here who is biracial and a member of Trump's fan club? Trump just said biracial persons are poison, and Trump is experiencing greater support among Hispanics.

"They're poisoning the blood of our country."

 

"Former President Donald J. Trump on Tuesday doubled down on his widely condemned comment that undocumented immigrants are “poisoning the blood of our country,” rebuffing criticism that the language echoed Adolf Hitler by insisting that he had never read the Nazi dictator’s autobiographical manifesto," the Times.

Trump is arguing that he is not inspired by Adolf Hitler.

That is beside the point. He may not be inspired by Hitler, but he acts and sounds like Hitler.

That is the point, and his followers love him for it.

I believe him. To be inspired by Hitler, one has to read about Hitler. Trump is not much of a reader.

 

The framers of our Constitution never envisioned a President like Donald Trump.

Who could have imagined a President leading an attempt to overthrow the elected government?

Trump is, indeed, an anarchist beloved by his anarchistic followers who cheer him on and contribute to his legal coffers.

"They're poisoning the blood of our country. That's what they've done. They're coming into our country, from Africa, from Asia, over the world. They're pouring into our country. President Joe Biden a threat to democracy," Donald Trump.

Trump is charged 91 felonies in four criminal indictments. It is likely his criminal trials will take place in 2024. He is the Republican Party leader, and the leading Republican candidate in the 2024 elections in November.

Trump has caused our elections, our politics, and our government to be in total chaos, and divisions within our country are as deep as the divisions that caused the Civil War 165 years ago. Only an anarchist could cause this much damage to the American psyche. Trump is enjoying all this as is his followers.

Due to Trump's machinations, the courts will play a major role in the election process. It can be argued, the courts will have more of an impact on the results than the voters. That is just so wrong. Who is responsible for this? Obviously, Trump, and he is enjoying it all the way to the ballot box, providing he can legally vote, that is.

The Colorado Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled that Donald Trump is disqualified by the Constitution from serving as president again because he stoked an insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021.

In addition to Trump's criminal trials, the U.S. Supreme Court is weighing in on three issues involving Trump.

The nine justices have agreed to review the scope of an obstruction statute central to the federal indictment accusing Trump of plotting to overturn the 2020 election.

The Supreme Court could also determine as to whether or not Trump is above the law. In other words, if granted by the Court, Presidential immunity would permit Trump to lead an operation to overthrow the elected government because he was President at the time. As luck would have it, Trump appointed three of the justices.

The Supreme Court is expected to rule on the decree by the Colorado Supreme Court that Trump is ineligible to run for President.

This is total anarchy!

Trump's support comes from the rural counties of America, which explains his large popularity in Iowa, a farming state. https://inthesetimes.com/article/20...ulism-peoples-action-win-rural-america-report

Republicans know all this, and they remain silent. Apparently, they agree with Trump.

 

Young Democrats continue to drag Biden down.

They are doing all they can to help Trump ... again!

 

And, not unlike Trump Republicans, they are not talking. I have to do it for them.

Young Democrats are opposed to Biden's handling of the war in Gaza, seemingly unaware that this isn't our war, and there is very little the Democratic President can do about it.

The media is providing us a barrage of stories explaining that, because of civilian casualties, Israel must hold back on its assault on Hamas in retaliation of the Hamas murder raid on Israeli soil on Oct. 7. The media has forgotten that the enemy attacked us on our soil on 9/11. Our retaliation was swift and sure. Countless thousands died in the wars that followed. 7,000 were Americans.

Much to the delight of Hamas, the media keeps reminding us that the IDF mistakenly kill three hostages. The media provides us with new details every day. Hamas is loving it.

The US is expressing concerns over a UN draft resolution calling for a suspension in the fighting in Gaza. Hamas could not be happier.

Civilian casualties is a part of war. Hamas started this war, and it hides behind civilians and underneath civilian structures like hospitals. Clearly, Hamas is responsible for civilian casualties, not Israel.

So, why are young Democrats, our media, and the U.N. siding with Hamas?

 

This could become very important inasmuch as Xi told our President that he plans to annex Taiwan. Typical for the Chines leader, he didn't say when. The Chinese have been saying this for the past seventy years.

President Biden is credited with this development.

ABC reports, "In the first sign that the U.S. and China are restoring long frozen military contacts, Gen. CQ Brown Jr., the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, spoke Thursday with his Chinese counterpart, in the first such conversation between the two nations' top leaders in uniform since July 2022.

"Brown spoke via video-conference with Gen. Liu Zhenli of the People's Liberation Army's joint staff department, according to a statement released by Brown's office.

'The men discussed a variety of issues and maintaining lines of communication was a major topic given the lack of contacts over the last year and a half, during which the number of unsafe and unprofessional intercepts carried out by Chinese aircraft over the South China Sea increased significantly, the Pentagon has said."

 

More solid evidence that our former President is an anarchist to the delight of of his followers who shall remain silent. Trump is creating the kind of legal chaos he so desires.

CNN reports, "Donald Trump’s request to the Supreme Court on Wednesday was perhaps his most brazen delay tactic yet.

"He urged the high court not to get involved right now in the question of whether he is immune from federal prosecution for alleged crimes committed while in office – his latest attempt to ask the legal system to effectively bend to his political will.

"The move echoed what Trump’s legal strategy has been in all of his criminal cases to date – to delay the proceedings, ideally beyond the 2024 election."

The question is, will the Supreme Court justices-- three of whom, as luck would have it, were appointed by Trump -- comply with the former President's wishes, and will they declare that Trump is above the law.

Reuters reports, "Donald Trump transformed the U.S. Supreme Court during his four years as president. Now the 6-3 conservative majority he cemented will confront a handful of cases that may determine whether the Republican can reclaim the White House.

"The court is poised to play an outsized role in the 2024 presidential election by hearing disputes over Trump's role in the run-up to a Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol in which his supporters tried to stop Congress from certifying Joe Biden's election victory.

"The politically explosive cases have the potential to once again thrust the country's highest court into the election limelight almost a quarter-century after its fateful 2000 ruling effectively handed the White House to Republican George W. Bush."

"The nation’s highest court is poised to consider next year whether Trump can be prosecuted for crimes committed after the 2020 election and whether the actions he took in office can bar him from being on the ballot again in 2024," CNN.

It’s just the kind of chaos Trump thrives on as he tries to find a way to turn the tables around into financial gain. His sycophants -- meaning his followers -- are happy to pay his legal expenses. Trump needs the cash. He is facing four criminal trials.

Unbelievable, but true, through all of this, these followers who want to pick our next President, remain completely silent.

No freaking way!

 

Typically, the Supreme Court is putting off an important decision. Their Holinesses will decide on Presidential immunity later. The Iowa caucuses are less than a month away, and the New Hampshire primary is a week later. Apparently the justices didn't think it was important for Republican voters to know if their leading candidate has immunity in his four criminal trials.

ABC reports, "The Supreme Court has denied special counsel Jack Smith's request to immediately take up former President Donald Trump's claims of immunity from prosecution in his federal election interference case.

"In a single-line order Friday, the court declined to grant a writ of certiorari before judgment -- meaning it will allow a federal appeals court to hear the matter first, which is what Trump's legal team had urged the court to do. (Because Trump's strategy is delay, delay, and the justices complied)

"The decision effectively keeps the court out of the case for now and could mean the case's March 4 trial date could be delayed."

The decision really has very little import. The US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit could easily rule there is no Presidential immunity from insurrection and theft of classified documents as all other courts have ruled.

 

CNN reports, "The United Nations Security Council on Friday approved a resolution that calls for humanitarian pauses between Israel and Hamas, increased aid to Gaza and the creation of conditions that will allow for a sustainable end to fighting, ending days of closed-door negotiations.

"The resolution calls for “urgent and extended humanitarian pauses and corridors throughout the Gaza Strip for a sufficient number of days to enable full, rapid, safe, and unhindered humanitarian access.”

"The United States and Russia abstained from the vote, deciding against using their vetoes as permanent members of the body that would have shot down the resolution."

In the end, the wording is vague, and the resolution really doesn't mean too much.

We know one thing. The IDF is not going to curtail their fighting one darn bit. They will stop when they have crushed Hamas.

 

U.S. prices fell in November for the first in more than 3-1/2 years, pushing the annual increase in inflation further below 3%, and boosting financial market expectations of an interest rate cut from the Federal Reserve next March.

The report from the Commerce Department on Friday also showed underlying inflation pressures continuing to subside. Cooling inflation left more income at the disposal of households, helping to underpin consumer spending and the overall economy as the year winds down," Reuters.

"Biden, the oldest-over president, will head into 2024 with just 39% of Americans liking his job performance — a slight increase from the 37% he received in October and November, but still below the ratings of every chief executive at the end of their third year in office since Jimmy Carter was in the White House," N.Y. Post.

Go figure? No one is talking.

 

This excellent analysis is provided by CNN.

"The new Donald Trump election controversies give the Supreme Court a chance to seize the moment as the justices’ stature continues to shrink.

"For months, the justices have been on the defensive because of controversy over precedent-shattering decisions and their off-bench behavior.

"The court will inevitably be situated to shape developments in the 2024 presidential election and, more broadly, determine the course of American democracy. For the justices’ own institutional reputation, the question is whether they can, in the public eye, make good on their regular admonition that the court is above politics.

"On Friday, the court made clear it is not ready to take charge. It rejected a request by special counsel Jack Smith to decide whether former Trump should be shielded for alleged crimes while in office. It’s a question that will ultimately return to them.

"The imminent issues are whether Trump is immune from federal prosecution for his actions in the wake of the 2020 election [which would include the theft of classified documents].

"With the presidential election ahead, the drumbeat for judicial transparency has grown louder. Irrespective of how the justices eventually rule, there is an apparent demand for legal reasoning that is clear, grounded and inspires confidence.

"Gallup reported in September that public approval for the court remains at record lows. Separately, Gallup found that less than half of Americans say they have “a great deal” or even “a fair amount” of trust and confidence in the court."

That said, it is quite apparent that the Democrats are hoping and praying that, somehow, Trump becomes the Republican candidate for President. Maybe the Supremes will help in that effort.

 

Despite his surprising unpopularity, our President continues to do his job as his critics remain silent.

USA Today reports, "President Joe Biden directed airstrikes in Iraq after three United States service members were wounded by a one-way attack drone early Monday morning at the Erbil Air Base.

"National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said in a statement Iranian-backed militia Kataib Hezbollah and other affiliated groups took credit for the attack on Christmas Day. One of the U.S. troops suffered critical injuries.

"After Biden was briefed on the situation and injuries, he ordered the Department of Defense to arrange retaliation options. The president ultimately directed strikes against three locations used by Kataib Hezbollah and associated groups “focused specifically on unmanned aerial drone activities,” Watson said.

"The response was carried out at approximately 4:45 a.m. in Iraq, nearly 12 hours after U.S. personnel were injured."

 

Donald Trump is a complete jerk, and his followers are completely silent. It appears Trump has a mental problem.

This is one of his Christmas messages.

“THEY SPIED ON MY CAMPAIGN, LIED TO CONGRESS, CHEATED ON FISA, RIGGED A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, ALLOWED MILLIONS OF PEOPLE, MANY FROM PRISONS & MENTAL INSTITUTIONS, TO INVADE OUR COUNTRY, SCREWED UP IN AFGHANISTAN, & JOE BIDEN’S MISFITS & THUGS, LIKE DERANGED JACK SMITH, ARE COMING AFTER ME, AT LEVELS OF PERSECUTION NEVER SEEN BEFORE IN OUR COUNTRY??? IT’S CALLED ELECTION INTERFERENCE. MERRY CHRISTMAS!” Trump posted on Christmas Eve.

And another.

Merry Christmas to all, including Crooked Joe Biden’s ONLY HOPE, Deranged Jack Smith, the out of control Lunatic who just hired outside attorneys, fresh from the SWAMP (unprecedented!), to help him with his poorly executed WITCH HUNT against “TRUMP” and “MAGA.” Included also are World Leaders, both good and bad, but none of which are as evil and “sick” as the THUGS we have inside our Country who, with their Open Borders, INFLATION, Afghanistan Surrender, Green New Scam, High Taxes, No Energy Independence, Woke Military, Russia/Ukraine, Israel/Iran, All Electric Car Lunacy, and so much more, are looking to destroy our once great USA. MAY THEY ROT IN HELL. AGAIN, MERRY CHRISTMAS!

The man is sick, but his mute followers love him. They want to make him President.

 

Has anyone noticed? Trump never, ever, deals with the evidence in his four criminal indictments. He deals with judges, the special council, and our President. Why is that?

It's simple. Trump is guilty as hell, and he knows it.

 

The media is severely distorting a problem by making public hundreds of political threats provided by the FBI, Congress, and social media sources.

The problem, for the most part, does not exist. If memory serves, the only threat I can recall that materialized was the nutcase who attacked Nancy Pelosi's husband a year ago with a hammer, and he attacked the wrong target. Steve Scalise was attacked six years ago.

Despite hundreds of threats, no politician, judge, judge's clerk, prosecutor, or D.A. has been attacked. There has been no terrorist attack of any consequence since 9/11.

 

Why are you spamming the same post on multiple topics?

http://www.politicalforum.com/index...ed-no-educashun.615273/page-8#post-1074582686

 

When talking about the 91 alleged felonies to which he is accused, Trump never deals with the evidence. He declares his innocence, and, in many cases, turns his attention to the presiding judge, special counsel Jack Smith, and our President, concentrating on those three rather than the case against him.

Why does he do this? Simple, the evidence strongly indicates his guilt. It must be avoided at all costs.

Jack Smith wants to put an end to Trump's campaigning during his many trials.

ABC reports, "Donald Trump shouldn't be allowed to make "irrelevant" claims targeting President Joe Biden or say others are to blame for the Jan. 6 Capitol riot during his federal election interference trial, special counsel Jack Smith wrote in a court filing Wednesday.

"Through public statements, filings and argument in hearings before the court, the defense has attempted to inject into this case partisan political attacks and irrelevant and prejudicial issues that have no place in a jury trial," the filing states.

"Although the court can recognize these efforts for what they are and disregard them, the jury -- if subjected to them -- may not," it continues. "The court should not permit the defendant to turn the courtroom into a forum in which he propagates irrelevant disinformation, and should reject his attempt to inject politics into this proceeding."

The man has a point.

 

Like the others except for Colorado, the Michigan Supreme Court punted. Trump is claiming a victory, If so, it is a shallow victory.

Basically, the court decided it couldn't decide.

CNN explains, "The Michigan Supreme Court has rejected an attempt to remove former President Donald Trump from the 2024 primary ballot based on the US Constitution’s “insurrectionist ban.”

"The outcome, which was generally expected, is a victory for the former president, though an effort to remove him could be renewed for the general election. Wednesday’s decision contrasts with the recent ruling from the Colorado Supreme Court, which kicked Trump off its primary ballot because of his role in the January 6 Capitol riot. That decision has been paused pending an appeal.

"With these dueling decisions, the expected appeals to the US Supreme Court become even more critical, especially as the nation races toward the start of the 2024 primaries. Unlike in Colorado, the Michigan lawsuit never reached a trial and was dismissed early on in the process. An intermediate appeals court upheld the decision to toss the case on procedural grounds.

"The Michigan Court of Claims judge who first got the case said state law doesn’t give election officials any leeway to police the eligibility of presidential primary candidates. He also said the case raised a political question that shouldn’t be decided in the courts."

Is it true judges don't know what an insurrection is? Clearly, it is not a political question. It is a legal question, for which judges are supposed to be qualified to deal.

Bear in mind the Framers of our Constitution never imagined a President like Trump. They never considered the idea of a President leading an attempt to overthrow the elected government. Here is what the Fourteenth Amendment to our Constitution says. It is pretty straightforward. I have no idea why judges have a hard time understanding it.
Section 3 Disqualification from Holding Office
No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.

The highest ranking person in a company is called the CEO or Chief Executive Officer. Is our President anything less? Our judges and politicians have a hard time figuring that out.

That's it. Simple, what could be clearer?

 

ABC reports, "Former President Donald Trump's legal team filed a request on Wednesday in Maine asking Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, a Democrat, to recuse herself from ruling on his ballot eligibility in the state.

"Bellows is expected to rule on three challenges that seek to disqualify Trump from the ballot under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment and the 22nd Amendment.

"The Secretary is a completely biased Democrat partisan and a Biden supporter who is incapable of making a fair decision and allowing the people of Maine the right to vote for the candidate of their choosing,” Trump’s team said in a statement. “Any attempt to remove President Trump’s name from the ballot is blatant election interference.”

"Trump is facing more than a dozen tests over his ballot eligibility under the 14th Amendment in various state and federal courts.

"Maine is the first state to allow its secretary of state to rule on a challenge.

"Bellows was set to rule on the challenges last Friday, but her decision was delayed until this week, a spokesperson for the Secretary of State's office said, due to technical difficulties and in light of the Colorado Supreme Court ruling on the matter last week.

"Once Bellows issues her ruling, if there are challengers to the decision, they can appeal in state court."

 

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Maine’s Democratic secretary of state on Thursday removed former President Donald Trump from the state’s presidential primary ballot under the Constitution’s insurrection clause, becoming the first election official to take action unilaterally in a decision that has potential Electoral College consequences.

While Maine has just four electoral votes, it’s one of two states to split them. Trump won one of Maine’s electors in 2020, so having him off the ballot there should he emerge as the Republican general election candidate could have outsized implications in a race that is expected to be narrowly decided.

Momentum is growing.

That said, Democratic leaders want Trump to be the Republican nominee. Trump will be easy to beat. He is downright stupid.

 

First, some background.

"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."

The Trump Republican base is the rural counties of the South. https://inthesetimes.com/article/20...ulism-peoples-action-win-rural-america-report Slavery is not a subject voters there wish to discuss for obvious reasons.

Nikki Haley was the governor of South Carolina from 2011 to 2017. She is currently a Republican candidate for President.

South Carolina was the first state to secede from the Union. The South Carolina militia attacked Fort Sumter, touching off the Civil War. Up until the Vietnam War, the number killed in the Civil War surpassed all other wars combined.
Last night Haley made a huge gaffe. The question is, did she slip and answer with her true beliefs?

Today she is trying to clean up the awful mess she created for herself. What she says today and the days ahead, however, does not matter. Last night she spoke the truth as she sees it in light of the consequences of her answer.

NPR reports, "Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley is facing significant backlash after failing to mention slavery as a driving force behind the Civil War during a campaign stop in New Hampshire.

"At an event on Wednesday, a voter asked Haley: "what was the cause of the United States Civil War?"

Her answer was puzzling for most people.

She replied that the cause "was basically how government was going to run, the freedoms, and what people could and couldn't do. I think it always comes down to the role of government and what the rights of the people are. And I will always stand by the fact that, I think, government was intended to secure the rights and freedoms of the people."

Okay, let me see if I have this right. According to Haley, her state seceded from the Union and fired on Fort Sumter because "the government was intended to secure the rights and freedoms of the people." How was the federal government infringing on the rights of southern people? Haley didn't say.

Also, she seems to imply that blacks serving as slaves at the time were not people. I doubt the South Carolina militia attacked Fort Sumter "to secure the rights and freedoms" of slaves.

The southern states seceded from the Union to keep their slaves.

 

Please recall that Nikki Haley was the governor of South Carolina from 2011 to 2017, and that she is currently a Republican candidate for President. South Carolina was the first state to secede from the Union, and the South Carolina militia attacked Fort Sumter, touching off the Civil War.

Julian Zelizer writes, "After several strong showings in the Republican primary debates, Nikki Haley is now facing the biggest controversy thus far in her effort to unseat former President Donald Trump as the frontrunner for the GOP nomination.

"While Haley has already been doing damage control, her response to a simple question in New Hampshire this week struck at the heart of a decades-long power struggle over our nation’s history.

"When asked during a town hall in Berlin, New Hampshire, on Wednesday what the cause of the Civil War was, Haley managed to answer the question without once mentioning the issue of slavery.

"Although some are calling the encounter a “gaffe,” Haley has previously framed the Civil War as a disagreement between “tradition” and “change” without mentioning slavery.

"Her response in New Hampshire was a significant mistake that — intentional or not — taps into a longstanding effort on the right to rewrite history. Too often, there have been systematic efforts to push aside the archival-based findings that historians have produced over the past half century, documenting the ways that slavery and racism have continually played a formative role in American history."

When one considers that the Republican base is located in the rural counties of the South, this becomes all the more significant.

 

This is a severe blow to the Netanyahu government!

The AP reports, "Israel’s Supreme Court struck down a key component of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s contentious judicial overhaul Monday, delivering a landmark decision that could reopen the fissures in Israeli society that preceded the country’s ongoing war against Hamas.

"The planned overhaul sparked months of mass protests, threatened to trigger a constitutional crisis between the judicial and legislative branches of government, and rattled the cohesion of Israel’s powerful military.

"In Monday’s decision, the court narrowly voted to overturn a law passed in July that prevents judges from striking down government decisions they deem “unreasonable.” Opponents had argued that Netanyahu’s efforts to remove the standard of reasonability opens the door to corruption and improper appointments of unqualified cronies to important positions."

No doubt Republicans will continue their silence. With some minor exceptions with abysmal results, silence has been their thing.