When is it Time to Secede from the Union?

If I was alone in these thoughts you could ignore this post. But I’m not!

Look at how everything has changed. President Obama in his 2004 Democratic Party convention speech said “…there is not a liberal America and a conservative America — there is the United States of America. There is not a Black America and a White America and Latino America and Asian America — there’s the United States of America.”

Obama’s speech was meant to unify this nation. Today we have a president who is doing his very best to tear us apart. He is doing a darn good job.

In an article on September 18, 2020 in the Chicago Tribune, columnist Steve Chapman wrote “After Trump’s 2016 victory, a poll found that 1 in 3 Californians supported what is known as “Calexit.” As if to encourage the idea the Golden State is alien territory, Trump has attacked it at every opportunity. He conducts himself as though he were the president only of the red states.”

In his new book, “Break It Up: Secession, Division, and the Secret History of America’s Imperfect Union,” leftist journalist Richard Kreitner expresses doubt that the country can hold together, or should. As he notes, English colonists came here to separate themselves from their rulers. Our revolution amounted to the colonies’ secession from the British Empire.

You don’t have to be a leftist to demand the rights for all citizens and insistence that the law applies equally to everyone.

In my previous posting, September 26, 2020, I suggested that there is a possibility that the SCOTUS could declare Donald Trump the winner of the November 3 election, no matter what the election results are, and could permit him to run for third term as president. We are about to have three justices on the court who were appointed by Trump make decisions about his re-election. Clearly they are beholden to him for obtaining a seat on the court. Are they likely to rule against him?

If Chapman is correct that California is alien territory in Trump’s eyes, why would this state remain in the union?

Google “if trump wins should the west coast secede” and you will find at least five web sites, excluding the Chicago Tribune, that are discussing the issue.

The nymag.com Intelligencer says “Divided We Stand. The Country is Hopelessly Split. So why make it official and breakup?” In part it says “In California, officials who regularly boast of overseeing the world’s fifth-largest economy have begun to talk of advancing their own foreign policy.”

In a Medium.com article are these thoughts
Consider this scenario, that could play out in the not too distant future:
1. Trump orders opening of the whole nation (incorrectly and overly early).
2. The Western Pact states say, “Thanks, but no thanks,” and stay closed.
3. Trump is angry, and drops all government funding to these states (he clearly believes he has all authority anyways).
4. These states assert their authority, and instead of bowing to his power move, they block all transport of food out of these states to the rest of the nation.

The economy of California is the largest in the United States, boasting a $3.2 trillion gross state product as of 2019. If California were a sovereign nation, it would rank as the world’s fifth largest economy, ahead of India and behind Germany. California is the nation’s leading technology state in addition is the primary source for fruits and vegetables for the nation. Add Oregon and Washington and the number is staggeringly large.

Other nations have split apart or left a union without a war. Some countries have decided not to split apart based on election results.

Quebec almost split from Canada and Scotland almost split from the UK. There was never talk of war.

Czechoslovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe that existed from October 1918 until its split into Czech Republic and Slovakia in 1993.

Following a UK-wide referendum in June 2016, in which 52% voted in favour of leaving the EU and 48% voted to remain a member, the UK Government, which was then led by Theresa May formally notified the EU of the country’s intention to withdraw on 29 March 2017, beginning the Brexit process.

On September 24, 2020 the New York Times “President Trump argued this week that the death toll from the coronavirus was actually not so bad. All you had to do was not count states that voted for Democrats.”

“If you take the blue states out,” Trump said, “we’re at a level that I don’t think anybody in the world would be at. We’re really at a very low level.”

“The statement was as jarring as it was revealing, indicative of a leader who has long seemed to view himself more as the president of Red America rather than the United States of America.”

What more do you need to know that Trump really wants to be rid of the Blue States. So maybe we should make him happy. Perhaps we will all be happier.

A Peaceful Transition of Power if Joe Biden Wins

A message to Mission Control from Apollo 13 were these famous words “Houston, we’ve had a problem.”

President Trump refused to promise Thursday that he’ll accept the results of November’s election despite bipartisan outrage over his declining a day earlier to commit to a peaceful transition of power if Joe Biden wins.

Congressional leaders from both parties, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco), swiftly pushed back Thursday after President Trump declined to commit to a peaceful transfer of power if he loses the Nov. 3 presidential election.

Gerald Ford was defeated by Jimmy Carter and was denied a second term.

Jimmy Carter was defeated by Ronald Reagan Clinton and was denied a second term.

George H. W. Bush was defeated by Bill Clinton and was denied a second term.

In all of those instances there was a peaceful transition of power.

No one questioned the legitimacy of the election process.

Donald Trump has half joked, half spoke seriously and said he would like to serve two or three more terms in office. The constitution’s twentieth amendment clearly states “The terms of the President and the Vice President shall end at noon on the 20th day of January.”

The twenty second amendment says “The No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of President more than once.”

Today this craft called the United States has a problem. Since Donald Trump thinks he can ignore the constitution we really do have a problem. What will happen if Trump refuses to relinquish his position to Joe Biden? Apparently there is no precise steps that would be taken by the government.

Apollo 13 safely returned to earth. Can the United States safely land? We are all praying.

Dear Red States… We’ve decided we’re leaving.

Originally posted August 19, 2020

DEAR RED STATES… WE’VE DECIDED WE’RE LEAVING.

Dear Red States… We’ve decided we’re leaving.

We intend to form our own country, and we’re taking the other Blue States with us. In case you aren’t aware, that includes Hawaii, Oregon, California, New Mexico, Washington, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois and all the Northeast. We believe this split will be beneficial to the nation, and especially to the people of the new country of New Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam and Washington D.C.

We also get Costco and Boeing

To sum up briefly: You get Texas, Oklahoma and all the slave states.

We get stem cell research and the best beaches. We get the Statue of Liberty. You get Dollywood.

We get Intel and Microsoft. You get WorldCom.

We get Harvard. You get Ole’ Miss.

We get 85 percent of America’s venture capital and entrepreneurs. You get Alabama.

We get two-thirds of the tax revenue, you get to make the red states pay their fair share. Since our aggregate divorce rate is 22 percent lower than the Christian Coalition’s, we get a bunch of happy families. You get a bunch of single moms.

Please be aware that Nuevo California will be pro-choice and anti-war, and we’re going to want all our citizens back from Iraq at once. If you need people to fight, ask your evangelicals. They have kids they’re apparently willing to send to their deaths for no purpose, and they don’t care if you don’t show pictures of their children’s caskets coming home.

With the Blue States in hand, we will have firm control of 80 percent of the country’s fresh water, more than 90 percent of the pineapple and lettuce, 92 percent of the nation’s fresh fruit, 95 percent of America’s quality wines (you can serve French wines at state dinners) 90 percent of all cheese, 90 percent of the high tech industry, most of the U.S. low-sulfur coal, all living redwoods, sequoias and condors, all the Ivy League and Seven Sister schools, plus Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Cal Tech and MIT.

With the Red States, on the other hand, you will have to cope with 88 percent of all obese Americans (and their projected health care costs), 92 percent of all U.S. mosquitoes, nearly 100 percent of the tornadoes, 90 percent of the hurricanes, 99 percent of all Southern Baptists, virtually 100 percent of all televangelists, Rush Limbaugh, Bob Jones University, Clemson and the University of Georgia.

We get Hollywood and Yosemite, thank you.

Additionally, 38% of those in the Red states believe Jonah was actually swallowed by a whale, 62% believe life is sacred unless we’re discussing the death penalty or gun laws, 44% say that evolution is only a theory, 53% that Saddam was involved in 9/11 and 61% of you crazy bastards believe you are people with higher morals then we lefties. By the way, we’re taking the good pot, too. You can have that dirt weed they grow in Mexico.

Oh, and you can have all the new Coronavirus cases since you’re too dumb and self-centered to wear a mask.

Peace out, we are the people, Blue States.

Thank you.

Author unknown

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg dies at 87

On the eve of Rosh Hashana (the Jewish New Year) A sad day for America. Leading the Supreme Court’s liberal bloc, Ginsburg was a legal pioneer who backed affirmative action and defended abortion rights. Her notable rulings and dissents advanced feminist themes, including the groundbreaking 1996 decision ordering the Virginia Military Institute to allow women to enroll.

The battle for who will take her place on the Supreme Court will be brutal.

Throw Everything at the Wall

Donald Trump is trailing in every election poll. This past week has been a disaster for him thanks to his own words.

He privately disparaged dead American soldiers as “losers” and “suckers.”

In a February interview with Bob Woodward admitting to that the coronavirus was much more deadly than the flu and easily transmitted through the air — while saying virtually the opposite publicly and most recently Trump has insisted that the U.S. is “rounding the turn” on coronavirus.

So there is only one thing he can do to win on November 3. Throw everything he can say about Joe Biden at the wall and hope some of it sticks.

September 10, 2020 Tweet, ‘If I don’t win, America’s Suburbs will be OVERRUN with Low Income Projects, Anarchists, Agitators, Looters and, of course, “Friendly Protesters”.’

“If Biden gets in, this market’s going to crash,” Trump asserted in an interview on Fox Business Network with host Maria Bartiromo. Invoking Biden’s tax plans, Trump also claimed that the former vice president would “tax this country into a depression like in 1929.”

Fox News will broadcast an interview tonight Saturday, September 12, 2020 in which Donald Trump accuses Joe Biden of taking performance-enhancing drugs. What drug would that be? A Consumer Reports doctor says there’s virtually no good evidence that such products can prevent or delay memory lapses, mild cognitive impairment, or dementia in older adults. Some may do more harm than good.

He previously accused Joe Biden of not being psychologically fit for office.

With 53 days to go until election day Trump will keep throwing the mud. Sadly Biden is too quiet. Unless he starts punching some of that mud is going to stick.

If Trump does win you can say good-bye to the American democracy.

Michael Cohen says Trump is not joking about staying in office for more than 2 terms

This is serious and frightening. I have been writing about this repeatedly. By Paul LeBlanc, CNN Updated 12:44 AM ET, Thu September 10, 2020 (CNN) President Donald Trump’s former attorney Michael Cohen said Wednesday evening that Trump isn’t joking when he floats the notion of attempting to stay in the White House beyond two terms. “Donald Trump believes that he should be the ruler — the dictator of the United States of America. He actually is looking to change the Constitution. When Donald Trump jokes about 12 more years … he is not joking. Donald Trump does not have a sense of humor,” Cohen told CNN’s Don Lemon on “CNN Tonight.” “So I want you to understand that when he says 12 more years, if he wins he is going to automatically day number one start thinking how he can change the Constitution for a third term, and then a fourth term, like what he said to President XI and like what he said to so many other people. It’s why he admires the Kim Jong Uns of the world.” Even during an uphill reelection campaign, the President has repeatedly advanced the idea of a third term while also looking to sow doubt in the integrity of November’s election. “We are going to win four more years,” Trump said at a rally in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, last month. “And then after that, we’ll go for another four years because they spied on my campaign. We should get a redo of four years.” Expanding on his warning against reelecting Trump on Wednesday, Cohen went on to describe the White House as “like a cult” with a culture that forbids anyone from challenging the President. “Not only is the Trump Organization like a cult, but so is the White House,” he said. “Anybody that wants to work there, God forbid you say something wrong. God forbid you do something wrong. You’re fired. That’s exactly why there have been so many people coming in and out of the administration. I think he set all sorts of records. He likes records. Well, he certainly set the record for the most people in and out of the administration.” Pressed on how Trump has been able to command loyalty within the Republican Party, Cohen offered: “Because he is a cult leader.” “And people somehow follow him. Why? I don’t know why. I did it when I had my daughter, my wife, my son continuously telling me, ‘Stop, we don’t want you to work for him. Quit, you don’t need to work for him. What are you doing? The things that you are doing are morally wrong. You lost your moral compass, wake up.” His comments come one day after the release of his book where he unleashes on the President as “a cheat, a liar, a fraud, a bully, a racist, a predator, a con man.” Cohen had been a vocal surrogate for Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign before he pleaded guilty in 2018 to tax fraud, lying to Congress and campaign finance violations for facilitating hush money payments to two women who alleged past affairs with the President. Trump has denied having affairs with the women. When pleading guilty, he implicated the President, telling a federal judge that he had made the payments “in coordination with and at the direction of” Trump, who prosecutors identified in court filings as “Individual 1.” “If you look at the end of the book it’s really a call. It’s a warning call to anybody who is reading the book. Put the Visine in your eyes, clean your eyes out and see that Donald Trump cares for no one or anything other than himself. So he doesn’t care if your family member dies as long as it’s not him. He doesn’t care about anything other than himself and this election,” Cohen said Wednesday. “And he is willing to sacrifice your life so he has four more years.”

Is there a Reason to Vote for Joe Biden?

“Mr. Trump, you want to talk about fear?” Biden asked last Monday.

“Do you know what people are afraid of in America? They’re afraid they’re going to get Covid. They’re afraid they’re going to get sick and die, and that is in no small part, it’s because of you.”

Joe Biden’s only chance of winning the election on November 3 is to convince voters that Trump’s mismanagement of the virus spread and the collapse of the economy is reason enough to deny him another four year term.

The collapse of the economy is a consequence of the spread of the disease. If there had been no virus Trump would be repeating over and over the claim that the low unemployment and the high stock market is the result of his management of the economy.

Joe Biden would be left with only two campaign issues. Donald Trump is a racist and social justice for all Americans.

On this Labor Day Biden accurately bemoans the loss of jobs in Pennsylvania and other rust belt states but that is not an issue caused by the Trump presidency. Factory job losses are an issue that is decades old. Businesses have been moving jobs overseas to save money. There is no way Joe Biden or Donald Trump can bring those jobs back to America.

I recently bought a new computer, printer, and a webcam. The computer was assembled in Mexico from parts made elsewhere. The printer was made in Thailand. The webcam was made in China. My new undershorts were made in Honduras.

Do you actually believe any of those items will ever be made in the United States in a future time?

Trump’s loss of the election will likely be the result of his own ineptitude and a set of beliefs and ideas that are not in tune with most Americans. His lack of respect for the military and his support of right wing conspiracy groups are his biggest Achilles heels. His push for a vaccine before election day will only bring cheers for his loyal supporters.

Biden’s loss of the election will likely be the result of his lack of specific ideas on how to help the economy recover and White fear of a minority invasion.

On the subject of social justice Joe Biden was one of 95 senators who voted for the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994. From FactCheck.org “Biden, as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, largely wrote and shepherded through the legislative process. The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 received bipartisan support at the time but has been criticized for some of its provisions, such as mandatory minimum sentencing, and its impact on mass incarceration.”

That law “grants to increase police presence, to expand and improve cooperative efforts between law enforcement agencies and members of the community to address crime and disorder problems, and otherwise to enhance public safety.” That law put people in jail for drug use rather than rehabilitation.

It was none other than Kamala Harris, in the first primary debate, who pointed out that Biden opposed school bussing as a way of encouraging integration.

Social justice, better paying jobs, a racially integrated society. Great ideas but I would not count on Joe Biden to make those goals a reality.

Biden’s campaign says he is doing just what a candidate should — pushing broad ideas while leaving room to negotiate the details.

This is troubling for me. What does Joe Biden stand for?

I am voting against Trump because he stands for hate, division, and destruction of the republic.