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

What is Putin doing? Is this latest intrigue meant for home consumption only?

Martial law in a region under military occupation is superfluous, virtually meaningless, but that is what Putin declared.

Maybe the Russian military is hurting more than we know. We know the Ukrainian military has seized large chunks of the territory Putin illegally annexed, and the Russian military is retaliating by striking at civilian infrastructure far from the occupied territories.

The Times reports, "President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia declared martial law on Wednesday in four regions of Ukraine that Moscow illegally annexed but that it does not fully control, a move that would allow the pro-Russian authorities to impose even tighter restrictions as Moscow fights to hold off Ukraine’s military advances."

Note: What is it Russia could do now that they couldn't do under military occupation?

The Times continued, "Separately, Mr. Putin said he was handing more power to regional governors inside Russia, implementing wartime measures that would allow for significantly more restrictions, apparently aimed at keeping a lid on dissent at home.

"A presidential decree announced martial law in the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions — whose annexation by Russia last month has been condemned internationally as illegal. Russia has suffered weeks of setbacks on the battlefield, and its proxies in the southern region of Kherson have begun relocating civilians in apparent anticipation of a major fight for the regional capital."

Is Putin saying that regional governors now have more power than the commanding general? The evacuation of civilians began long before Putin's latest decree.

Is Putin losing it? He seems rather desperate.

 

The Republican Party is playing with fire. They are sponsoring a dangerous threat to American democracy. grassroots Republicans don't seem to care. Their silence on this matter is deafening.

Many Republican leaders believe – "or is at least willing to keep open the option – that, contrary to all of the evidence, that there was fraud in the 2020 election. This isn’t a policy disagreement. This is about the very bones of our democracy, the notion that we hold free and fair elections – only if the candidate you supported winds up winning," CNN.

CNN continued, "Again, this isn’t just a disagreement over some policy plank. The issue here is whether the 2020 election was free and fair. You can’t just yada-yada the notion that someone you are endorsing for high office actually believes that the last election was stolen!

"By casting election denialism as just another policy position, the likes of Youngkin and Sununu – both of whom have national ambitions of their own – are trying to put a Band-Aid on a gaping wound. If you don’t believe in the fundamental tenets of democracy that have been followed since the founding of the country, all the other stuff doesn’t really matter.

But grassroots Republicans don't care. For example, Trump is still their hero.

 

Sandy Shanks said:
With full employment, substantial job growth, and robust spending, the Biden economy is on fire. Inflation is a by-product of prosperity. To change that, unemployment must increase causing less spending. That will result in lower prices. It is called a recession.

Why Americans as a whole are so negative about the economy, and why they think the Republican Party with its history of recessions is the answer is a mystery. The news today causes more bafflement.

ABC reports, "The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell last week and remains historically low even as the U.S. economy slows in the midst of decades-high inflation.

"Considered a proxy for layoffs, applications for jobless aid have remained historically low.

"Some recent employment data suggests the job market may be cooling slightly, but overall, it remains the healthiest part of an economy that’s been shaky all year due to high inflation and Russia's war in Ukraine.

"Four-decade high inflation has prompted the Federal Reserve to keep raising its key interest rate, which is currently in a range of 3% to 3.25%. A little more than six months ago, that rate was near zero. The sharp rate hikes have pushed mortgage rates up to 15-year highs, and made other borrowing costlier. The Fed hopes that higher interest rates will slow borrowing and spending and push inflation closer to its traditional 2% target.

"Fed officials have warned that the unemployment rate will likely have to rise as part of their fight against rising prices, and the most recent government jobs report likely snuffed out any hope that the Fed would pause rate increases when it meets in early November."

Higher unemployment results in less spending. Prices go down due to less spending and that is called a recession.

That must be what Americans want. Vote Republican, they are good at recessions.

In the meantime, we have the Biden economy. Hiring in September added 263,000 jobs and the unemployment rate dropped from 3.7% to 3.5%, matching a half-century low. Record low unemployment combined with job growth.

What's not to like?

As is their custom, Republicans will avoid the factors in this report. They are eternal pessimists, and they like recessions.

 

Another Trump associate is sentenced to prison!

CNN reports, "Former Trump senior adviser Steve Bannon appeared in a federal court in Washington, DC, on Friday and was sentenced for contempt of Congress after defying a subpoena from the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol attack.

"Guilty on two counts: A federal jury found Bannon guilty in July of contempt for refusing to appear for the panel’s deposition and produce documents. The conviction was a victory for the House committee as it aimed to seek cooperation of reluctant witnesses in its historic investigation.

"The sentence: Judge Carl Nichols – a Trump appointee – sentenced Bannon to four months on each count — running concurrently — along with a fine of $6,500. The sentence is less than what federal prosecutors sought. The Justice Department wanted Bannon to be sentenced to six months and be fined $200,000.

"What happens next: Bannon has 14 days to file his appeal, the judge said. If he doesn’t file that appeal, then Bannon will have to make arrangements to surrender voluntarily no later than Nov. 15. Bannon’s attorneys have already made clear they planned to appeal his conviction to the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit."

Bannon joins ten other Trump associates who have been sentenced to prison.

Tom Barrack: Barrack was charged with seven counts on Tuesday. The allegations, according to the indictment, center on the idea that Barrack used his closeness to Trump to “advance the interests of and provide intelligence to the UAE.

Elliott Broidy: Broidy, a top fundraiser for Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, pleaded guilty in October 2020 to conducted a secret lobbying campaign in exchange for millions of dollars.

Michael Cohen: The one-time fixer for Trump, Cohen was sentenced to three years in prison for a series of crimes, most notably secret hush-money payments made during the final months of the 2016 presidential campaign to two women alleging affairs with Trump.

Michael Flynn: Flynn spent a brief stint as Trump’s national security adviser before being forced to resign after he failed to disclose the depth and breadth of his contacts with Russian officials during the transition.

Rick Gates: Gates, deputy to the campaign chairman of Trump’s 2016 campaign, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting Paul Manafort in concealing $75 million in foreign bank accounts.

Paul Manafort: Trump’s campaign manager for part of the 2016 presidential campaign, Manafort pleaded guilty in 2018 to on count of conspiracy against the US and one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice due to attempts to tamper with witnesses.

George Nader: An informal foreign policy adviser to Trump’s 2016 campaign. In early 2020, he pleaded guilty to two counts of sex crimes involving minors.

George Papadopoulos: Papadopoulos, a relatively junior adviser to Trump’s campaign, was sentenced to prison for lying to investigators about his contacts with individuals tied to Russia.

Roger Stone: Stone spent years advising Trump although he was only formally affiliated with the 2016 campaign very briefly. He was convicted in November 2019 for lying to Congress.

Allen Weisselberg: Earlier this month, the longtime chief financial officer for the Trump Organization was charged with tax crimes tied to perks he was given in lieu of salary.

Do Republicans care that the President they voted for is a crook associating with convicted felons?

Hell no, Republicans are expected to win control of Congress less than three weeks from now.

Are grassroots Republicans -- responsible for Trump and his band -- a threat to American democracy? If not, why not?

 

The [Republican] Senate Intelligence Committee on Tuesday [4/21/2020] reaffirmed its support for the U.S. intelligence community’s conclusion that the Russian government interfered in the 2016 presidential election with the goal of putting Donald Trump in the Oval Office. https://www.politico.com/news/2020/...rms-russia-aimed-to-help-trump-in-2016-198171

There has got to be a connection between that assistance from Vladimir Putin and Trump's chaotic administration as well as the events that have unfolded since along with his bad election loss and January Sixth.

Trump and his grassroots followers have become a threat to American democracy.

They know it, too, because, when relevant issues are being discussed, as is the case here, they will remain silent.

Stephen Collinson writes, "Former President Donald Trump and his movement are posing new challenges to accountability, free elections and the rule of law, ushering in a fresh period of political turmoil.

"Trump never really went away after losing reelection in 2020, but a dizzying catalog of confrontations is vaulting him back into the center of US politics. It’s likely to deepen polarization in an already deeply divided nation. And Trump’s return to the spotlight probably means next month’s midterm elections and the early stages of the 2024 presidential race will be rocked by his characteristic chaos.

"A potential 2024 presidential campaign rooted in his claims of political persecution could create even more upheaval than his four years in office." That is classic Trump and his gullible followers believe him. I didn't steal classified documents. Those documents belong to me. I'm the President.

Whenever something bad happens to him It is always someone else's fault. Never his. Sound familiar?

Collinson continues, "Trump is, for instance, now locked in a subpoena showdown with the House committee investigating the January 6 insurrection. More and more Trump aides are being brought before a grand jury as the Justice Department gets closer to a fateful decision over whether to charge the ex-President over the mob riot.

"In a separate probe, the department is investigating whether Trump broke the law by hoarding highly classified information at his Mar-a-Lago resort"

Still another issue, the Trump Organization’s trial on tax fraud and other charges begins Monday in Manhattan, raising questions about the future of the former president’s family business. Trump is the owner.

Trump has endorsed countless Republicans running for office. All of them claimed the 2016 election was fraudulent. It was the price for Trump's endorsement. GOP gubernatorial hopeful Kari Lake – a serial spreader of voter fraud falsehoods – is again raising doubts about the election system. “I’m afraid that it probably is not going to be completely fair,” Lake told AZTV7 on Sunday.

No one is sure what will happen to Trump. Will he be elected President in 2024 or will he be in prison, joining eleven of his associates?

 

Obviously, I meant the 2020 election.

Damn!

 

Is this going to go on forever? If memory serves, the prosecutor has been at this for over two years.

Reuters, reports, "A prosecutor in the tax fraud trial of Donald Trump's company told prospective jurors on Tuesday the government's star witness - a longtime Trump Organization executive - may be "reluctant" to answer questions, while some jury candidates were dismissed after expressing contempt for the former U.S. president.

"Assistant Manhattan District Attorney Joshua Steinglass told 18 jury candidates that former Trump Organization Chief Financial Officer Allen Weisselberg, who will testify for the prosecution, is still employed by the real estate company."

"Some of the witnesses work for the defendants, so they may be a little reluctant to answer the questions," Steinglass said. "One of the witnesses that I'm talking about is Allen Weisselberg."

Reuters continued, "The district attorney's office last year charged the Trump Organization and Weisselberg with awarding "off the books" benefits to some senior executives, enabling certain employees to understate their taxable compensation and the company to evade payroll taxes.

"Weisselberg in August pleaded guilty to charges including grand larceny and tax fraud while admitting to concealing $1.76 million in income. Weisselberg agreed to testify against the company at trial as part of his plea agreement.

"Trump, [the sole owner of the Trump Organization] who is considering another run for the presidency in 2024, has not been charged in the case, which he has called politically motivated."

 

The Times reports, "The debate performance on Tuesday night by Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, the Democratic nominee for Senate in Pennsylvania, left party officials newly anxious, injecting a fresh dose of unpredictability into one of the country’s most important contests less than two weeks before Election Day."

There is a strong possibility that the winner of the Senate race between two losers in Pennsylvania will determine which party controls the Senate for the next two years.

It would be shocking that the party that harbors and glorifies Donald (The Big Lie) Trump wins the Senate because Pennsylvania Democrats could not find a better candidate than the bald and tattooed Fetterman who suffered a stroke in May, has hearing perception issues, gets muddled when speaking, and prefers to wear a hoodie in public.

 

No one has said that Kevin McCarthy is a genius. This isn't the first time McCarthy has been forced to retract what he said or failed to explain what he said. In this case, he had to explain himself.

CNN reports, "McCarthy told key Republican national security committee members that his comment that Ukraine wouldn’t get a “blank check” in a Republican majority was being taken out of context. Rather, McCarthy told his members he was simply saying that a GOP-led House would not automatically rubber-stamp a request from the administration for additional Ukraine aid."

“McCarthy was not saying, ‘We wouldn’t spend money.’ McCarthy was saying, ‘We’re gonna be accountable to the taxpayer for every dollar we spend,’” one GOP lawmaker familiar with McCarthy’s thinking told CNN. “A ‘blank check’ means that people get whatever they ask for. What we’re saying is there’s going to be some thought, there’s going to be accountability, and taxpayer dollars are going to be used appropriately.”

McCarthy’s effort to soothe the House’s senior defense hawks, which has not been previously reported, underscores the fine line the aspiring speaker is walking on foreign policy as the war in Ukraine appears poised to grind into a second year. But it also offers a preview of the types of policy and political battles to come between the establishment and pro-Trump wings of the GOP, presenting a tricky balancing act — and potential headaches — for Republican leaders in a House majority. CNN

 

This is weird. I mean really weird.

CNN reports, "Americans’ views of President Joe Biden have rebounded slightly from their dismal outlook over the summer, according to a new CNN poll conducted by SSRS. But public assessment of the economy remains grim, and Americans remain largely unconvinced that Biden, Congress or the government as a whole are meaningfully addressing major issues facing the country."

Are most Americans aware of the fact that have a free enterprise system in this country? What does that mean exactly? It means that Americans control our economy, not Congress or the government.

It means that Congress and the government have very little control over our economy.

Do Americans in these polls prefer an autocratic government? In a dictatorship, the government controls the economy, not the people. Is that what these Americans want?

That is only part of the story.

People living in other western countries would kill for an economy that is as successful and as powerful as ours.

We have full employment, job growth, and robust spending. Someone explain to me, what is not to like?

An answer to that question, albeit a poor one, is inflation. Inflation is why Americans are bitching. But there is absolutely nothing Biden or Congress can do about inflation except raise interest rates to slow the economy. Hypothetically, let's say we had a Republican President, and a GOP-controlled Congress. There is absolutely nothing a Republican President and Congress could do about inflation, either. Besides, they have a history of recessions.

During the Reagan-to-Trump timeline, the Republican presidencies had four recessions start in their terms: one each under Reagan and George H. W. Bush, and two under George W. Bush. By contrast, Democrats Bill Clinton and Barack Obama had zero. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news...versee-recessions-dems-recoveries/5235957002/

Is that what Americans want, a recession? We don't know what they want. All they do is bitch.

What most Americans do not know, is that inflation is a by-product of prosperity. What is meant by prosperity? Answer: Full employment, job growth, and robust spending.

In a very real sense, the American people are bitching about prosperity, bitching we have it so good.

I seriously doubt any of those Americans will respond to this report. Like I said, they just bitch.

 

I continue to be amazed that Americans have such a negative attitude toward our economy. The misguided logic is, of course, due to serious inflation. To be frank, that logic is due to ignorance.

The lowest unemployment rate in a half-century plus job growth causes, of course, robust spending. Guess what, and this is what Americans don't realize.

Robust spending causes inflation.

The opposite is true. High unemployment causes less spending, and that occurs during a recession. Something the Republican Party is good at.

ABC reports, "The U.S. economy expanded significantly to kick off the second half of the year, marking a dramatic reversal from the contraction experienced over the first six months, government data showed.

"U.S. gross domestic product grew 2.6% over the three months ending in September, according to data released Thursday. By contrast, economic activity shrank a combined 2.2% over the first six months of the year.

"The data arrives less than two weeks before the midterm elections, possibly bolstering Democratic claims of economic stewardship as polls show voters prefer Republicans on the issue."

If voters want high unemployment, an economy that is contracting not expanding, causing less spending and more unemployment, if voters want a recession, vote Republican.

If voters want record-setting low unemployment, a lively, expanding prosperous economy, causing robust spending and lower unemployment, inflation, in other words, the economy we have now, vote Democratic.

It's really quite simple.

 

Just another looney tunes Republican candidate. This one is running for governor in Michigan. Her position on the Democratic Party is way out there.

CNN reports, "The Republican gubernatorial nominee in Michigan invoked a conspiracy that the Covid-19 pandemic and protests in the summer of 2020 after the killing of George Floyd were part of a decades-long plan by the Democratic Party to “topple” the United States as retaliation for losing the US Civil War, adding that the party wanted to enslave people “again.”

“The country today is divided, and this was the plan. It’s been in the works for years. The idea that you can topple the greatest country in the world. But to topple a country like the United States of America, you must be planning this for decades,” said Dixon. “Why wouldn’t that come from the party that lost the Civil War? The party that wanted to own people because they viewed them as less than human? Do you think that the Democrats are over losing to the north?”

"Dixon went on to claim that Democrats used the Covid-19 pandemic and the killing of Floyd to divide the country and feed White people “white guilt” so they can assume power and “gladly own” and enslave people of all colors “again.” CNN

I have no words.

 

ABC reports, "Technology stocks led a broad rally on Wall Street Friday, capping another strong week for the market, as investors welcomed solid profits from Apple and other companies.

"The S&P 500 rose 2.5% and posted its first back-to-back weekly gains since August. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 2.6% and the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite climbed 2.9%. Smaller company stocks also gained ground, lifting the Russell 2000 index by 2.3%.

"Apple's latest quarterly results showed the iPhone maker made even fatter profits during the summer than expected. Its shares rose 7.6% and led a rally in technology stocks that had largely been beat up a day earlier.

"Intel jumped 10.7% after delivering much bigger profit than analysts forecasted even though it said it saw “worsening economic conditions.”

"Gilead Sciences soared 12.9%, and T-Mobile US gained 7.4% after they also topped Wall Street's profit expectations.

"Investors were also encouraged by a report on consumer spending that came a day after new data showing the economy grew modestly in the third quarter and inflation eased.

"That's helped fuel hopes on Wall Street for a “pivot” by the Federal Reserve, where the central bank dials down the big interest-rate hikes that have shaken the market. Such a move could boost the market, though many analysts say such hopes may be overdone."

The reader doesn't have to understand all this stuff. Suffice to say that it is really good news as far as our economy is concerned. Republicans continue to be pessimists, bitching and moaning without offering solutions then saying a recession is just around the corner. No wonder they are always in a foul mood while attacking an innocent 82-year-old man, who just happens to be the husband belonging to the Democratic Speaker of the House.

So far there is has been no disagreements with my rational line of thinking regarding our economy. Good, maybe people are feeling better while learning something. There is so much negativity out there concerning our economy. Mine is a breath of fresh air.

Best of all, it's true. As I said, no one has challenged the good news.

 

Interesting thing about what the Republicans are saying about the economy.

Because the Biden economy is roaring -- I have shown that in my various reports on the economy -- the Republicans are forced to speculate, to speak of economic matters in the future. Then there is their bitching about inflation, which hardly matters since they are unable to blame Biden for inflation and unable to offer solutions to the problem.

The truth is, as I have pointed out, inflation is not a problem. Inflation is a by-product of prosperity. Robust spending=inflation. Relieving inflation is caused by less spending. Less spending=recession.

So, while the Republicans are forced to speculate about the economic future, I have used hard data to show how great the Biden economy is doing.

So, which do you rely on more, speculation or hard data?

 

Nuts!

Just another looney tunes Republican candidate. This one is running for Congress.

This is surreal.

CNN reports, "The Republican Senate nominee in New Hampshire, Don Bulduc, shared at a Thursday event the hoax claim that school children are being told they can identify as anthropomorphic cats and use litter boxes in schools."

“Guess what? We have furries and fuzzies in classrooms,” Bolduc told the crowd. “They lick themselves, they’re cats. When they don’t like something, they hiss – people walk down the hallway and jump out,” he said, as a hissing sound could be heard.

“And get this, get this,” he continued. “They’re putting litter boxes, right? Litter boxes for that. … These are the same people that are concerned about spreading germs. Yet they let children lick themselves and then touch everything. And they’re starting to lick each other.”

“I wish I was making it up,” concluded Bolduc.

This guy is a Republican running for the U.S. Senate. Grassroots Republicans chose him!

Bulduc is a retired army general. Perhaps he was in combat and is suffering from shell shock. Obviously, he is a few beer cans short of a six-pack.

 

Misery does not like company. Inflation is worse for our European friends. If they could find a way, Republicans would blame the Democrats for Europe's inflation, too.

ABC reports, "Inflation hit a new record in the 19 countries that use the euro currency, fueled by out-of-control prices for natural gas and electricity due to Russia's war in Ukraine. Economic growth also slowed ahead of what economists fear is a looming recession, largely as a result of those higher prices sapping Europeans' ability to spend.

"Annual inflation reached 10.7% in October, the European Union's statistics agency, Eurostat, reported Monday. That is up from 9.9% in September and the highest since statistics began to be compiled for the eurozone in 1997.

"Natural gas prices skyrocketed in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine as Russia throttled back pipeline supplies to a trickle of what they were before the war. Europe has had to resort to expensive shipments of liquefied gas that come by ship from the U.S. and Qatar to keep generating electricity and heating homes. Consumer spending power has been drained at shops and elsewhere as more income goes to pay for fuel and utility bills."

In campaign speeches across the land, Republicans are harping about inflation and that it is the fault of the Democrats. They don't dare tell the truth, and it is impossible for them to offer solutions to the problem.

Because, as shown, the inflation outbreak has been an international phenomenon.

Inflation is not the fault of Republicans, and it is not the fault of Democrats, either, despite the lies being told by Republican candidates.

Republicans are expected to win control of Congress in a little more than a week.

 

There is a serious problem with the booming Biden economy. Millions of good jobs go unfilled.

ABC reports, "U.S. job openings rose unexpectedly in September, suggesting that the American labor market is not cooling as fast as the inflation fighters at the Federal Reserve hoped.

"Employers posted 10.7 million job vacancies in September, up from 10.3 million in August, the Labor Department said Tuesday. Economists had expected the number of job openings to drop below 10 million for the first time since June 2021.

"For the past two years, as the economy rebounded from 2020's COVID-19 recession, employers have complained they can't find enough workers. With so many jobs available, workers can afford to resign and seek employment that pays more or offers better perks or flexibility. So companies have been forced to raise wages to attract and keep staff. Higher pay has contributed to inflation that has hit 40-year highs in 2022.

And Americans keep bitching about the economy, and they think the recession-prone Republican Party is the answer.

During the Reagan-to-Trump timeline, the Republican presidencies had four recessions start in their terms: one each under Reagan and George H. W. Bush, and two under George W. Bush. By contrast, Democrats Bill Clinton and Barack Obama had zero. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news...versee-recessions-dems-recoveries/5235957002/

The citizens of every nation on the planet would kill for an economy like the robust Biden economy. What are Americans doing? Crying about the high price of gas. It's enough to make a grown man weep.

All this is important, but Republicans refuse to read this thread. Why? They don't know much about our economy, and they don't want to know. Their hero is Trump, and they don't want to know anything different. For the rural Republican base, mindlessly bitching about inflation is all the economics they need.

That also explains their total silence on the issues of this thread.

 

Is Russia withdrawing or do they have something else on their minds? Considering the size and the weaponry of the Russian army, this seems too good to be true.

Politico reports, "Russia has prepared the groundwork for withdrawing its troops from Kherson, the largest Ukrainian city its forces have occupied since the February invasion, a Western official said.

"In the last couple of weeks, the Ukrainian army has made “spectacular” advances in its campaign to regain territory occupied by the Russians, who have been forced to move to a more defensive position and are “critically short of munitions,” the official said Thursday.

"Russia is now believed to have temporarily bolstered its forces near Kherson to cover a retreat to the eastern bank of the Dnipro River, and has also ordered civilians to evacuate from occupied areas on the western bank."

“We are confident in our previous warnings that the prospects of Russian military withdrawal from their Kherson bridgehead,” the official said. “Planning is almost certainly well advanced.”

Perhaps, that is so, then again, it may not be. It would be wise to heed this advice because skepticism of Russian intentions runs deep.

"The Western official cautioned that any decision to retreat “is more about Russians making long-term strategic decisions about where is best to defend in order to be effective, maintain their own munitions supplies, maintain their troop levels and set themselves for the winter," Politico.

 

The [Republican] Senate Intelligence Committee on Tuesday [4/21/2020] reaffirmed its support for the U.S. intelligence community’s conclusion that the Russian government interfered in the 2016 presidential election with the goal of putting Donald Trump in the Oval Office. https://www.politico.com/news/2020/...rms-russia-aimed-to-help-trump-in-2016-198171

There has got to be a connection between that assistance from Vladimir Putin and Trump's chaotic administration as well as the events that have unfolded since as he continues to create chaos within our country.

Trump is able to do this because of his overwhelming support from rural Republican voters who are completely unaware of what they are doing. Gullible to the extreme, they believe the lies promulgated by Trump and the Republican Party. Worse, they avoid reality and truth.

Reality such as this. Trump is criminally involved in at least two DOJ investigations, his role in the Jan. 6, 2001, capitol riot, and his theft of classified documents. He was elected President in 2016 with the help of Vladimir Putin. ABC reported, "Opening statements began Monday in the criminal trial of former President Donald Trump’s namesake family real estate business,

The rural base of the Republican Party does not know about any of this, and they don't want to know.

However, despite the total lack of evidence and losses in sixty court cases, they believe Trump when he says the election was stolen from him!

And they know about this reality.

CNN reports, "Top aides to former President Donald Trump have discussed the third week of November as an ideal launch point for his 2024 presidential campaign if Republicans fare well in the midterm elections next week, sources familiar with the matter tell CNN.

"Two sources said Trump’s team has specifically discussed November 14 as one possible announcement date, which would come in the middle of an overseas trip to Asia that President Joe Biden has long been scheduled to make."

When Trump announces, the Russian dictator will join Republican voters in celebration.

 

"John P. Child has a strong view about the 2020 presidential election: “I think it was stolen, fair and square.”

"He’s not the type to stage a coup, he says. But he no longer trusts local officials to run elections.

"So, like a growing number of Americans who support former President Donald Trump, he’s taken training classes put on by conservative groups on how to be a poll watcher in the 2022 midterm elections. This time, he will be able to see for himself.

"It comes as part of a nationwide movement led by MAGA influencers who have circulated false information about election fraud, with former Trump adviser Steve Bannon the most prominent," CNN.

Then Steve Bannon, who recently was convicted of a felony, chimed in as CNN continued, "On a recent episode of his “War Room” podcast, Bannon said: “Biden is illegitimate, and we’re gonna prove it. … It’s never going to happen again.”

However, Bannon offered no proof for his bold statement. He never has offered proof. Do his listerners believe him? Of course, they all share the same fantasy.

Child offered no evidence to support his claim that the election was stolen.

Here is the link to the article. https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/04/politics/pennsylvania-voter-midterms-poll-watchers/index.html No Republican offered any proof to sustain the claim the election was stolen.

Trump has never provided evidence that the election was stolen. The explanation is obvious. There isn't any proof. It's all hogwash. But do the rural voters of the Republican Party believe the election was stolen? Of Course, Trump said so.

Have you noticed? It is what Republicans do. They make countless accusations, but they rarely provide substantiation for them.

Then we have Republican Senator Ron Johnson. He uses another laughable Republican trick. He blames the other guy.

CNN reports, "Wisconsin GOP Sen. Ron Johnson was asked a simple question. Would he commit to accepting the results of next week’s midterm elections?" This is his "answer?"

“I sure hope I can, but I can’t predict what the Democrats might have planned,” Johnson said. “You know, we’re not trying to do anything to gain partisan advantage, we’re just doing whatever we can to restore confidence. It sure seems like there’s an awful lot of, in the past, a lot of attempts on the part of Democrats to make it easier to cheat.”

In other words, if one is doing something really bad -- like not agreeing to accept the results of an election -- the Republican response is to blame the other guy for the nasty deed, just as the Republican Senator did. It's a rather commonplace practice for the GOP.

 

Is Kevin McCarthy the best the Republicans have in the House? He is not very bright. Immediately after the capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021, rightly so, McCarthy blamed President Trump for the failed coup attempt.

A few days later McCarthy changed his mind. A few days after that he was Trump's guest at Mar-a-Lago.

Does this man deserve your respect? Republicans won't answer that question. As a matter of fact, following this report, they won't say a thing.

That said, McCarthy gave us a heads-up on Republican plans if the Republicans win control of the House, which is likely.

CNN reports, "House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy is vowing to secure the border, cut back on government spending and launch rigorous investigations into the Biden administration if Republicans win the House on Tuesday, reflecting a mix of priorities as McCarthy will be forced to contend with an increasingly hardline and pro-Trump conference that is itching to impeach President Joe Biden."

Impeach Biden for what? Republicans have never said, but the educationally challenged rural Republican voting base believes it. That's what is important. To Republicans, providing details of a policy to their flock is unimportant.

CNN continued, "In an exclusive, wide-ranging interview with CNN, two days before the midterm elections, McCarthy outlined his plans for power, which includes tackling inflation, rising crime and border security – three issues that have become central to Republicans’ closing pitch to voters.

Let's take these one at a time. Inflation -- Republican administrations have a history of recessions, and what exactly are Republicans going to do about inflation? McCarthy doesn't say because there isn't anything he can say. Inflation is caused by robust spending in a full employment scenario.

Crime -- It is a well-known fact that crooks use illegal guns. The NRA-sponsored Republican Party will not allow meaningful gun legislation to become law in an attempt to combat crime. In 2020, per capita murder rates were 40% higher in states won by Donald Trump than those won by Joe Biden. 8 of the 10 states with the highest murder rates in 2020 voted for the Republican presidential nominee in every election this century. https://www.thirdway.org/report/the-red-state-murder-problem

Border security -- Every Republican President from Eisenhower to Trump has been unable to provide border security.

Republicans want to go after Biden in a big way. Biden defeated their revered leader. They want blood.

So, CNN added, "McCarthy also highlighted oversight and investigations as a key priority for a GOP-led House, listing potential probes into the chaotic Afghanistan pullout, the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic and how the administration has dealt with parents and school board meetings. And he left the door open to launching eventual impeachment proceedings, which some of his members have already begun to call for."

Is that a joke? Is that all the Republicans have on Biden?

These people will gain control of the House of Representatives? Geez!

Rural Republicans are completely unaware of all of this and so much more. The uninformed rural voter will believe what he wants to believe, substantiation unnecessary, and ignore everything else.

 

What exactly do Republicans want? Many are confused. Do they want the votes counted quickly and a quick tally of the votes to prevent cheating? Or do they want to stretch out the count to prevent cheating?

The problem they have is that there is no evidence of significant fraud in any election in the past several decades. How do we know this? Trump told us.

The disbanded voting integrity commission launched by the Trump administration uncovered no evidence to support claims of widespread voter fraud. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/report-trump-commission-did-not-find-widespread-voter-fraud

Whatever, the Republicans are hard at it. What they are attempting to do is the question.

The Post reports, "Under pressure from a Republican lawsuit, Philadelphia officials decided early Tuesday morning to reinstate a time-consuming process meant to prevent double voting, a move that is expected to delay the city’s ability to report a final tally — perhaps by a matter of days.

"The move comes as election officials in Pennsylvania and other swing states warn that results of tight races may not be known on election night. The officials have preemptively pushed back against claims — such as those wielded by President Donald Trump after the 2020 election — that delays are a sign of fraud or nefarious activity.

"Philadelphia leaders on Tuesday emphasized that they were only taking the additional step that could slow the process because of Republican litigation.

"The Republican-led organization known as Restoring Integrity and Trust in Elections — which includes strategist Karl Rove as a founder and former attorney general William P. Barr on its board made a statement in which the group took credit for persuading the city to change its stance."

Yeah, I don't know what they are doing, either, but they are about to assume control of Congress.

 

Due to the ingenuity of the American voter, it is quite likely that the federal government will be paralyzed for the next two years.

The fools and anarchists around us will say that is a good thing.

It is not.

 

After Pennsylvania’s acting elections chief, Leigh Chapman, told NBC News last week that it could take “days” to complete the vote count, Republican gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano, who has repeatedly promoted false conspiracy theories about the 2020 election, said on a right-wing show monitored by liberal organization Media Matters for America: “That’s an attempt to have the fix in.”

The rural Republican voter chose these people to control Congress for the next two Years.

 

Knowing the respective strengths of the two militaries, this is truly amazing. Please note the order came from the Russian commander in Ukraine, not speculation from Zelensky or Western media.

BBC reports, "Russia's military has been ordered to pull out of the Ukrainian city of Kherson, the only regional capital it captured after invading in February.

"Russia's commander in Ukraine, Gen Sergei Surovikin, said it was no longer possible to keep supplying the city.

"The withdrawal means Russian forces will pull out entirely from the western bank of the River Dnipro.
It is a significant blow as Russia faces a Ukrainian counter-offensive.

"The military's top brass announced the decision on Russian state TV, with Gen Surovikin reporting on the situation on the ground in Kherson.

"President Vladimir Putin did not take part in the staged event. The architect of Russia's failing war in Ukraine appeared to have left the announcement to his generals.

"It was Mr. Putin who announced Russia's annexation of Kherson, and three other occupied regions, at the end of September."

But this is too easy. After paying a dear price the Russians are just giving back the large, strategic city? The Ukrainians should move cautiously.

And they are.

BBC continued, "But [Russia's] decision to pull back across the Dnipro river was treated with caution by Ukrainian officials.
In his nightly address on Wednesday, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv was moving "very carefully" after the announcement.

"The enemy does not give us gifts, does not make 'goodwill gestures', we win it all," he said.

"Therefore, we are moving very carefully, without emotions, without unnecessary risk, in the interests of liberating all our land and so that the losses are as small as possible."

We will see. In any case, by invading Ukraine we know Putin made a horrible mistake for which his country and its citizens are paying dearly every single day. Some have paid the ultimate price.