Displaying 91 To 120 Of 1,008 Comments Facing Facts: The GOP is a Russian Asset I wholeheartedly concur that the U.S. government is now a Russian asset. I will further state that the GOP should be viewed by Americans, not as the Republican Party, but as the Russian Party. » Posted By TOCB On December 9, 2019 @ 5:26 am Papers Filed, North Carolina Has First-In-History Openly-Trans Candidate For State Legislature Most humans cannot comprehend that concept, but that is okay. It is an evolution. » Posted By TOCB On December 10, 2019 @ 4:08 pm Indeed. That is recorded as being said by Jesus. And as YOU have stated, Jesus is the authority to judge sins, not you or me. Matthew 7:1-3 King James Version (KJV) 7 Judge not, that ye be not judged. Given our own limitations, why would we even want the burden of judging the sins of others, whether we think they are sins or not. IF you and I unconditionally love all of “God’s” creation, THAT is the most important thing we can do, according to the Christian “God”. Matthew 22:36-40 New International Version (NIV) 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Let us endeavor to do what “God” commanded us to do, and let “God” do what ONLY “God” CAN do. » Posted By TOCB On December 10, 2019 @ 7:52 am Although I don’t dispute that you BELIEVE Jesus will “judge” the behaviors of humans, you actually do not KNOW that. I was indoctrinated in the Christian doctrine as a child and I BELIEVE much of it. However, Christianity is a religion, and religions are created by men. Most religions, including Christianity, have some good and some bad. I BELIEVE the Source of Consciousness created ALL things and allows those creations a free will to experience unlimited realities. I also believe the Source is continuously expanding and that it is boundless. It is not limited in ANY way. It has no gender, but rather it is ALL genders, which probably include some genders that humans don’t even know about and cannot comprehend. » Posted By TOCB On December 10, 2019 @ 5:29 am I don’t know about you, but I have my hands full with my own repentance. Above all else, the Christian God commands humans to LOVE. UNCONDITIONAL LOVE. As a practicing Christian, I am commanded to love you unconditionally and I am commanded to love Angela unconditionally. Maybe you practice a different kind of Christianity than I do, which you are entitled to do. And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. » Posted By TOCB On December 9, 2019 @ 4:39 am Do you know that EVERY soul in this universe as well as EVERY universe is a projection of the Source of Consciousness (some people refer to this being as God). Therefore, just as you are a projection of the Source, so is Angela. AND since you are a projection of the Source and Angela is as well, you are also a projection of Angela from a different reality, as she is a projection of you from a different reality. Isn’t that amazing? » Posted By TOCB On December 8, 2019 @ 4:35 pm Congratulations Angela! I wish the best for you and the people of the great state of North Carolina. » Posted By TOCB On December 8, 2019 @ 4:28 pm Trump Is The Problem! Could He Also Be The Solution? I am more disappointed this morning than I have been in awhile. I am not a Kamala Harris supporter, but I am disappointed that she had to leave the race because of money. What does money provide for a campaign? Access to potential voters. If you don’t have money, you cannot get your message out. That sentiment doesn’t directly address your post about trump being the possible solution to the trump problem, but it helps to explain why we even have a trump problem. Our problem is not actually trump, but rather the millions of Americans who support or would support a person like trump. We basically have a crime syndicate running our country, and unfortunately, at least from my perspective, Joe Biden or any other so-called moderate presidential candidate, Democrat or republican, is not inspiring. I am more disappointed in the American people than I am trump. Trump is a crook and a con, and I expect him to behave as he does. For most of my life I have had greater expectations from the American people. I am disappointed. » Posted By TOCB On December 4, 2019 @ 5:30 am Double-Cross! Schiff Bizarrely Risks Everything On Ukraine I think focusing primarily on Ukraine is more of a Pelosi strategy than a Schiff strategy. I think Schiff did a great job with the Intelligence Committee hearings. It is now left up to the Judiciary Committee to draw up the articles of impeachment. I suspect one article will be bribery, since that is specifically enumerated in the Constitution and won’t involve interpreting what “other high crimes and misdemeanors” means. In addition to the Mueller Report laying out at least ten cases of obstruction of justice, it also documented several cases of conspiracy with Russia. Mueller said he didn’t find criminal conspiracy because trump’s team was too ignorant to know they were breaking laws. Please note that Mueller also did not charge obstruction of justice. He didn’t charge trump with any crimes because of his adherence to the OLC’s policy of not indicting a sitting president. These things that stem from the Mueller Report could be included in the articles of impeachment, but it would probably require more time in the Senate and republicans would complain that they were not addressed in the impeachment inquiry in the House. I think obstruction of justice could be included anyway because trump did that in the Russian investigation as well as the Ukraine inquiry. Trump also openly obstructed Congress and attempted to intimidate witnesses, again obstruction of justice. » Posted By TOCB On November 27, 2019 @ 5:14 am The Facts About Impeaching Trump That Republicans Don’t Want You to Know IMHO, Democratic presidential candidates are ALL running weak campaigns. They are running based on fear, rather than strength. Democratic presidential candidates should not only be running against trump. They should be running against the GOP AND republican voters as well. YES, republican voters! Why do I say that? Trump, with all of his evil deeds, is one person. He is propped up by congressional republicans and republican voters. YES, we are a divided nation. How are we divided? We are divided for many reasons, some based on political policies, some based on social issues, but the most important reasons are those based on principles. One such principle is the rule of law. Trump doesn’t feel he has to respect the rule of law because congressional republicans and republican voters don’t respect the rule of law, when the law is being trampled on by their team. When laws are being violated by others, they PRETEND to respect the rule of law. However, we know they don’t respect the rule of law, because if they did, they would respect it regardless of who violates it. That is why Democratic candidates, from the statehouse to the Whitehouse, should NOT be courting a single vote from people who do not respect the rule of law. Trump is claiming that the president is above the law, and anyone who supports trump obviously agrees with that. EVERY Democratic presidential candidate should commit to ON DAY ONE when they are president, that they will instruct the Department of Justice to abolish the “rule” not “law”, that a sitting president cannot be indicted. Additionally, they will ask a Democratic Congress to pass a law that bans future presidents from allowing such a “rule” to be established by any future Department of Justice or Office of Legal Counsel. The executive branch of the federal government should be the highest example of the rule of law. However, trump and his minions promote the notion that the law only applies to those who disagree with trump, but it does not apply to anyone who is loyal to trump. Democrats should not want anyone who supports trump to vote for them. Jackson declared in her 118-page ruling that “presidents are not kings” and that “no one is above the law.” » Posted By TOCB On November 26, 2019 @ 11:52 am Hey Opie! It is great to hear from you. » Posted By TOCB On November 23, 2019 @ 5:45 am I don’t know if one of the articles of impeachment will be violation of the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution, as the House inquiry has not focused on that at all. However, trump is violating the Emoluments Clause in various manners, some OPENLY. The Washington Post is reporting today that Mulvaney has persuaded trump to use Camp David as a way to “woo House republicans” to support him in the impeachment inquiry. This is one more example of trump using the powers of his office and taxpayers money for self enrichment. How does wooing republicans to support trump politically, serve the interest of the country? IT DOESN’T! Since then, Mulvaney and top White House officials have hosted weekend getaways for Republicans at the historic lodge, seeking to butter up Republicans before the big impeachment vote. The casual itinerary includes making s’mores over the campfire, going hiking, shooting clay pigeons and schmoozing with Trump officials, some of whom stay overnight with lawmakers. The reason Rep. Wagner has never been invited to Camp David to support a president’s defense in an impeachment inquiry is because no president has ever stooped so low in openly violating the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution. » Posted By TOCB On November 23, 2019 @ 5:05 am I just saw where several Senate republicans met with the White House staff to map a strategy for the Senate impeachment trial. I think Democrats should demand that these senators be recused from the trial because if they are strategizing with the White House it is impossible for them to be unbiased. Especially, Senator Ron Johnson who is actually implicated in knowing about the extortion scheme. Not that it would matter though, since even with the recusals, 15 republicans would have to vote with Democrats to remove trump from office https://www.inquirer.com/politics/nation/trump-impeachment-trial-two-weeks-senate-20191122.html “I don’t want them to believe there’s an ability to dismiss the case before it’s heard,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who was among the group of half-dozen GOP senators who met Thursday with White House officials to begin mapping out a trial strategy. “I think most everybody agreed, there’s not 51 votes to dismiss it before the managers get to call the case.” » Posted By TOCB On November 22, 2019 @ 7:26 am You did a great job of laying out the republicans’ defense of the indefensible. I always thought that the right thing for House Democrats was to impeach trump, for cause. Not because we don’t like his policies or because we think he stole the 2016 election (unless of course, he actually conspired with Putin to steal it, which he did), but because he committed crimes. Even in Volume 1 of Mueller’s report, documented evidence that trump’s team co-ordinated or at least attempted to co-ordinate with Putin to interfere in the election was presented. Mueller’s decision not to charge criminal conspiracy was for two reasons. He deferred to the DOJ policy of not indicting a sitting president and he thought trump’s team did not know they were breaking the law. Basically, they were too ignorant to prosecute. However in Volume 2, Muller documented ten cases of obstruction of justice, and without Mueller’s report, trump openly committed obstruction of justice in many cases. After the House impeaches trump, the American people will be forced to confront our own values. What kind of government do we want? One where a president, ANY president, conducts himself or herself like they are above the law? Senate republicans will have the unenviable task of explaining to Americans WHY they did not remove from office a president who was impeached for cause. If they can’t convince the majority of Americans that trump was simply the victim of a Democratic witch hunt, they will lose control of the Senate, Democrats will maintain control of the House and a Democrat will be elected as president. We will have a very hard job of putting the nation back on the right track. The U.S. government has caused the nation and the world to lose confidence in its moral character. I suspect it will take a long time to regain trust, especially among our allies, but even among our own people. » Posted By TOCB On November 22, 2019 @ 2:45 am How can a man be President who hates the Constitution, and all law? Great piece, but such a person can be president because our flawed system allowed him to become president and to remain president until we enforce the laws that are codified, as well as shore up those laws by abolishing the Electoral College and DESTROYING the 1973 Nixon era Justice Department policy of not indicting a sitting president. Not only should trump be indicted, but he and everyone who aided and abetted him should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. » Posted By TOCB On November 19, 2019 @ 8:45 am Should Democrats Allow Republicans To Choose The Democratic Nominee? We didn’t play it safe with voting for and nominating a black man with the middle name of “Hussein” who in the Dem primary, supported universal healthcare, and we won. True, that! » Posted By TOCB On November 22, 2019 @ 2:27 pm Of course, I would support any Democrat, but my first choice is Warren. I think the primaries are good to discuss the issues, but I think Democrats will govern with the best interest of all Americans at heart. It is of course, important to elect Democrats as the majority in Congress, as that is where laws are actually made, and that is the body that is tasked with executive oversight. The trump era has brought to bear the importance of executive oversight! » Posted By TOCB On November 22, 2019 @ 8:24 am Trump is not often correct or truthful with this comments. However, one thing he is right about is that when Biden ran for president before, he got about 1% of the primary votes. He also shows signs that he is not as sharp as he used to be. I love Biden as a person, but I don’t think he is strong enough in many ways to go toe-to-toe with a scumbag like trump. » Posted By TOCB On November 22, 2019 @ 8:13 am Sullivan, Brooks and Stevens might support many of the things most Americans support, like Social Security and Medicare, even universal healthcare, common sense gun safety laws, humane immigration policies, social and criminal justice, climate change affected by human behavior, cultural diversity and other ideals supported by Democrats. However, trump and his base do not. The reason we don’t have these things is because most voters for the last several decades have voted for republicans. Not because most Americans don’t want these things but because most Americans who want them, don’t vote. Voter turnout is KEY! » Posted By TOCB On November 22, 2019 @ 8:02 am I could be wrong, but I don’t think Dems are that tribal. I suspect there are some who would support a Democrat regardless of their character and behavior, but the overwhelming majority of Democrats will not tolerate the kind of character and behavior exhibited by trump, from a Democrat or anyone else. I think turnout is the key. The more people who vote, the more likely the vote is to reflect the will of the people, whatever that is. » Posted By TOCB On November 22, 2019 @ 7:39 am I think all effort should be focused on voter turnout. If we have a large voter turnout and the majority of those voters prefer the kind of government trump and republicans are promoting, then THAT is the kind of country we are. So we could no longer say, “we are better than that”, when we allow a president to use the powers of his office to interfere in elections or enrich himself or prosecute political opponents. Those of us who don’t support that kind of government, will just have to accept that we are just a powerful banana republic. » Posted By TOCB On November 22, 2019 @ 7:34 am I have voted a straight Democratic ballot since 2000, and I will continue to do so until there is another viable party to challenge them. Today there is none. I think your response may have been focused on the republican base, and that is the problem with moderate Democrats. I would not recommend courting a single republican vote. IF republicans want to join us in our vision for a better America, I welcome them. However, I would not abandon a single progressive ideal in order to appease a single republican voter. I would instead focus on getting out the vote among people who share the vison of the Democratic Party. Most Americans support a woman’s right to choose. Most Americans support common sense gun safety legislation. Most Americans support universal healthcare (https://www.kff.org/slideshow/public-opinion-on-single-payer-national-health-plans-and-expanding-access-to-medicare-coverage/). Most Americans support ending U.S. military aggression. And if I might stop to address that issue and what Congresswoman Gabbard said tonight and has been promoting related Hillary Clinton and the Democratic Party. I would have to be honest and go back to Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign when he promoted the notion that Hillary Clinton, due to a lack of judgment, voted for the war in Iraq. THIS WAS A LIE WHEN OBAMA TOLD IT. IT IS A LIE WHEN CHRIS MATTEWS TELLS IT. IT IS A LIE WHEN RACHELL MADDOW TELLS IT. IT IS A LIE WHEN BERNIE SANDERS TELLS IT. Senator Hillary Clinton voted to support the President of the United States, George W. Bush, going before the United Nations to request that weapons inspectors return to Iraq after 9/11. The “resolution” that most people claim was a war resolution, was instead a peace resolution that REQUIRED Bush to come back to Congress to get permission to use military force against Iraq IF Saddam refused to allow weapons inspectors to return and give an accounting of WMD. Saddam DID NOT refuse to allow weapons inspectors to return. However Bush ordered the inspectors to leave so he could ILLEGALLY invade Iraq. Not only did Hillary AND Bill Clinton vigorously oppose the invasions of Iraq, but so did EVERY congressional Democrat except Zell Miller and Joe Liberman. Democrats almost universally opposed the RUSH TO WAR. On the Senate floor, after voting in favor of the peace resolution, Hillary Clinton clearly stated in no uncertain terms that her vote WAS NOT A VOTE FOR A RUSH TO WAR, AND she admonished Bush to use war AS A LAST RESORT. Those who blame Clinton or anyone else for Bush and congressional republicans hijacking the peace resolution and using it as an authorization to invade Iraq are a PART OF THE PROBLEM and NOT the solution. Barack Obama, who claimed he had superior judgement to Hillary Clinton, chose her as his secretary of state, AND while she was in that position she initiated the Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review program as a way to elevate diplomacy ahead of military action in resolving international conflicts. THIS is who Hillary Clinton was and is, and NOT some warmonger or military hawk. The 2015 QDDR spells out reforms that will strengthen the Department of State and USAID’s abilities to prevent and mitigate conflict and violent extremism, including establishing a strategic framework for engagement in fragile states and a new, prevention-focused civilian strategy for countering violent extremism. To better promote resilient, democratic societies, the 2015 QDDR strongly reinforces our commitment to democracy, human rights and accountable governance, and deepening partnerships with civil society to defend human rights of women, indigenous people, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons. It highlights how we continue to advance inclusive economic growth and help end extreme poverty by further elevating economic diplomacy and broadening our economic expertise. » Posted By TOCB On November 20, 2019 @ 10:17 pm Of course, the obvious one is Biden. Trump is so concerned about republicans voting for Biden, that he was willing to extort Ukraine to openly announce they were investigating him. Trump no doubt thought he could get away with it because he got away with conspiring with Russia in 2016. However, other so-called moderate Democrats would be more acceptable to republican voters than Warren and Sanders. I think they might also accept Klobuchur, and more likely Bloomberg or Patrick. And if Trump is not removed and is allowed to run for re-election, some so-called moderate Democrats would even vote for Trump over Warren and Sanders. The media and moderate dems are misrepresenting the healthcare issue. There is a reason every other developed nation has universal healthcare. I also believe Warren and Sanders could do a better job in educating Americans about it. Warren REALLY has a heavy lift. She is a female and she is challenging the rich and powerful. » Posted By TOCB On November 20, 2019 @ 5:27 am Who Will Defend The Constitution? I actually don’t subscribe to tribalism argument/excuse. I submit that Democrats by and large are NOT tribalistic, rather we are loyal to the country. There is no doubt in my mind that if Obama, Hillary or ANY Democrat did the things Trump has done and is doing, the overwhelming majority of Democrats would be just as hard on them as they are Trump. Republicans use the tribal excuse when they cannot defend their actions. By claiming that “both sides do it”, they don’t have to defend their actions and simply make it the new normal. I have my preferences, no doubt. However, I am willing to put my preferences aside for the common good of the country. I HOPE I am not unique in that sentiment. The reason Democrats did not agree that Clinton should have been impeached was because lying under oath about a consensual extramarital affair does not rise to the level of high crimes and misdemeanors. In fact, MANY of the people who were calling for Clinton’s impeachment were doing the same thing or worse. Both Gingrich and Livingston had to resign their posts because they were doing something similar while they were calling for Clinton’s impeachment. On the other hand, there should be no doubt in anyone’s mind that violating the Emoluments Clause violates the Constitution and so does bribing or extorting a foreign government by using the power of the office of the presidency to investigate a political opponent, or even simply by attempting to do those things are EXACTLY what the framers of the Constitution intended for impeachment and removal from office. » Posted By TOCB On November 16, 2019 @ 9:46 am Agreed. I think the Trump era has highlighted the NEED for another Constitutional Convention. Some warn against it out of fear of what change might occur. » Posted By TOCB On November 16, 2019 @ 6:34 am Thank you for this very good piece. Trump is a conman. A crook. Not all conmen and crooks are evil, but Trump seems to be evil as well. However, Trump is ONE person. One person can’t ruin or destroy a democratic government, UNLESS a majority of voters support him/her. » Posted By TOCB On November 16, 2019 @ 6:28 am Murph, the Constitution as originally ratified was a framework or a foundation. It was not intended to be written in stone. The framers provided an amendment process, albeit a very high hurdle. Remember, in the beginning, MOST Americans were not allowed to participate in governing or even selecting those who governed them. SOME were not even considered citizens. Even today, our democratic republic is not run like a democracy. The president is not elected by the people, but rather by 538 electors. Nine people who are not elected, have the final say as to whether our laws are constitutional. At best, only 60% of us participate in electing our legislators (although that is not codified). Ben Franklin said the Constitutional Convention gave us a republic, IF we could keep it. He meant a republic, as opposed to a monarch or a dictatorship. He didn’t even say what KIND of a republic. That is something we have yet to determine. » Posted By TOCB On November 16, 2019 @ 6:16 am Republicans Break Laws to Stop Impeachment Hearings From Investigating Lawbreaking I could not agree more. Although effectively addressing climate change, which is a global problem, the most crucial social problems facing the USA are racism and the private banking/monetary system. ALL of these issues require integrity and transparency. Traditionally, we have not exhibited a lot of either. I am somewhat encouraged by the younger generations as far as coming to grips with racism and sexism. I am less optimistic about addressing the banking/monetary system because the overwhelming majority of the people don’t understand it and when they are told the truth about it, they think the truth is a conspiracy theory. It is well enough that people of the nation do not understand our banking and monetary system, for if they did, I believe there would be a revolution before tomorrow morning.
Henry Ford had more faith in the “people of the nation” than I do. » Posted By TOCB On November 1, 2019 @ 6:42 am I am encouraged by people like you. Even as a little black boy growing up in the south, I believed in what I thought the Constitution stood for. I knew I was not able at the time to experience the rights that white people had, but I was always optimistic that America was moving in that direction, and that one day I would have the same rights as everyone else. However, now I am more concerned about the survival of this country than I have ever been. The mere fact that 35% to 40% of the people could elect a person like Trump as president is troubling. These people elected this person because he is the kind of person they are. Who are they? They are racists, bigots, misogynists, and they represent everything that is vile about human beings. I realize they have as much right to be here as I do, but if they represent the majority of Americans, then America is a vile nation. I read this morning that FORTY conservative groups have filed grievances that Nancy Pelosi has weaponized the impeachment process and has encroached the separation of powers. They maintain that Congress ( or at least Democrats in Congress) have no right to investigate a Republican president, although they supported impeaching a Democratic president for lying under oath about a consensual extramarital affair. These people have no moral character, and no candidate for the nomination of the Democratic Party should even attempt to win their support for ANYTHING. » Posted By TOCB On October 31, 2019 @ 6:55 am And of course, they need to be defeated and stripped of their power in 2020 if America is to return to being a just nation where no one is above the law. HALF of Americans STILL don’t believe Trump should be impeached. It begs the question, does a UNITED States of America actually exist? Are there principles that are more important than our own self interest, greed and prejudices? HOW can ANYONE defend the President of The United States using the power of the office of the presidency to strongarm an ally or even to conspire with an adversary to interfere in the American democratic process? WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE? The Mueller investigation is old news now. Over 90% of Republicans thought it was a witch hunt. Why? Because Trump told them it was a witch hunt. Now, we have heard Trump and some in his close circle ADMIT to a shakedown of Ukraine for Trump’s personal interest. YET, congressional Republicans and even some senate Democrats are hedging on the question when the press ask them if it is ok for Trump to shakedown Ukraine. The Honorable Elijah Cummings thought we are better than this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7k3Bdry8cgs The framers of the Constitution thought that “factions”, i.e., political parties COULD destroy our union. https://www.history.com/news/founding-fathers-political-parties-opinion » Posted By TOCB On October 29, 2019 @ 6:56 amComments Posted By TOCB
2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b] 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
She added: “However busy or essential a presidential aide might be, and whatever their proximity to sensitive domestic and national-security projects, the President does not have the power to excuse him or her from taking an action that the law requires.”
During dinners, Trump has called in to compliment members personally.
“I’ve worked with a number of Republican presidents over various administrations . . . and I’ve never, ever been invited to Camp David,” said Rep. Ann Wagner (R-Mo.). “It was amazing to go for the short weekend. So historic.”
The Camp David excursions are one prong of a broad White House charm offensive, meant to hold House and Senate Republicans in line through a House impeachment vote and a trial in the Senate that appears all but inevitable.
The 2015 QDDR also calls for mainstreaming climate mitigation and resilience in all of USAID’s programs and names internal reforms to strengthen both the Department of State and USAID, including: leveraging data, technology and innovation, advancing strategic planning and investing in our ability to attract, retain, develop and deploy a premier workforce. All of these reforms will position the Department of State and USAID to more effectively respond to global trends and to achieve our objectives over the next four years and beyond.
Henry Ford
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