ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

 

No individual of any age has a need or a right to own and carry an assault weapon or an AK-anything.  It is not needed for hunting, target practice or protection.  The one and only purpose of an assault rifle is in its name – to assault.

Conservative icon Barry Goldwater once said (highlight is mine) –

“I've never used an automatic or semi-automatic for hunting. There's no need to. They have no place in anybody's arsenal.”

We must totally ban all assault weapons.  It should be illegal for an individual to purchase, own and carry an AK-47, an assault rifle, or any such weapon, or anything that converts a traditional rifle into an assault weapon.  Upon passage of the ban legislation the government should begin a program to buy back all currently held assault weapons.   

The Second Amendment to the Constitution has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with a citizen’s personal right to carry any kind of gun. 

Conservative former Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court Warren Burger, nominated to the Court by Nixon, has observed –

“The Gun Lobby’s interpretation of the Second Amendment is one of the greatest pieces of fraud, I repeat the word fraud, on the American People by special interest groups that I have ever seen in my lifetime.”

He explained –

“The real purpose of the Second Amendment was to ensure that state armies – the militia – would be maintained for the defense of the state.”

The state militias that existed in the time of the Revolution have been replaced by state police, the National Guard and the US Armed Forces.  State militias no longer exist – so the Second Amendment is obsolete and has no application today.

The sale, purchase, and use of guns should be regulated just as automobiles and boats are regulated – as Burger suggested in 1992.

I believe -

* All gun owners must have a valid license, which must be renewed every year. The initial issuance of a license must be based on a thorough and comprehensive background check.

* To get a license a person must pass a written test and a “practical” test. Gun licensees must demonstrate they know how to properly operate and maintain a gun.

* Underage individuals must not be allowed to own guns.  The minimum age for a driving license is usually 17, but the minimum age for owning a traditional gun should be 18.

* Gun owners must be required to have insurance similar to auto insurance.

* We must title and tag each gun at point of purchase, so each gun is registered in a local data base and law enforcement can know if a person is stockpiling an excessive number of guns.

* Guns must be inspected at least every other year.

We have had too many mass shooting tragedies not to act.  The Republican Party must acknowledge that American lives are more important than political contributions.

TODAY’S “RIGHT-WING” ARE NOT TRUE CONSERVATIVES!

 

Today’s extreme “right-wingers” have no concept of true conservative philosophy and should NOT be called “conservatives”.

The political agenda of the so-called “Evangelicals” of the religious right is contrary to true conservative policy.

Abortion, homosexuality or same-sex marriage are NOT conservative issues – they are religious issues.

The ability OF an individual to own an assault rifle or AK-47 or the like is not part of the Second Amendment protection – and an assault rifle ban is perfectly allowable under any interpretation of the Second Amendment.  Protecting an individual’s right to own an assault rifle is NOT a true conservative policy.

Nobody can doubt that Barry Goldwater was a true conservative.  Here are a few of his quotes-

“I've never used an automatic or semi-automatic for hunting. There's no need to. They have no place in anybody's arsenal.”

“Religious factions will go on imposing their will on others unless the decent people connected to them recognize that religion has no place in public policy.”

“The great decisions of government cannot be dictated by the concerns of religious factions. We have succeeded for 205 years in keeping the affairs of state separate from the uncompromising idealism of religious groups and we mustn't stop now. To retreat from that separation would violate the principles of conservatism and the values upon which the framers built this democratic republic.”

“I am a conservative Republican, but I believe in democracy and the separation of church and state. The conservative movement is founded on the simple tenet that people have the right to live life as they please as long as they don't hurt anyone else in the process.”

“I am frankly sick and tired of the political preachers telling me as a citizen that if I want to be a moral person, I must believe in A, B, C, and D. Just who do they think they are? And from where do they presume to claim the right to dictate their moral beliefs to me?”

“A woman has a right to an abortion. That's a decision that's up to the pregnant woman, not up to the pope or some do-gooders or the Religious Right.”

“The conservative movement, to which I subscribe, has as one of its basic tenets the belief that government should stay out of people’s private lives. Government governs best when it governs least – and stays out of the impossible task of legislating morality. But legislating someone’s version of morality is exactly what we do by perpetuating discrimination against gays.”

“You don't have to be straight to be in the military; you just have to be able to shoot straight.”

“Everyone knows that gays have served honorably in the military since at least the time of Julius Caesar.”

“The big thing is to make this country quit discriminating against people just because they're gay. You don't have to agree with it, but they have a constitutional right to be gay. They're American citizens.”

THIS I BELIEVE

 

Every single Republican in Congress who does not vocally recognize and acknowledge that the January 6^th attack on the Capital was a traitorous and treasonous terrorist attack - no different than the 9/11 attacks - and not just an attack on the Capital building but an attack on American democracy,

AND

does not vocally denounce EACH and EVERY person who instigated, facilitated and participated in the attack and insist that ALL be prosecuted and punished to the full extent of the law, as terrorists and traitors . . .

MUST be vilified and voted out of office ASAP.

They are not fit to hold national public office.  They have totally abandoned their oath and responsibility to protect the Constitution.

 

WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED THESE PAST FIVE YEARS?

 

Here, in my opinion, is what we have learned from the Trump debacle.

30+-% of Americans have apparently historically been ignorant and/or racist.  The Trump presidency emboldened and empowered these racist morons, turning them into an actual organized voting bloc.

While this 30% is a minority of Americans it is a majority of Republicans – because Trump’s core cult of ignorant racists, which includes bigoted extreme fundamentalist alleged “Christians”, tends to gravitate toward more right-wing politics.

The remaining actual intelligent and true conservative “traditional” Republicans when added to the majority of Democrats adds up to between 67% and 70% of Americans, which is why 2/3 of Americans, a majority, have always opposed Trump and his lies and nonsense, and oppose the policies and beliefs of today’s Trump-embracing Republican Party.

Clearly the greatest enemy of America, American values and American democracy is today’s Republican Party, which has observed that a majority of its current members are ignorant racists and consistently panders to their ignorance and bigotry.

I WOULD NEVER HIRE A MAGA-MORON

 

Trump is an ignorant, incompetent, racist, and totally self-absorbed dictator wannabe who is totally devoid of conscience, humanity and integrity and who does not possess a single redeeming positive human value or quality.

There is no intelligent, rational, legitimate, or acceptable reason why any American would listen to, believe, support, and vote for Trump or support today’s Trump-embracing Republican Party. 

No person with a brain and a conscience who cares anything about America and Americans could ever listen to, believe, support, and vote for Trump or support today’s Trump-embracing Republican Party.

If a person listens to, believes, supports, and would vote for Trump and supports today’s Trump-embracing Republican Party it raises very serious concerns about the intelligence, competence and judgement of that person, and their ability to properly perform anything other than the most basic of jobs.

I would certainly not want a person who listens to, believes, supports, and would vote for Trump or supports today’s Trump-embracing Republican Party operating on me, or designing a building for me, or representing me in court, or cooking a meal for me, or preparing my books or tax returns.

And I would certainly not hire a person who listens to, believes, supports, and would vote for Trump and supports today’s Trump-embracing Republican Party for any position that requires any degree of intelligence, competence and judgement.

 

THE DEFINITION OF HYPOCRITE

hypocrite – noun

1. a person who pretends to have virtues, moral or religious beliefs, principles, etc., that he or she does not actually possess, especially a person whose actions belie stated beliefs.

2. someone who tells people to not do things they themselves do or insults people for doing the same things they do.

3. a leader or elected official of the current Republican Party.

4. a so-called “evangelical” of the religious right.

THE TRUTH. THE WHOLE TRUTH. AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH. PERIOD

 
Any person who actually listens to, believes, supports, and would vote for Trump the man is either ignorant, racist, has no conscience, or, like Trump himself, all three.
 
Period.
 
There is absolutely no intelligent, rational or legitimate reason for anyone to support Trump the man.
 
This has nothing whatsoever to do with political philosophy, policy or partisanship.  Trump has no political philosophy or beliefs.  Trump is only in politics because of his pathological need for attention, adoration and power, and, of course, to line his pockets.  Trump’s sole belief and philosophy is “Trump is great and Trump is good”.
 
Trump does not care about America.  Trump does not care about the American people.  The one and only thing Trump cares about is Trump.
 
Period.
 
Opposition to Democratic, liberal or progressive politics and policies is not a legitimate reason to support Trump.  If you oppose Democratic, liberal or progressive politics and policies you should support a “traditional” Republican or a true conservative candidate.
 
The only political candidate anyone who cares anything about America, American values and American democracy should support and vote for is one who publicly and vocally opposes, denounces and disavows Trump and his lies.
 
If you are not part of the solution you are part of the problem.  If you support Trump the man you are either very, very naive or very, very stupid, and you are part of the biggest problem in, and threat to, America today.
 
Period.

AMERICA IS NOT A CHRISTIAN COUNTRY!

America is NOT a Christian country.

America is NOT a religious country.
 
In America the separation of Church and State set forth in the Constitution is absolute.
 
America equally welcomes members of all religions and those with no religion.
 
No one religion, denomination or sect, or its specific beliefs, is preferred over other religions, denominations or sects.  And the religious are not preferred over the non-religious.
 
And most definitely the specific religious beliefs of an individual religion, denomination or sect must NEVER be legislated.
 
Legislating specific religious beliefs is especially contrary to conservative political philosophy and policy.  The basic fundamental tenet of conservative political philosophy is limited government, and the protection and maximizing individual rights.  True conservatives believe that the government should have minimal involvement in the personal and business life of the individual.  The so-called “evangelicals” of the “Christian right” want the government to tell individuals how to live their lives.
 
Religious beliefs may motivate involvement in politics as a practice of good citizenship and a way to help one’s fellow man (or woman), and the religious can preach the gospel, or their version or interpretation of the gospel, to those who will listen, but the religious cannot force those of different beliefs, or no beliefs, to live their lives according to the specific individual beliefs and rules of their specific religion, denomination or sect.

AN INTERESTING PERSPECTIVE

This is an interesting perspective - one I had not thought about before.  

It appears to be an accurate explanation of the true hypocrisy of the so-called "pro-life" position of the Evangelicals of the Religious Right. 

CALLING A SPADE A SHOVEL

Supporting and defending the MAGA moron terrorists who attacked the Capital and downplaying the January 6th attack is no different than supporting and defending Al-Qaeda and downplaying the 9/11 attacks. 

According to federal law –

“the term ‘domestic terrorism’ means activities that—

(A) involve acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State;

(B) appear to be intended—

* to intimidate or coerce a civilian population 

* to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or 

* to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping; an

(C) occur primarily within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States.”

A terrorist is a terrorist. And a terrorist leader is a terrorist leader. Osama Bin Laden sent Al-Qaeda terrorists to carry out the 9/11 attacks and Donald Trump sent his MAGA moron terrorists to attack the Capital on 1/6.

The difference between Bin Laden and Trump – Bin Laden’s actions are to a degree based on ideology, but Trump’s actions are solely based on personal self-interest.

Fran Cirillo 

AIN'T THAT THE TRUTH!

 

hyp·​o·​crite | \ ˈhi-pə-ˌkrit 
 
1: a person who puts on a false appearance of virtue or religion
2: a person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings
3: a member of the Republican Party.
 
 
Republicans are among the first to call for Democrats to be held accountable for each and every indiscretion, impropriety or just plain bad act.  Democrats join in the call for accountability for their fellow Democrats.
 
However, Republicans can do anything to anyone at any time and as often as they want and Republican leaders and Republican elected officials refuse to criticize or hold them accountable - allowing these offenders to continue their offenses without sanction or punishment.
 
The Republican Party clearly believes that only Democrats should be punished for unethical, immoral, illegal, unconstitutional, or just plain bad acts or behavior.
 
Case in point - every single "bad act" that has ever been committed, or been accused of being committed, by any politician in my lifetime, and for which political careers have been destroyed, has been gleefully and unapologetically committed by Trump many, many times with complete impunity.

THE TRUMP VIRUS

 

COVID-19 is not the only new virus infecting Americans today.  There is also the Trump Virus.

 

While many people are calling coronavirus the “Trump Virus”, because of his complete incompetence in handling its outbreak, the Trump Virus is actually a separate disease.  The Trump Virus attacks the brain cells, totally stripping its victims of all intelligence.

 

The spread of the Trump Virus seems to be especially high among leaders of the Republican Party and elected Republican legislators at all levels – federal, state and local.

 

The most severe victim of the Trump Virus is Rudy Giuliani.  The disease has turned the man once known as “America’s Mayor” for his leadership after the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center into a complete blathering moron – the second biggest idiot in American politics today.

 

You may think I consider Trump himself to be the biggest idiot in American politics today – but he is only #3.  The biggest idiot in American politics today is Marjorie Taylor Greene.  But she is not a victim of the Trump Virus – she comes by her ignorance naturally. 

 

It is not known whether Jim Jordan is a victim of the Trump Virus or if he has always been a moron.

 

Similar to Taylor Greene, and perhaps Jim Jordan, the millions of MAGA morons that make up Trump’s core cult of ignorant racists, who cheer Trump’s every lie at rallies, are not victims of the Trump Virus.  They have always been morons.

THE NO GOP PLEDGE

I pledge to NEVER vote for ANY Republican candidate for ANY office at ANY level – local, state or national – until the Republican Party officially opposes, denounces and disavows Donald J. Trump, his lies, "Trumpism", and the agenda of the racist and repressive "Religious Right".

Trump is ignorant, incompetent and totally self-absorbed.  The one and only thing Donald J. Trump cares about is Donald J. Trump.  He is completely devoid of humanity and integrity and does not possess a single redeeming positive human quality or value.
 
In the history of our country no one individual has done more damage to America, American democracy and American values than Trump.
 
Support and defense of Trump is unacceptable and indefensible.  Supporting and voting for any candidate who supports and defends Trump is unacceptable and indefensible.
 
By embracing Trump and the Religious Right, the Republican Party has abandoned all integrity, honor and credibility and has abandoned true conservative and traditional Republican policy and values.
 
 
 
 
__________________________________________
Signature
 
 
Please print, sign and mail the NO GOP PLEDGE to your local, state and the national Republican Party offices.

THOSE WERE THE DAYS

 

Prior to Newt Gingrich becoming Speaker of the House – which was when the seeds for the ultimate destruction of the Republican Party were planted – Democrats and Republicans differed on policy issues.  It was conservative policy vs liberal policy.  One Party did not consider the other Party to be enemies of each other or of the American people or of democracy.  Members of Congress could rationally discuss and debate policy and they could actually compromise.  There was not the severe partisan divide that exists today – when, to be honest, we have seen the Republican Party truly become the enemy of the American people and American democracy.
 
And both Parties, with of course come exceptions, ultimately put county and the Constitution above Party – something the Republican Party no longer does. 
 
To be fair, over the last about 30 years both Parties shared blame for the partisanship divide.  I had consistently said in the past the Republican Party could introduce legislation that would without a doubt ensure world peace and American prosperity and Democrats in Congress would vote against it simply because it was proposed by Republicans – and vice versa.  Before the Trump debacle when discussing Congresspersons I would always refer to them as “the idiots in Congress”.
 
I applaud President Biden’s hope to return to some form of rational, legitimate and civil political discourse – but worry that it will be very difficult to accomplish without a complete turnaround and a return to integrity, ethics and belief in true conservative values by the Republican Party. 
 
A look back at some history from my childhood.  The following is from the official Republican Party Platform of 1956 (the highlight is mine) -
 
“While jealously guarding the free institutions and preserving the principles upon which our Republic was founded and has flourished, the purpose of the Republican Party is to establish and maintain a peaceful world and build at home a dynamic prosperity in which every citizen fairly shares.
 
We shall ever build anew, that our children and their children, without distinction because of race, creed or color, may know the blessings of our free land.
 
We believe that basic to governmental integrity are unimpeachable ethical standards and irreproachable personal conduct by all people in government. We shall continue our insistence on honesty as an indispensable requirement of public service. We shall continue to root out corruption whenever and wherever it appears.”
 
As we learned recently, today’s Republican Party no longer believes any of this – especially the highlighted portion.  With too few exceptions today’s Republicans clearly openly embrace and enable unethical, dishonest and corrupt politicians.

THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IS A CULT

 

The Republican Party no longer represents and supports truth, justice and the American way.

 

The Republican Party no longer represents and supports true conservative values and policies.

 

The Republican Party represents and supports lies, corruption, bigotry, and fascism.

 

The Republican Party represents and supports the selfish personal interests of one ignorant, incompetent, delusional, dangerous, and totally self-absorbed man.

 

The Republican Party is no longer a credible or legitimate political party – it is a cult.

 

True conservatives and traditional Republicans must totally abandon the Republican Party - just as the Republican Party has TOTALLY abandoned them.

 

A new political party that is actually based on true conservative values and policies – one that rejects, denounces and disavows Trump and “Trumpism” and the bigotry and repression of the so-called “evangelicals” of the religious right – must be formed.  Perhaps called the Liberty Party.

THE GREENE SLIME

I am not talking about a 1968 Japanese-American science fiction movie, but the 2021 deplorable and despicable Republican Congresswoman.

 

Why shouldn’t members of Congress he held responsible for what they have said and done before being elected?

 

Being sworn in as a Congressperson does not automatically make a person more intelligent, honest or sensible, or suddenly make them grow a conscience.

 

If a person was a moron and a bigot before being elected to Congress, they are still a moron and a bigot after being sworn in.

 

Past words and deeds identify whether a person has intelligence, judgement and character – qualities needed by members of Congress (although, sadly, too many Republican members of Congress apparently do not possess them).

 

If the Republican Party is willing to accept totally worthless pieces of excrement like Marjorie Taylor Greene “under the umbrella” it must publicly and officially denounce every one of her past words, posts and deeds.  And Green must be required to publicly denounce her past beliefs and apologize to the American people and the targets of her malicious words, posts and deeds or be shunned by and removed from the Republican Conference and the Republican Party and forced to resign.

 

Democrat Al Franken was forced to resign from Congress for one childish and unacceptable joke in his past.  A Republican Congressperson should not avoid the same penalty for multiple past ignorant, bigoted, malicious, and unacceptable words and deeds simply because she is a member of Trump’s core cult of ignorant racists, and holding her accountable would offend and alienate the rest of the cult.

 

It must not be easy, or acceptable, to be Greene.  We have a Green Party – we do not need a Greene Party.

 

By being more afraid of “offending” and alienating Trump’s core cult of ignorant racists than offending and alienating true conservatives and traditional Republicans the Republican Party has announced to America and the world that it is officially the Party of ignorance and racism.

THE TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH, AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH

 

Trump, everything he says, has tweeted, and does, and everything he represents is in direct contradiction to true conservative, traditional Republican and legitimate Christian beliefs and values.
 
Trump as the “voice” of the Republican Party is like a meat-eater heading up a vegetarian society.
 
There is no intelligent, rational, legitimate, or acceptable reason for any American to support Trump.  Trump the man is ignorant, incompetent, totally self-absorbed, and completely devoid of integrity, honor, character, ethics, morals, and humanity.  He does not possess a single redeeming positive human quality, and has never performed a single totally unselfish positive act in his adult life. 
 
Anyone who actually listens to, believes and supports Trump is a moron and/or a racist and/or has no conscience.
 
By refusing to publicly denounce and disavow Trump, and hold him accountable for his multitude of “sins”, the Republican Party has totally abandoned all integrity, honor and credibility, and all conservative beliefs and values, and should be abandoned by true conservatives and traditional Republicans. 
 
Every Republican in Congress who has supported and enabled Trump during his Presidency must be voted out of office.  Republican candidates, for any office at any level, who do not publicly denounce and disavow Trump must be aggressively opposed.  Republican candidates, for any office at any level, who have consistently opposed and denounced Trump and “Trumpism”, and continue to openly oppose and denounce Trump and “Trumpism”, should be aggressively encouraged and supported.

WE MUST NOT FORGET

 

While dealing with the pandemic is obviously the current top priority of the Biden Administration, once COVID is behind us Joe and the Democrats must deal with the issues that arose during the Trump disaster.

 

These include –

 

* Repealing the outdated Electoral College.  The popular vote must be the only determination of who wins the presidential election.  If there had been no Electoral College there would have been no Trump presidency – Hillary got about 3 Million more votes in the 2016 election than Trump.

 

* Passing legislation requiring candidates for President and Vice President to make at least 5 years of tax returns public. 

 

* Passing legislation requiring the President and Vice President to totally divest themselves of (i.e. sell off) all business interests and other investments – putting their cash in blind trusts.

We can never assume that a presidential candidate, or an elected President, has any basic integrity or honesty - or even intelligence.  Trump obviously had no integrity, no honesty and no intelligence.