Support for President Joe Biden's steadfast leadership

Arizona support for President Joe Biden:  Two echo opinion letters submitted to the Arizona Daily Star and published in Tuscon.com

#MovingArizonaForward

In this era of unbecoming "gotcha'" politics and name-calling slurs, while others are slinging mud or being investigated by Congress or states attorneys generals, Joe Biden plugs (efficiently) along.

3 big reasons why President Biden wins Arizona voters*

Governing is not dominating the latest news cycle. It is actually not really sexy, but a process of listening to concerns and trying to do the best for the constituents no matter how strong the headwinds.

The manic emotionalism of the previous #TFG's failed presidential administration is not the norm, nor should it be. Unfortunately, many of us are now wired to download the latest, search for the newest, then forget the lessons just learned.

While Joe Biden will never be known as the most exciting of presidents, I know he'd rather be known as the most competent, especially in these trying times.

I'd vote for him again simply because he inherited a dysfunctional administration and a razor-thin Congress. He makes mistakes, but does his best for the country--and not himself.

He's a workhorse, not a showhorse.

From Matt Somers in Midtown, Phoenix, Arizona

Re: the July 29 letter "Biden is simply governing."

"He's a workhorse, not a show horse." Wonderfully stated by letter writer Matt Somers on July 29th. Millions voted for President Biden; now we must rally around him. We must trust his judgement and allow him to move forward with his important agenda. Knit picking about age or past decisions is counterproductive. He exhibits a noble decency, unrelenting stability, and great love of our country. He deserves our thanks and continued support for bringing our country back from the brink of disaster.

Bonita (Bonnie) Nowicki in Green Valley, AZ

*Arizona, the Sun Belt state that produced Barry Goldwater and was a bedrock for a generation of Republicans and conservative-leaning snowbirds, voted Democratic in the 2020, presidential election for only the second time since 1948.

Arizona point of view on refugees- echo opinion

http://www.jewishaz.com/opinion/the-wrong-direction-on-refugees/article_4d13d214-c1ad-11e8-b539-3b6617023d96.html

We are a nation of immigrants. 

Opinion from the Arizona weekly newspaper serving the Greater Phoenix area and Northern Arizona

With the worldwide refugee population estimated at 25.4 million, the Donald Trump administration last week announced its refugee admission ceiling for fiscal 2019 will be the lowest in the nearly 40-year history of the U.S. refugee program. 

Unfortunately, the cap of 30,000 refugee admissions — a 33 percent drop from the 45,000 ceiling in 2018, and a decrease from the 110,000 set during the last year of the President Obama administration — reflects a rejection of America’s historic leadership in the area of refugee resettlement, and an unprecedented callousness toward those who have experienced the worst in a dangerous and deadly world.

We are a nation of immigrants. And our Jewish community has experienced both the benefits of our nation’s historic open door policy, as well as the consequences of wholesale restrictions on immigration.

So we reject the simplistic notion that newcomers represent a zero-sum loss for those born in the United States. That misguided appeal to jingoistic tendencies is simply not true. Indeed, studies have shown that refugee populations contribute significantly to the national economy, and there are parts of the country that rely heavily on immigrant labor.

Critics of the refugee reduction claim that the decision will have a negative ripple effect, since other countries will follow our lead. The logic of that argument is sound and upsetting. It posits that if a world leader like the United States does less to alleviate the refugee crisis, other governments will be excused from doing more. While a contrary argument can be made — one that relies upon the good will, good sense and compassion of other countries — it is not clear that the refugee issue is a primary concern of anyone right now.

What’s interesting is how the 30,000 cap was reached. According to reports, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, national security adviser John Bolton, U.S. ambassador Nikki Haley and others argued to keep the cap at 45,000. But anti-immigrant officials with the administration urged an even lower cap of 20,000. The administration’s 30,000 number is, therefore, deemed to be the “elegant compromise.”

Perhaps that represents what passes for realpolitik in this administration. But it is a compromise of crumbs. Instead, we favor raising the ceiling, which is what HIAS and organizations representing a cross-section of the Jewish community — from Agudath Israel of America to Women of Reform Judaism — called for in a letter to President Trump last month.

A simple raising of the immigration ceiling is not enough, however. We also need to improve our country’s capacity to welcome and integrate refugees. Properly administered, helped and developed, the refugee community has the potential of adding exponentially to U.S. productivity and success, as our own earlier generations have shown.

We urge the administration to rethink its refugee fears and to work toward developing a comprehensive, fair and productive policy that welcomes the tired, the hungry, the poor and the downtrodden to our nation’s shores. JN ~ editorial

Paying for Mexico's border wall and a pardon for Sheriff Joe

Donald Trump tragically can't save his failed leadership. Frankly, he just can't go any lower in his spiraling character regression than what he displayed during the horrible speech, given on August 22nd, in Phoenix Arizona.  Instead of taking an optimal opportunity to progress beyond racist rhetoric, Donald Trump just continued to pour gasoline on his incendiary cult supporters.  In Phoenix, Donald Trump was delusional during a daunting 77 minute ranting speech where he threatened to shut down the US government so he could fulfill his campaign promise (what kind of "deal" is that for our international relations with Mexico?); and he extended the hope of a pardon for Arizona's tyrannically racist "Sheriff Joe" (Joe Arpaio). Both comments were deliberately incendiary.

Obviously, in my mind, Donald Trump is building an anti-Resistance "resistance" among his cult supporters who he expects will fight like an organized army to protect his evil filled legacy.

Perhaps, Donald Trump is following one of these two personality trajectories- either King George III's descent into madness, or the tragic, albeit fictional, life of King Lear.

Often called the “Mad King,” Britain’s King George III suffered from several bouts of poor health during his 60-year reign. In the last decade of his life, he was considered so deranged that his son (the future King George IV) had to take over as prince regent. But just what caused the king’s symptoms--whether physical disease or mental illness--has long been unknown. Now, by programming a computer to “read” hundreds of his letters, researchers say they have found evidence that King George III was in fact suffering from a mental illness in his later years.
Although history has not been kind to President Richard Nixon, because of his mis-handling of "Watergate", when it came time for him to resign, he recognized the urgency of keeping America safe from divisive politics. Indeed, Nixon did what was right at the time. Richard Nixon resigned. But, moreover, he lived long enough to become a better person for it, or, at least, that's my opinion.

Donald Trump, on the other hand, appears to have passed the point of no return. He's crazy and won't let anybody tell him otherwise.

Republicans must remove Donald Trump from the Oval office, where he continues to abuse Americans. He spews hate filled rhetoric and "Tweet storms", sent out in the middle of the night, when nobody is around to detract him from demonstrating "craziness".  

Donald Trump acts like crazy King George III, who would've been a "Tweet Terror", if he'd been given the technology to do so.  

In the Shakespearean world, he is a mirror reflection of the deranged King Lear, who couldn't even be saved by his daughter Cordelia.  She is the youngest of (Shakespeare's) King Lear's three daughters, and his favorite. After her elderly father offers her the opportunity to profess her love to him, in return for one third of the land in his kingdom, she refuses and is banished for the majority of the play.  Meanwhile, King Lear descends into madness.

Regardless of what mentally ill trajectory Donald Trump happens to be on, it's obvious that he's becoming more obsessed with his self esteem, rather than focused on the nation's best interests. 

All the while, the Trump "agenda", whatever it is, will be stalled while the Congress will obviously be presented with the Special Investigator Robert Mueller's report on the Trump campaign's clandestine Russian connections.  

There is a positive correlation between Robert Mueller's investigation into the Trump-Russia connections and Donald Trump's "decompensating" and regressive behaviors.  The closer Mueller gets to finalizing his report, the crazier Trump gets.

Republicans must call for a psychiatric evaluation of Donald Trump because, frankly, he exhibits symptoms of being mentally ill, indicating multiple personality disorders, not the least of which is neurotic narcissism. 

Therefore, a psychiatrist must determine if Donald Trump is a danger to himself and to the world. This alternative must be presented to Donald Trump: either he agrees to a psychiatric evaluation, or face impeachment for incompetent leadership.  

My advice to Donald Trump (and to chief of staff General Kelly) is this: follow the leadership of President Richard Nixon and resign.  

Republicans must prevent Donald Trump from stigmatizing Republicans as "racists". In fact, only they have the ability to prevent Donald Trump from being another King George III, or a modern and tragic King Lear. 

Somebody in the White House must tell Donald Trump that he is in need of mental health care and treatment.