We Need Civics Classes for Reporters

Elections are often times for parents to teach their young children about the American government and how our democracy functions. It’s a great time to explain the Constitution, two houses of Congress, Federalism, and other aspects of the American system that make us unique.

Unfortunately, it seems many reporters and pundits never learned that lesson and need remedial classes.

For the best in political ignorance, I recommend Twitter. That’s where we find the first example from my favorite know-it-all who’s website is best known for it’s ludicrous mistakes.

Go See Gosnell: The Trial of America’s Biggest Serial Killer

I recently saw the new movie about abortionist Kermit Gosnell. It is a powerful film and I recommend everyone see it. When you do watch this movie, keep in mind it is about real events. It is about a real woman who was killed due to medical malpractice. It is about real babies who were born alive and then callously murdered. It is about a real monster who viewed himself as a hero as he butchered the most innocent.

There is a reason the full name of the movie is Gosnell: The Trial of America’s Biggest Serial Killer.

Here’s something else to keep in mind while watching the movie. When trying the case, the prosecutor says a version of a line spoken over and over by pro-choice activists: the Gosnell trial was about one man’s crimes, not abortion itself. This is wrong, and not something the left-wing activists repeating it even believed.

Democrats’ Power Play

It seems like we can’t go very long into a discussion on the Kavanaugh scandal without someone on the left bringing up Merrick Garland.

Clarification: You actually do not need to convict someone of a crime to conclude that filling a Supreme Court seat with that person, at that time, is a bad idea, for whatever reason.

See, for instance, Garland, Merrick.

— Ezra Klein (@ezraklein) September 27, 2018

When Grassley talks abt how long 65 to 70 days of a wait is for a SC nominee, just say: Merrick Garland, Merrick Garland, Merrick Garland.
When Graham talks abt how partisan this is and how terrible this process is, just say: Merrick Garland, Merrick Garland. Merrick Garland.

— Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@RepJayapal) September 27, 2018

Here’s the thing – not voting on Garland was a power play by Senate Republicans. Let’s admit that. Republicans had the power so they got their way.

But the Kavanaugh scandal is supposed to be about justice for a victim of sexual assault. If so, why even mention Garland? Why, unless to Democrats this isn’t about a woman they believe was assaulted but is instead a power play of their own?

How to Argue the Kavanaugh Scandal – and How Not To

Last week, Brett Kavanaugh’s ascension to the Supreme Court seemed all but certain. Then Sen. Feinstein threw a grenade into the mix by releasing a letter from Christine Blasey Ford accusing Kavanaugh of attempted rape some 30 odd years ago. This has led to a flurry of accusations, denials, defenses, and counter-accusations.

Instead of confirming Kavanaugh this week as planned, the Senate will reopen the hearing next week to investigate the accusation. If your social media feed is like mine, you have engaged in or seen numerous arguments about the scandal. Here are some helpful do’s and don’t’s for debating the accusation against Kavanaugh.

#metoo

Unite the Right Against Racism

Some parasites have attempted to latch on to the right. We must shake them off.

A year ago, a group of white supremacists held a rally in Charlottesvile, VA. Neo-Nazi punks mixed with well dressed young men in khakis and white polo shirts carrying tiki torches to march in a demonstration billed as “Unite the Right.” They were attempting to present the right wing of America as a common cause amongst conservatives, libertarians, nationalists, and racists. We cannot let that happen.

What’s the Difference between Socialism and Democratic Socialism?

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is the new it girl of the left. She captured the imagination of liberal America when she defeated longtime Democratic congressman Joe Crowley in the Democrat primary. Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez called her the future of the Democrat Party.

She calls herself a democratic socialist.

So what’s the difference between regular old socialism and democratic socialism? We can look out to the world and see examples of socialism. There are the communist countries, most of which collapsed in the early 1990’s. Today, we most often point to Venezuela, a country with vast economic resources that elected an avowed socialist and then quickly descended into abject poverty and despotism. A google news search for Venezuela returns story after story of deprivation, misery, and brutality, all done in the name of socialism.

But that’s not democratic socialism, they say.

America Can Confront Putin Without Going to War

I see too many Republicans defending/excusing Russia in order to defend Trump. This is wrong. Trump is wrong.

Romney was right. Russia is America’s number one geopolitical foe. The list of recent Russian transgressions is extensive.

Russia is led by a former KGB agent and has invaded and annexed territory from two neighboring countries, the first time this has happened in Europe since World War II. Russia is bombing civilians in Syria while supporting Iran, the number one state sponsor of terror in the world. Russia is assassinating dissidents on NATO soil using banned chemical and radiological weapons. A year ago yesterday, Russian forces shot down a civilian airliner over Ukraine. And as Trump periodically admits, Russia interfered with our elections.

America First?

After his election, Obama went on what became known as an apology tour. He went to other countries and criticized America for past actions. Mitt Romney, along with most Republicans, rightly called him out for it.

We can have debates about what America has done or is doing, and the right way forward, but those debates should be conducted in-house. There is no excuse for the president of the United States, or any other Federal employee for that matter, condemning America in foreign lands for whatever reason, let alone to excuse the bad behavior of other countries.

It was wrong when Obama did it. It is wrong when Trump does it.

Let’s Get Rid Of This Whole Democracy Thing

Democracy is messy and doesn’t always get the right results. Sometimes the president uses and abuses his power to harm those he should protect. Sometimes Congress fails to pass an important piece of legislation, or worse, passes a bad law. Sometimes the executive agencies enforce laws in a way we don’t like.

Enough.

It’s time we give up on democracy. Sure, we can keep Congress, the Constitution, and all that hullabaloo around for old times sake, but we need a supreme governing body that will do the right thing without having to worry about what the American people want.

Dear Democrats: We Warned You

I have a simple message for Democrats: I told you so. And I don’t hate to say it. In fact, I quite enjoy saying “I told you so.”

In 2013, Democrats we’re frustrated that Republicans were filibustering some of President Obama’s nominees. Republicans were in the minority in the Senate and could not defeat Obama’s nominees outright, but they could use Senate procedure to keep them from being confirmed, just as whichever party was in the minority has done for decades. But instead of taking their lumps and working out a compromise with Republicans, Democrats decided to change the rules of the Senate to ram their nominees through.

Republicans at the time warned Democrats that they would not always be in the majority and would one day want the rights the filibuster offered the minority party.