Republicans in Congress and the United States Supreme Court must remove Donald Trump from office because of his fascist authoritarianism

Congress must do its job and remove Trump as president

Echo opinion letter published in the Lancaster Pennsylvania LNP/LancasterOnline. 

Dear Editor:  I believe that Donald Trump is unfit to lead. He must be impeached again, convicted by the U.S. Senate, removed as president and imprisoned.

Trump’s Cabinet members, the conservative members of the U.S. Supreme Court and many Republican members of Congress should also be removed from office through constitutional means. In my view, many of them have committed crimes against our Constitution and federal laws, leading to the erosion of our democracy.

Trump and his family used their powers to ruin our economy while increasing their personal wealth. 

Reports also have indicated that some conservative members of the Supreme Court received valuable gifts that were not disclosed to the IRS or taxed. Moreover, the high court’s majority has ruled favorably on some of Trump’s demands without sufficient legal explanation.

Trump has essentially bribed or threatened foreign governments. He pardoned or commuted the sentences of those involved in the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, which I viewed as an insurrection. He is providing more tax cuts for the rich while eliminating affordable health care for many people. He wastes millions of taxpayer dollars on his golf outings while trying to fire thousands of government workers whose skills are needed to provide valuable services for American citizens.

As I see it, Trump is a dictator and only cares about himself, and not the will of the people. How was it possible that a man who is a convicted felon, has been found liable in civil court for sexual abuse and has been impeached twice was elected for a second term as president❓

What will it take for people to wake up ⏰ ❗and admit that they never should have voted for Trump as the leader of our nation❓ If you do not believe me, please listen to all the facts that U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders presented for truth about Trump’s corruption.

From Charles Roehm (21-year Army veteran) in Penn Township, Pennsylvania

Secretary Clinton is qualified collects cash and endorsements

No, seriously! Donald Trump is selling real estate in Scotland! While the "Brexit"  European Union (EU) fiasco is burning all around the world, Trump plays like Nero fiddled, while visiting one or his own golf courses and selling real estate. It's like Trump has developed a mental health problem. "No, seriously!"

 

Former Secretary of the Treasury Henry "Hank" Paulson says a Donald Trump presidency is "unthinkable"

"...putting Trump at the top of the ticket, is endorsing a brand of populism rooted in ignorance, prejudice, fear and isolationism.”- Hank Paulson in The Washington Post opinion article.

Thankfully, there is hope for America's future leadership.  

Senator Bernie Sanders says he will vote for Secretary Clinton in the general election!  Moreover, President George Bush's Treasury Secretary wrote in The Washington Post, stating his support for Secretary Clinton's candidacy for president, as well.  

Meanwhile, Secretary Clinton has opened up a lead in the political polls as Trump plays golf and sells real estate in Scotland. Thankfully, Secretary Clinton is also collecting important endorsements.

CNN reports- Former Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson, a Republican who spearheaded legislation bailing out financial firms during the 2008, Great Recession crisis under President George W. Bush, says he will vote for Hillary Clinton this fall.

Paulson said Republicans stand at a crossroads and must choose the country over the GOP's presumptive nominee Donald Trump.

“When it comes to the presidency, I will not vote for Donald Trump,” Paulson wrote in a The Washington Post op-ed on Friday.

“I will not cast a write-in vote. I’ll be voting for Hillary Clinton, with the hope that she can bring Americans together to do the things necessary to strengthen our economy, our environment and our place in the world,” he wrote.

Paulson said that with Trump “we are witnessing a populist hijacking of one of the United States’ great political parties.”

“The GOP, in putting Trump at the top of the ticket, is endorsing a brand of populism rooted in ignorance, prejudice, fear and isolationism.”

Paulson said that with so much partisan divide in politics that the White House needs a leader who can bring people together and solve problems.

"Now is the time for a bipartisan approach to policy solutions that address our most difficult domestic problems," he wrote.

"This requires a president who exhibits an ability to compromise — and basic civility — neither of which Trump displays."

He said the next president must maintain the United States’ fiscal strength by reforming entitlements, and that the U.S. can't shrink from global trade.

Trump has taken anti-trade positions during his campaign.

Paulson joins a growing list of former Republican officials who say they will vote for Clinton. Brent Scowcroft, a former national security adviser under President George H.W. Bush, earlier this week said he would back Clinton.

Paulson's support comes amid mounting concerns about Donald Trump's candidacy. Paulson, a controversial figure given President George W. Bush's handling of the 2007-08 economic downturn, said "a Trump presidency is unthinkable" and predicted that other conservatives would rally behind her.

Coward Trump says he will not debate Sanders- the shark chokes

Although it makes no politically strategic sense for Donald Trump to engage in a circus debate with Bernie Sanders, set to happen before the national RNC and DNS conventions, the fact is, Trump was like the shark who chocked on his victim.  

Donald Trump made a huge mistake when he first agreed to debate Senator Sanders. He choked on the shark bait. 

Donald Trump made a huge "uuge!" mistake when he appeared to accept the Bernie Sanders debate challenge, but then thought better about his impulsive decision. (Surely, he received advice from the RNC to recall his initial response.)

This scenario demonstrates the politically inept Donald Trump. Bernie Sanders knew what he was doing to capture the headlines from the egotistical Trump. Brilliant! Give Trump a bone, a lure, a worm whatever bait is available. "A debate", ahhhhaaa!....Trump just couldn't refuse, until he figured out the disasterous outcome he was facing. Debating Bernie Sanders before the national conventions would be a win-win for Senator Bernie Sanders and a "loose-loose" for politically dumb Donald Trump.

Although "Senator Sanders versus Donald Trump" would no doubt be a blockbuster event, the fact is, the arguments would've been politically titilating, but moot. Obviously, Bernie Sanders would make debate mincemeat out of Trump but the "juice would not be worth the squeeze".

Nevertheless, the fact that Trump choked on this Sanders bait shows just how dangerously impulsive a leader he would be if (God Forbid) he were to be elected.  In fact, Trump has no qualifications to be nominated at the Republican National Convention, because he won his delegates by preaching bigotry, misogyny, bullying and stormtrooper violence. There are no public policies upon which Donald Trump has based his hate filled campaign. Quite cleaerly, Trump is not qualified to be nominated to run for the highest elected office in the free world. 

Donald Trump made the wrong impulsive response to the Senator Sanders debate challenge, but worse than that, he swallowed the bait.

Washington (CNN)- Donald Trump on Friday said he would not debate Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders because it would be "inappropriate" to square off against the candidate who currently trails Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primary fight.

"Based on the fact that the Democratic nominating process is totally rigged and Crooked Hillary Clinton and (Debbie) Wasserman-Schultz will not allow Bernie Sanders to win, and now that I am the presumptive Republican nominee, it seems inappropriate that I would debate the second-place finisher," Trump said in a statement.

Trump also said news networks "are not proving to be too generous to charitable causes," which he previously had said would be a goal of debating Sanders.

The two populist candidates had floated the idea of debating each other throughout the week. Sanders has been trying to debate Clinton ahead of the California primary on June 7, but she, too, declined.

Speaking to reporters in Los Angeles, Sanders said he was disappointed that Trump changed his mind.

"I hope that he changes his mind again. Mr. Trump is known to change his mind many times in a day," Sanders said. "Trump is a bully, he's a big tough guy. Well, I say to Mr. Trump, what are you afraid of?"

Trump's announcement on Friday is a far cry from a statement he made the day before, when he told supporters in Bismark, North Dakota, that he'd "love to debate Bernie."

"He's a dream," the real estate magnate (aka: hatenate) said. 

"If we can raise for maybe women's health issues or something. If we can raise $10 or $15 million for charity, which would be a very appropriate amount."

"I understand the television business very well. I think it would get high ratings," Trump added.

The idea of the two debating surfaced on Wednesday night, when ABC's Jimmy Kimmel told Trump he had a question from Sanders' campaign, asking if Trump would be willing to debate the Democratic hopeful.

Trump joked, "How much is he going to pay me?"

"That could happen, I've been saying that should happen anyway," he added. "If he paid a nice sum for charity, I would love to do that."

Minutes later, Sanders responded on Twitter.

"Game on," Sanders wrote. "I look forward to debating Donald Trump in California before the June 7 primary."

Later in the day, Sanders' campaign manager Jeff Weaver told CNN's Wolf Blitzer that he hoped Trump doesn't "chicken out" after the two talked about the possibility of a one-on-one debate.

The two candidates reiterated their support for a debate throughout Thursday.

(Let's add "coward" to the long and growing list of negative adjectives describing the unqualified Donald Trump.)

CNN's Elizabeth Landers contributed to this report.

New Hampshire's Republican Chaos #FITN = RIP GOP

Here's a "Twitter style" formula, following the New Hampshire primary election.  FITN = RIP >GOP. 

New Hampshire's primary election motto goes something like this: "Iowa picks corn, but New Hampshire picks candidates".  

With the First in the Nation (FITN) primary finally over, the truth in New Hampshire's motto is now fact. Yes, New Hampshire voted for presidential candidates and Republicans are still recovering.

New Hampshire's primary picks candidates!

On the Democratic side, nothing changed, except Senator Sanders soundly defeated Secretary Clinton, although no "nail biting" finish, like the end game in the corn picking Iowa caucuses. 

On the other hand, the Republcian side of the primary process was like a candidates roulette wheel. Senator Ted Cruz had been crowing about "winning" in Iowa with a paltry 28% of the Republican vote. Well, guess what? "Cruz to loose" can now eat crow, because in New Hampshire, the right wing extremist, who can't resolve his qualificatioins under the US Constitution to run for President because he was born in Canada, tallied 12 percent of the vote (less than half of what he claimed with the use of "dirty tricks" targeting Dr. Ben Carson, than what he "popped campagne" about in Iowa).  

Neither of the Democratic candidates lost the New Hampshire primary. Senator Sanders defeated Secretary Clinton, but it means one came in first and the other was second.  In fact, Senator Sanders won more votes than any other candidate in the FITN primary and Secretary Clinton received more votes than her second place rivals.

Republicans, of course, must now figure out what happened to their line up. Apparantly, Governor Christie, Dr. Carson and perhaps "Blinkie bottle" Senator Rubio will drop  out of the race. Surely Carly Fiorina will not only drop, but resign from politics. Obviously, Governor Christie didn't listen to Maine Writer, when advised to "watch his friends", because he campaigned around New Hampshire with the unpopular Maine Governor Paul LePage at his side like a guide dog. Governor LePage certainly didn't help Governor Christie to win any votes. Dr. Ben Carson has no political experience, he never should've run for President. Instead, Dr. Carson might've been teacher of neurosurgery, where he has demonstrated expertise. Senator Rubio was never qualified to run for President of the United States. Indeed, it's difficult to understand what amount of ego inflated his candidacy because he never did reach a "Kennedy-esque" moment, where he might've inspired lasting political loyalty. Instead, Rubio flopped in the last of the New Hampshire "line up" of candidates debates. It which was a mistep from which Rubio many never politically recover. Those who saw through the facade of youth and Cuban ancestry should give credit to Governor Christie for pointing out the ineptness of Senator Rubio so bluntly, during the New Hampshrie debate.

Republican roulette wheel stopped on Donald Trump

As the Republican roulette wheel of candidates spun, it was evident how Donald Trump became the person where party faithful considered "placing all bets".  Giving Donald Trump his due credit, since he declared his independence from taking campaign contributions, he can decide on his own "winner friends", without the influnce of money being a major consideration- at least, as far as we know. It's possible "Trump the Chump" will become the new "decider in chief", picking and choosing his political friends.

Congratulations to Ohio's governor John Kasich for winning second place in the Republican FITN primary, but he only received 44, 595 votes.

Nevertheless, New Hampshire's primary has the Republican party in "front runner chaos". 

In fact, Senator Bernie Sanders and Secretary Clinton, together, received more votes than Donald Trump, because Republicans spread their support for 6 candidates.  

Donald Trump received a lot of votes, but not enough to win a general election. Clearly, Senator Sanders is the candidate who won the New Hampshire primary election.

Donald Trump -    99, 839 total votes

Senator Sanders - 150, 403
Secretary Clinton    94,770

Total                     245,173

Perhaps, establishment Republicans can hold their political noses while getting behind Donald Trump's potential nomination, regardless of his brash and racist comments; but his supporters won't produce enough voters to win the general election. 

Although the Republican roulette wheel stopped on Donald Trump's number, gambling on his eventual victory is as random a chance pay out as winning big in a casino.  In fact, the Republican party, the conservatives of the "Grand Old Party", have passed away with the results of the FITN primary, and their remains are in New Hampshire. Leadership of the Republican Party is now in chaos. Like the progeny of a newly deceased monarch, those left groveling after Trump may wind at the dinner table, eating crow with Ted Cruz.

Democratic candidates debate was a Republican loose-loose

Univeristy of New Hampshire in Durham was the place to be on Thursday, Feb 4th, when Secretary Hillary Clinton and Senator Bernie Sanders had a rare opportunity. They debated one-on-one, while the Republican "wanna-bees" had to watch! Indeed, the Republican candidates, as they line up right now, will never have the same experience as the Democrats. Obvious to the pundits, the Democratic candidates were brilliant.

Although the interesting "give and take" in the real debate (not a political Republican Punch and Judy show),  is still under analysis, it's the Republicans who lost in the New Hampshire forum. In fact, Republicans lost because none of their so-called debates came remotely close to talking about issues, vision, ideas, accomplishments or policies, like we heard from Sanders and Clinton.  In my opinion, Secretary Clinton was well prepared for the debate and she often took charge of the dialogue!

Although the Democratic duo presented often divergent visions for the Democratic party, the quote from Senator Sanders summed up their differences.  "On our worst day," he and Hillary Clinton have more in common than they do with any of the Republicans. As a matter of fact, I would carry that quote further. Senator Sanders and Secretary Clinton have more in common with each other, than with Republicans, because each of them is smarter, more articulate, positive, visionary and dedicated to their passion for public service than any in the Republican candidate's line up.

In other words, if the 2016 presidential election were held today, the Republicans would be in disarry while the Democrats remain focused. 

For example, Iowa showed the disarry. I can't get over how the Republicans created a three way split in their Iowa Caucus while the two Democrats divided their forums (aka "caucuses") right down the middle. It's mathematically impossible for the three top tier Republicans, "win = 28%" "place = 24 %" and "show = 23 %" at the Iowa Caucus, to delcare victory. As a matter of fact, the third place candidate, Senator Marco Rubio, celebrated as though he won a national election, but he didn't even garner 25 percent of the caucus!  In other words, 3 out to 4 Repbulican caucus voters cast their ballot for somebody else! 

On the other hand, the Iowa Democrats clearly gave rousing support for both Senator Sanders and Secretary Clinton. It's likely we'll never know, with certainty, who the decisive Iowa winner was, because the archiac rules created a situation that was simply too close to call. (Anybody who's ever been to a caucus can confirm the backwards process). In fact, both Sanders and Clinton won with close to 50 percent, a much bigger margin of support than the paltry 28, 24 and 23 percents in the Republican caucus. 

In the New Hampshire debate, with Sanders and Clinton, it was the Republicans who lost because they have been unable to generate a vision for America. Their campaign is based on negativity, fear, and concrete conservatism so severe it makes Calvin Coolidge look like a liberal.  

Republicans lost in the New Hampshire debate forum because both Sanders and Clinton spoke intelligently about issues that matter to people. They weren't engaged in ego building or personality analysis, (like the "boy in the bubble", as Governor Christie described his rival, Senator Marco Rubio).  

Moreover, Republicans also lost a winning strategy, because the Democrats clearly own the issues that matter. It's difficult to understand how Republicans can hope to win the national election when the economy is growing and unemployment is lower than it's been in decades.

Of course, as the Republican pundit Steve Schmidt said, modern voters don't necessarily make decisions like they have in the past. In fact, the voters are now evaluating a candidates potential for being a leader, rather than on concrete data, like economic trends.

Well, maybe the celebrity quotient has kicked into the 2016 election equation. Indeed, the "Trumponian" show has probably raised the bar on how motivated voters are to support a particular candidate. Therefore, if celebrity really enters into the equation, the two who share the highest applause ratings from their supporters are unquestionably Secretary Hillary Clinton and businessman Donald Trump. Therefore, the Republicans will have lost yet again because, the New Hampshire Democratic debate performance of Secretary Clinton, created a "loose-loose" for "Trump the Chump". 
He has no grasp of the issues, he's never going to upstage her (she's definitely not made for TV Megyn Kelly!) and she has plenty of experience standing up to right wing extremists - and it shows.

Senator Bernie Sanders and Secretary Hillary Clinton at the University of New Hampshire on Feb 4th

In the University of New Hampshire Democratic candidate debate, it was the Republicans who lost.  

Republicans in perpetual prayer about mass gun violence shootings but do nothing to stop it

GOP candidates offer prayers — but not solutions on gun control — after the San Bernardino CA massacre

On the other hand, Secretary Hillary Clinton, running to be the first female national presidential candidate, said, "I refuse to accept this as normal. We must take action to stop gun violence now," posted on her Twitter feed.

Senator Bernie Sanders said, "Mass shootings are becoming an almost-everyday occurrence in this country. This sickening and senseless gun violence must stop."

San Bernadino mass gun violence Caliornia December 3, 2015

Governor Martin O'Malley said, "Horrifying news out of #SanBernardino. Enough is enough: it's time to stand up to the @NRA and enact meaningful gun safety laws."
Rather than do something to stop the serial mass casualty shootings now occuring with stomach wrenching regularity in America, Republicans are branding the recent gun violence disaster in San Bernadino as something other than what it is.   They just can't wait to label the San Bernadino mass slaying as Islamic radicalism rather than what it was-- gun violence.

Regardless of what caused the death and carnage in San Bernadino or the motive of the killers, the facts are nearly the same as with all the other litany of horrific mass shooting where too many people (mostly young, by the way) were murdered.  It's about guns.

Shame on people like Senator Ted Cruz (aka "Cruz to Loose") for giving the San Bernadino mass shooting a euphamistic label,  rather than use the words "gun violence".

Sen. Ted Cruz on Thursday linked the shootings in San Bernardino, Calif., to the attacks in Paris, telling donors and activists with the Republican Jewish Coalition that America needed a "war president" who would take such events more seriously.

"At this point, the details of what happened in San Bernardino are still unclear," the Texas Republican Cruz said, referring to the shooting Wednesday that left at least 14 people dead at a community center program for disabled people. "But our prayers are with the families of those who were murdered and those who were shot. And all of us are deeply concerned that this is yet another manifestation of terrorism, radical Islamic terrorism here at home. Coming on the wake of a terror attack in Paris, this horrific murder underscores that we are in a time of war."  (Frankly, I wonder just how many prayers Senator Cruz has really said on behalf of all the victims of gun violence.  If he were really saying prayers, for the hundreds of victims, I doubt he'd have time to invent lables and slogans about mass casuality serial murders caused by guns.)

Here are my suggestions:

1.  Guns are so prevasive in America, it's virtually impossible to regulate them in any meaningful way. Neverthless, why can't we tax ammunition like's it's liquer?  People who engage in black marketing of ammunition would be subject to the same violations as people who sell booze illegally.  Although I have no idea what ammunition costs, the tax to purchase it should be three times the value of the bullets.  Money from the taxation of ammunition could be dedicated to improve mental health care.

2.  Mass casualtiy shootings where a deranged killer, mentally competent or not, murders more than one person in a killing spree should be a federal crime, prosecuted like kidnappings or sedition.  

3,  All assault weapons must be outlawed, except when authorized for use by law enforecement or the military. People who currently own human killing weapons like AK47s and look-alikes, must surrender them to authorized agents. They can't be owned by anybody.  

Indeed, we must all pray for the victims of gun violence. Yet, prayers are also needed for the US Congress, who are morally obligated to protect the public from the growing numbers of gun violence deaths. Gun violence is a killing epedimic and must be treated as a public health menace.

Congratulations Prime Minister Elect Justn Trudeau

"I want to say to this country's friends all around the world," he told a rally in Ottawa, "on behalf of 35 million Canadians - we're back," Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister elect.

Canadians have rejected their conservative government, in favor of the young liberal with a French-Canadian name. 

Justin Trudeau Prime Minister elect of Canada!

Justin Trudeau says his administration will put Canada 'back on world stage'.  That's a very ambitious campaign promise. 

Just a few months ago, Justin Trudeau was an unlikely contender to be Canada’s next prime minister. 

Running third in the polls, behind incumbent Stephen Harper’s Conservatives and the resurgent left wing New Democratic party, Trudeau – son of legendary prime minister Pierre Trudeau – was slated as too young (he is 43) and too inexperienced to haul his beleaguered Liberal party out of the electoral mess of the nation's 2011 general election, reported The Guardian.

That result saw the Liberal party – once the dominant force in Canadian politics – slump to third place for the first time in its history, its worst ever showing with just 34 seats. At that point, Trudeau brushed off expectations that he would succeed outgoing Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff, saying: “Because of the history packaged into my name, a lot of people are turning to me in a way that … to be blunt, concerns me.” (Nevertheless, he was eventually convinced to lead, in spite of challenges to his leadership.)

His family – he has three young children aged eight and under with his wife Sophie Grégoire – was also cited as a reason not to put himself forward. But by 2012, with other contenders falling by the wayside, the spotlight swung once again to Trudeau, and in October of that year he launched his bid with a rally in Montreal.

Canadian Prime Minister-designate Justin Trudeau, 43, said the country reclaimed its Liberal identity, after a decisive election victory that ended nearly a decade of Conservative rule.

"I want to say to this country's friends all around the world," he told a rally in Ottawa, "on behalf of 35 million Canadians - we're back."

His Liberal Party began the campaign in third place but now has a majority!

Mr. Trudeau, an ex-high-school teacher, is the son of late PM Pierre Trudeau.

The BBC's Nick Bryant in Toronto says there is jubilation, but also an air of nostalgia about his victory, as the prime minister's residence is also his childhood home.

Addressing cheering supporters alternately in French and English, Mr Trudeau said: "This afternoon we can celebrate but the work is only beginning".

He could bolster Canada's relationship with the US, reports BBCNews.

He has promised decisive action on climate change

The environment was one of the top issues for Canadian voters in this election. Justin Trudeau offered a distinct policy from the outgoing Conservative government in this regard. While Stephen Harper refused to sign international climate agreements - and even withdrew Canada from the Kyoto Protocol - Mr Trudeau promised decisive action on climate change. He's pledged to set targets to reduce carbon emissions, and to fund ways to help provinces achieve those goals. 

Moreover, he's also committed to attending the UN climate summit in Paris later this year.

Stronger Canadian-US relations could be an impressive international alliance. Moreover, as Canada's government supports progressive economic policies, the opportunity to attract Americans as international investors will become more attractive. Although Mr. Trudeau will withdraw Canada's support for air strikes against the evil ISIS, he will undoubtedly work with President Obama on an anti-terrorism campaign.  Besides, Canada contributes very little to the international campaign against ISIS.  Perhaps, Trudeau is astute enough to reallocate international resources at home.

Justin Trudeau's surprise election as Prime Minister is also a harbinger for America's 2016 election. Obviously, the candidacy of Senator Bernie Sanders, with his liberal agenda, has surprised many political pundits who assumed Americans weren't ready to support an overtly democratic-socialist candidate. Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders is certainly paying attention to how Justin Trudeau won his election victory, to become Canada's new prime minister. If Trudeau can win, so can Sanders? 

Also, right wing candidates, those who somehow believe their conservative no-compromise political positions are absolutely right and everybody else is wrong, must be on notice after Trudeau's victory.  There's political change in the air and those who don't respond to the sea turn will be blown away, as a progressive movement, hopefully, takes hold.

Eliminate the Tea Party with Informed Voter Activism

Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont says right wing Tea Party has caused the US irreparable harm.

“What we have already witnessed is the hijacking of the democratic process by a few dozen extremists in the House who are actively trying to annul the results of the last election. This sets a terrible precedent for the legislative process and will likely be repeated year after year,” he said.

Dear Senator Sanders, I respect your experience and judgement regarding the extremist actions of the right wing Tea Party. Nevertheless, Americans know how to undo the irreparable harm caused  by right wing activism. We must use our democracy to rebuild build our nation as the beacon of hope, and enlightenment and thereby blind the dark forces of extremist regression.

Here's the report from Senator Sanders about the damage caused by the preventable US government shutdown:
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
“As Vermont's senator, I intend to do everything I can to reopen the government as soon as possible and keep our country from defaulting, which could drive the global economy into economic turmoil,” Sen. Bernie Sanders said on Tuesday. “My fear, however, is that no matter what happens in Congress in the next day or two, serious and long-lasting damage already has been done to our country by the right-wing extremists of the Tea Party.”

Sanders statement came as the government shutdown entered its third week on Tuesday and as a Thursday default deadline loomed unless Congress extends the Treasury Department’s authority to pay bills.

“What we have already witnessed is the hijacking of the democratic process by a few dozen extremists in the House who are actively trying to annul the results of the last election. This sets a terrible precedent for the legislative process and will likely be repeated year after year,” he said.

“What we have already witnessed is the anxiety befalling over 1 million federal employees who are not receiving the paychecks they deserve. Having gone three years without a pay raise, they are now wondering how they will pay their mortgages, their student loans and take care of other basic needs. How many experienced and high-quality federal employees will we be losing as a result of this shutdown? What is the long-term damage to the functioning of the federal government?

“What we have already witnessed is the fear of many of our most vulnerable citizens – the elderly, the sick, veterans, the disabled, Head Start families – that the payments and programs they depend upon may not be there when they need them. Their confidence in their own government to keep the promises and commitments made to them will be forever diminished.

“What we have already witnessed is a blow to our position in the international community. In our foreign relations, we should not be surprised that the United States government is now the laughing stock of the world. Can we really be the ‘strongest country on earth’ when we shut down the government and do not pay our bills? The Chinese, our biggest creditor, are now openly talking about the need to “de-Americanize” international affairs because of the constant brinkmanship by U.S. politicians over the possibility of a debt default.

“The American people are better than this. They deserve a better government,” he said.

My response:  If Tea Party regressive extremists sincerely care about supporting our nation's democracy (but they apparently don't), they would recognize how their minority position is untenable. 

Meanwhile, Americans must learn to rout out all extremism in the voting process. It's our civic responsibility, as citizens, to understand how sharing our nation's wealth through income distribution is how Capitalism is supposed to work. Government is supposed to work by the people and for the people.Tea Party activists aren't democratic at all. Rather, they're political terrorists who must be eliminated from having any influence over our democratically elected government.

There's only one way for a democracy to eliminate extremism. Americans must become engaged in supporting voter activism and eliminate extremism by eradicating it in the voting process.

America Needs a Centrist Election Process - Open Primaries

Senator Bernie Sanders explains: 

In 2013, the Democrats control the White House and the Senate but it appears to many Americans that the Republicans determine the agenda. While the Republicans moved from a center-right party to a right-wing extremist party, the Democrats have also moved to the right -- going from being a center-left party to a centrist party. 

The above comment was sent to me by a blog reader who is involved with www.independentvoting.org. The purpose of this initiative is to lobby the President's Commission on Election Administration to change the way candidates are selected to run for political office.  In so doing, polarizing extremists could be voted out of office, but only if primary elections are open to all voters, rather than to the political party faithful.  

America needs an election process whereby centrist candidates can be nominated to run for elected positions.

Many states offer open primary elections for selecting Presidential nominees, but the process for other elected candidates are limited to party members.  California and Washington State have challenged this process, but many who support the current system oppose any changes.  

Citizens initiatives are working to develop centrist engagement in elections; but the primary system currently in place works against their common sense approach to electing centrists. 

A fundamentally sound solution is recommended to push back against polarizing elections.  This is their recommendation:  If all voters, regardless of political party, were able to vote for any of the candidates nominated to run for political positions, the person with the most centrist appeal would no doubt receive more votes from centrist voters, thereby eliminating extremist candidates.  

Another alternative is the modified closed primary, as has been in effect in California since 2001. In California's primary, each political party may decide whether or not they wish to allow unaffiliated (not enrolled) voters to vote in their party's primary.  

Unfortunately, Republicans are opposed to open and modified closed primary elections.  In other words, Republicans appear obsessed with nominating extreme right wing candidates.  They will continue to nominate extremists until, eventually, they'll win elections, even if they must support gerrymandering to create skewed election districts to win elections.  

On the other hand, the centrists and moderate Democratic voters outnumber right wing Republicans.  It makes sense for these two groups to support independentvoting.org for the purpose of preventing right wing extremists from winning elections.

Unfortunately, Republicans know there's little if no chance of changing the primary system before the November 2014 elections. Therefore, with only Republican votes in the mid term primaries, the candidates running in the elections will be right wing selections. Likewise for "centrist" Democrats, of course, but Republican gerrymandering of the voting districts will clearly elect the extremist candidate.  

Therefore, Congress and state legislatures will become more Republican, more strident, more right wing, more extreme and create more suppression of open primaries.  

On the other hand, if primaries were open to all voters, the right wing candidates could easily be eliminated by centrist and Democratic voters.

Although this dire right wing winning strategy seems inevitable, there are two ways change the outcome:  (a) immediately change the primary election process to allow all voters to participate; or (b) motivate all Democrat and Independent voters to vote right wing extremists out of office.  

Either (a), or (b) or (hopefully) both will put Centrists in charge of our government and, thereby, put extremists out of office.  This would inspire more confidence in political leadership and focus our government on issues impacting the majority of people, rather than fringe issues like abortion or obsession with unbridled Second Amendment rights.  Imagine a government concerned with helping a majority of Americans? A centrist voting block could easily make this political dream a reality.  

It's important for Americans to support independentvoting.org.

Meanwhile, it's essential for centrist Americans of every political party to vote extremists out of office by showing up at the polls on election day.