All posts by Dr. ESP

The Day After

Random Thoughts

The following are some random thoughts on the Democratic National Convention.

A ROLLING STONE LOSES SOME GLOSS

You don’t always get what you want!

~Mick Jagger

If, as I have on occasion, hate it when I am right, today I find myself loving it when I’m wrong.  There was no Beyonce or Taylor Swift last night.  Because they were not needed.  There were enough “rock stars” to fill the arena.  Comma-la’s grand nieces.  The “Exonerated Five.”  The “Liberated Five,”  former Congressman Adam Kinzinger, former Georgia Lt. Governor Geoff Duncan, former Trump press secretary Stephanie Grisham, former Trump national security official Olivia Troye and Mesa, Arizona mayor John Giles. And headliner Kamala Harris. 

I still think not including Jimmy Carter in the “parade of presidents” was a lost opportunity to remind voters a post-defeat president can accept the voters’ choice and still serve America in any number of ways.

SHORT ONE ABE

You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can not fool all of the people all of the time.

~President Abraham Lincoln

One would think Honest Abe covered all the bases.  But someone in the right-wing echo chamber proved him wrong.  Please add, “Some people are fools any chance they get.”  In this case, a representative of the media made the following observation as Kamala Harris walked out on the stage to accept her party’s nomination.  “The campaign told women to wear white yet she wore black.”  First of all, these are the same people who thought the world ended when President Obama wore a tan suit.  It did not.

Second, imagine the uproar if she, like Hillary Clinton in 2016, had worn white.  Fox News hosts would  accuse her  of playing identity politics pandering to women.   Or suggest anything but a tailored dark suit is unpresidential.  The Hollywood Reporter  provided the best explanation of her choice of attire, but of course, had to drop the designer’s name, something they never do when covering male politicians. “She bucked the night’s trend by wearing a custom navy power suit and matching silk blouse by French fashion house Chloé, a choice that seemed to say history has been made, now let’s get down to business.”

My only disappointment was that Donald Trump did not post the following on Truth Social.  “I’ve known Ka-MAH-la for a long time, not directly, and she always preferred white.  And then, all of a sudden, she turned navy blue.”

AS THE BRAIN WORM TURNS

No post-convention analysis would be complete without acknowledging Robert F. Kennedy, Jr’s suspending his independent campaign and endorsing Trump.  Some “conservative” media outlets label this a “game changer,” and they may be right.  But not for the reasons they believe. 

There is one undeniable axiom in politics.  When the opposition is trying to define you, do not give them more ammunition.  Ask Mitt Romney who, as the Obama campaign portrayed him as insensitive to working Americans, said, “My job is not to worry about those people (referring to the 47 percent of voters he called ‘the taker class.’)  I’ll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives.”  Which explains why the Harris campaign should welcome Bobby, Jr. as the perfect surrogate for Trump.

  • If you thought Trump and J.D. Vance were weird before, now they have added the guy who dumped a dead bear in Central Park to their ticket.  A trifecta of weird.
  • Have you ever noticed Trump is surrounding himself with people who hated him?  His VP choice once called him “America’s Hitler,” and now his latest sidekick once described him as a “sociopath.”
  • More evidence that Trump puts himself above country offering RFK, Jr. a job in his administration in hopes of pandering to Kennedy supporters.
  • Like Trump, Bobby Jr. is a forum shopper who puts self above country.  Trump was a Democrat until he realized his message of grievance and chaos played better with Republicans.  RFK Jr. has gone from seeking the Democratic nomination to being an independent candidate to asking Harris for a job in return for his endorsement to getting that offer from Trump.
  • One more Trump surrogate who has no moral compass.  Kennedy claims to be an environmentalist yet supports the candidate who just promised the oil industry he would take care of them in exchange for a $1 billion donation to his campaign.
  • One more Trump surrogate whose family thinks he has betrayed his heritage, unlike Harris and Tim Walz, who feel obligated to honor their own parents.

Thursday night, Adam Kinzinger told DNC convention, “I belong here.”  Likewise, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is right where HE belongs.

MICK JAGGER REDUX

Sometimes, people get what they want and wish they had not.  Such is the case with the Trump and MAGA state legislators pushing for paper ballots.  One result is that the extended time needed to print and distribute paper ballots forced states to wrap up that process earlier than in previous election cycles.  Remember, Democrats had to schedule an on-line roll call to meet Ohio’s ballot requirement.

According to Newsweek,  RFK Jr.’s name may still be on ballots in 23 states where he qualified as an independent candidate.  One of those states is Michigan.  ABC News reports, “A spokesperson for Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said that Kennedy’s name would remain on the state’s ballots in November due to his status as a ‘minor party’ candidate.”  Do not forget, when her name appeared on primary ballots even after she  suspended her campaign, 15-20 percent of Republicans still voted for Nikki Haley.  Do not be surprised if something similar happens among Kennedy supporters.

Scottish-born Craig Ferguson, a naturalized U.S. citizen, would open every episode of his late night talk show with, “It’s a great day for America.”  Friday was one more.  But remember, the one that matters most is November 5th.

For what it’s worth.
Dr. ESP

Three Down…

Culture, Politics

Nothing emboldens more than success.  The National Enquirer gets it right about John Edwards and thinks it is a real newspaper.   Psychic and astrologer Jeanne Dixon predicted in 1956 that the next president would be a Democrat and would die in office at the hands of an assassin.  She later prophesized the world would end in 2020.  Close, but no cigars.

That’s exactly my state of mind this morning.  Last week I suggested the only way to introduce Tim Walz at the DNC convention was to surround him with members of the 1999 West Mankato High School state champion football team.  CHECK!  But that one was easy.  If you wanted the United Center audience to bring him on chanting, “Coach! Coach! Coach!”, there is only one way to do that.  Emboldened, I am ready to predict two highlights for tonight’s finale.

The title of today’s post is a double entendre.  Yes, three days of the DNC lovefest are in the books with one more to go.  Also, in contrast to the RNC convention at which no past Republican president, vice-president or candidate appeared, the DNC treated viewers to three of the nation’s current or former chief executives.  Of course they did.  The organizers wanted to remind Americans that Bill Clinton left office with three years of a budget surplus and a thriving economy.  Barak Obama brought the economy back from the “great recession” and showed Osama Bin Laden that America would hold him accountable for what he did on September 11, 2001.  And Joe Biden helped heal America physically, economically and emotionally during a pandemic.

What is less obvious about this parade of presidents was the order in which they appeared.  Having Biden the first night made sense.  Honor the incumbent’s accomplishments and pass the torch.  But we learned last night, while “Bubba” can still be the “explainer-in-chief,”  he has lost a step or two.  To be fair, reports from within the United Center, seeing him in-person had a different vibe than watching on TV.  He did not generate the raucous response of the Obamas.  It was more of a respectful reference and acknowledgement, as he admitted, this might be his last DNC convention.  Clinton used to be referred to as the party’s “big dog.”  That moniker now belongs to Barak and Michelle Obama, who I might have saved for later in the week.

It only makes sense if you look at the order from a different perspective.  Three down; one to go.  Here is my prediction.  The order was based on reverse chronology.  The current president on Monday.  Obama on Tuesday.  Clinton on Wednesday.   Jimmy Carter tonight.  At 99-years-old, he will not be in Chicago.  And the message will not be about his years in the Oval Office.  Imagine the following.

Grandson Jason Carter will introduce a film about his grandfather’s post-presidential life.  It will include establishing the Carter Center at Emory University.  Monitoring elections around the world, especially in emerging democracies, to ensure they were fair and honest.  Leading the effort to eradicate Guinea worm disease in Africa.  Becoming the face of Habitat for Humanity.  The message?  The character of a person is not what they do when they have power.  It is what they do when they lose it.  The contrast between Carter and Donald Trump will go unstated, but obvious.

Jason Carter will conclude by recalling a recent conversation he had with the former president which was reported yesterday by Reuters.  “He is super aware. Just recently, we were talking about his 100th birthday, and he said, ‘Yeah, I’m excited about that, but I’m really excited to vote for Kamala Harris.'”  The message.  If my grandfather can make it to the polls to vote for Kamala Harris, you better well can.

Prediction #2.  There is no question Harris will come on stage tonight to a live performance of Beyonce’s “Freedom.”  The surprise?  It will be a duet.  Her co-star?  Taylor Swift, who wrapped up the European leg of her Eras tour in London on Tuesday night, more than enough time to make it to Chicago.  Which of her songs might they sing?  The consensus on Swifties fan sites seems to be, “Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?”  Though one fan suggested “Bad Blood” to send a message to Trump who Swift may sue for copyright infringement and lying about her support of his campaign.

Whether I am right or wrong, one thing is certain.  United Center will be rocking again tonight.  Get out your wine and popcorn and enjoy the party.  Because tomorrow we have to go back to work.

For what it’s worth.
Dr. ESP

It’s Playoff Time

Politics, Sports

I talked about it the last few years. I think it’s silly. You can’t call it a season long race and have it come down to one tournament. Hypothetically we get to East Lake and my neck flares up and it doesn’t heal the way it did at the Players (where he had a neck issue but still won), I finish 30th in the FedEx Cup because I had to withdraw from the last tournament? Is that really the season long race?

~Scottie Scheffler on FedEx Cup Playoffs

I am a big fan of the current #1 golfer in the world.  However, today’s post was inspired by Michelle and Barak Obama.  Last night, the former first lady shared the advice Kamala Harris’ mother Shamala gave her daughter when faced with adversity or a challenge,  “Do something!”  Next, The former president reminded us Donald Trump has not stopped whining about how unfairly he had been treated since he came down that elevator in June 2015.  In the context of Scheffler’s comments, I wondered, “Had Masters’ jacket green become the new orange?”

I am sure if Scottie had taken a minute to think about it, athletes in every major sport face the same situation.  Ask the 2007 New England Patriots.  A perfect 16-0 regular season.  Two playoff victories, beating the Jacksonville Jaguars 31-20 in the divisional round and the then-San Diego Chargers 21-12 in the AFC championship game.  But the best season and playoff record in NFL history still depended on winning one more game.  After a 13 yard pass from New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning to Plaxico Burress with 39 seconds left in the game, the 10-6 Giants took home the Super Bowl trophy.

Scottie should have also realized that the FedEx playoffs is the one “season-long” champion that does NOT require the recipient of the trophy to win the final event of the season.  If the winner of the tournament at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta is not ranked in the top five based on their points total, the FedEx cup is awarded to the player with the most points regardless of that person’s finish at East Lake.  As Barak would tell you, “Stop whining.”  And Michelle would follow, “Do something. If you want the trophy, go out and win the damn tournament!”

Why, you might ask, in the middle of the most consequential election in our lifetime, do I share a story about Scottie Scheffler.  True, a lot is at stake.  To be exact, $25 million to the FedEx Cup champion.  But that is small potatoes compared to the future of American democracy.  Last week, I was talking with a friend who congratulated me for calling every major event in the last four weeks of this extraordinary presidential campaign.  He pointed to three things.  My post about Joe Biden’s legacy.  That he would either be known as the person who made a second Trump presidency possible or as the person to position Kamala Harris to be the first female president.

My post about a post-Biden campaign.  If he decided to withdraw from the race, it would be on his terms.  He would pick his successor and there would be no intraparty fight for the nomination.  And finally, my blog about Tim Walz.  We needed someone on the ticket who had succeeded without the benefit of a large inheritance or a Silicon Valley sugar daddy.  Someone who succeeded in life the way most Americans do.  Michelle Obama said it much better last night when she talked about most Americans not having the advantage of generational wealth or an escalator to the top of the mountain.

Then both she and Barak made the political analogy which reminded me of Scheffler, the Patriots and every other favorite who fell short of winning the “inevitable” championship.  In baseball, you can bat 1.000 percent all season, but in the bottom of the ninth with two outs and the winning run on third base, if you strike out, that is all that matters.  It’s not what we do for the next 77 days, although that is important.  It’s what we do in the fourth quarter, ninth inning or on the 18th hole of this election.  We need to have our A-game ready until the polls close on November 5.

After hearing that message from the stage of the United Center last night I realized, for once, Will Rogers may be wrong.  Yesterday, in a phone call with our daughter, she said, “You sound up, Dad.”  In part, that’s because I now feel I am a member of an organized political party.  I am a Democrat.

For what it’s worth.
Dr. ESP

All Medals Are Not Alike

Random Thoughts, Uncategorized

I watched Sheldon sitting so proud in the White House when we gave Miriam the Presidential Medal of Freedom. That’s the highest award you can get as a civilian. It’s the equivalent of the Congressional Medal of Honor, but civilian version.  It’s actually much better because everyone gets the Congressional Medal of Honor, they’re soldiers. They’re either in very bad shape because they’ve been hit so many times by bullets or they are dead. She gets it and she’s a healthy, beautiful woman. And they’re rated equal, but she got the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

~Draft Dodger and Convicted Felon Donald Trump

Al Lipphardt, national commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) responded to the above quote as follows.

These asinine comments not only diminish the significance of our nation’s highest award for valor, but also crassly characterizes the sacrifices of those who have risked their lives above and beyond the call of duty.

To understand Lipphardt’s outrage, one need only look at three elements associated with each of these awards:  the eligibility criteria, process by which the medal is awarded and the benefits accrued by recipients.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Congressional Medal of Honor (Public Law 88-77)

Recipients must distinguish themselves conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity, risking a loss of life above and beyond the call of duty.

The act of valor must occur during one of three circumstances:

    • While engaged in action against an enemy of the United States.
    • While engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing force.
    • While serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party.

Presidential Medal of Freedom (Executive Order 11085)

Especially meritorious contribution to:

    • the security or national interests of the United States, 
    • world peace, or
    • cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.

PROCESS

Congressional Medal of Honor (U.S. Department of Defense)

Presidential Medal of Freedom (Executive Order 11515)

Bestowed by decision of the president of the United States to any person recommended to the President for award of the Medal or any person selected by the President upon their own initiative.

BENEFITS

Congressional Medal of Honor (U.S. Department of Defense)

  • A monthly $1,406.73 pension from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
  • A 10-percent increase in retired pay, not to exceed the 75 percent maximum, for enlisted recipients who retire with 20 or more years of Military Service.
  • A special Medal of Honor travel and identification card signed by the Secretary of the Army. This entitles recipients who are not on active duty and not military retirees to utilize space-available military air transportation.
  • Uniform privileges which allow recipients to wear their uniforms at any time or place they choose, unlike other military personnel or retirees.
  • An issued Department of Defense identification card for recipients and their eligible dependents who are not on active duty and military retirees. The card authorizes military commissary, Post Exchange, and theater privileges. All of the services, consistent with Department of Defense policy, authorize use of morale, welfare, and recreation activities, including honorary club membership without dues.
  • Children of Medal of Honor recipients are not subject to quotas if they are qualified and desire to attend the U.S. military academies.
  • Invitations to attend Presidential inaugurations and accompanying festivities. Military recipients and those who are civil servants have traditionally been authorized administrative absence instead of chargeable leave to attend.
  • A special engraved headstone for deceased recipients of the Medal of Honor (provided by VA).
  • Accorded on base billeting commensurate with the prestige associated with the Medal of Honor.

Presidential Medal of Freedom (Tradition)

  • All-expense paid trip to the White House induction ceremony.
  • Unless, if awarded by Donald Trump, one free trip to the Mar-a-Lago omelet bar.

Based on the awardees during his term in office, Donald Trump knows he is lying when he says the Presidential Medal of Freedom is better than the Congressional Medal of Honor.   On September 11, 2020, Trump awarded a well-vetted and deserved Medal of Honor to Sergeant Major Thomas Payne.  After his company liberated 38 hostages being held in Kirkuk Province, Iraq, Payne left his secure position and entered the compound multiple times resulting in the release of 37 additional hostage.  In contrast, five days following the January 6, 2011 attack on the U.S. Capitol, Trump presented the Medal of Freedom to Congressman Jim Jordan, whose contribution to a public endeavor was his ability to outrun many of his colleagues during the armed insurrection.

A medal ceremony nine days before leaving the Oval Office suggests Trump considered a second career in TV, this time as the host of a game show.  However, counter to the tradition on shows such as “The Price is Right,”  on Trump’s “It’s Not a Lie If You Believe It,” the host giving the “parting gift” (probably labeled the Your Favorite President’s Medal of Whatever) is a bigger loser than any unsuccessful contestant.

For what it’s worth.
Dr. ESP

The Deep Judiciary

Politics

The federal bureaucracy has a mind of its own. Federal employees are often ideologically aligned—not with the majority of the American people –but with one another, posing a profound problem for republican government, a government “of, by, and for” the people. As Donald Devine, Dennis Kirk, and Paul Dans write in Chapter 3, “An autonomous bureaucracy has neither independent constitutional status nor separate moral legitimacy.”

~Project 2025/Page 20

As you know, this is what the MAGAverse has labeled “the deep state.”  Even if you believe this (air quotes) “profound problem,” they propose replacing 50,000 merit-based jobs across the executive branch with (ready for this?) their OWN federal employees who are ideological aligned–not with the majority of the American people–but with one another. And the ideological bent of this new regime is neither of, by, or for the people.  It will promote and implement whatever Donald Trump and his cadre of oligarchs (domestic and foreign) believe is good for Americans.

What those who ask, “How bad could this be?” do not realize, there is a living, breathing example of exactly how this will play out.  The former president and the Federalist Society created the equivalent of a MAGA ideological deep state in the judiciary where the Constitution be damned if it does not serve the needs of Donald J. Trump.  The media have done an adequate job of covering efforts by the Supremes to opine in Trump’s favor when it comes to his criminal activities (inciting insurrection and stealing classified documents), but have paid little attention to how lower court justices have done exactly what Project 2025 proposes for the executive branch.

Exhibit A is the recent ruling by U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix  in State of Texas v. Merrick Garland, et. al.  This ruling is so egregious that this past Friday, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell filed a 35-page amicus brief in favor of the defendants, drafted and certified by (drum roll) former Attorney General William P. Barr.  What could Hendrix have possibly said that motivated McConnell and Barr to side with Garland and other politically appointed officials in seven federal agencies?

The State of Texas claimed that much of the legislation passed during the first two-years of the Biden administration was unconstitutional because, in response to the COVID pandemic, then House Speaker and the Democratic Caucus authorized proxy voting by members of the lower chamber.  The House Parliamentarian affirmed the rule change. Hendrix summarized the case in the first sentence of his opinion.

For over 235 years, Congress understood the Constitution’s Quorum Clause to require a majority of members of the House or Senate to be physically present to constitute the necessary quorum to pass legislation.

Based on his extra-sensory perception of what thousands of dead or retired members of the House of Representatives “understood,” he ruled:

The Court concludes that, by including members who were indisputably absent in the quorum count, the Act at issue passed in violation of the Constitution’s Quorum Clause.

Of course, there is just one problem.  The quorum clause in Article I, Section 5, Clause 1 reads:

Each House shall be the Judge of the Elections, Returns and Qualifications of its own Members, and a Majority of each shall constitute a Quorum to do Business.

Judge Hendrix, who claims to hold an “originalist” theory of the founding documents, or what I call the “Horton the elephant” philosophy best stated when the pachyderm avows “I said what I meant and I meant what I said,” interpreted the word “majority” as equivalent to “physically present.”  If there was any doubt the founding fathers implied such, why did they specify  “two-thirds of the members present” in Article I, Section 2: Powers of Impeachment and leave it out elsewhere.

In their amicus brief, McConnell and Barr correctly point out the controlling language, absent more specific instructions in Clause 1, is actually Clause 2.

Each House may determine the Rules of its Proceedings, punish its Members for disorderly Behaviour, and, with the Concurrence of two thirds, expel a Member.

Which raises the question, “Why, when the constitutional language is so clear about the authority of both houses of Congress to set their own rules, would a district judge ignore it to rule in favor of the plaintiff?”  Who benefits?  If higher courts agree with Judge Hendrix, several major accomplishments of the Biden/Harris administration, a record on which they proudly run, would be nullified.  Construction projects funded under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act could be halted.  Manufacturing facilities supported under the Chips and Science Act would remain unfinished.  Recently announced reductions in Medicare pharmaceutical costs and conservation projects would disappear.  I can hear it now.  Trump and his MAGA outlets would accuse Biden and Harris of “cheating” in order to achieve their socialist, communist and fascist agenda.

Once again, a 49-year-old Trump appointed judge, who either cannot read English or chose to ignore it, could spend another 20 years on the bench issuing more equally erratic decisions.  My question?  If Judge Hendrix can move McConnell and Barr to submit a 35-page brief, why wouldn’t voters make every effort to ensure federal judicial vacancies are filled by individuals who will not be members of a “deep judiciary” that “are often ideologically aligned—not with the majority of the American people—but with one another?”

For what it’s worth.
Dr. ESP