Below is my column in the Hill on the effort of Democratic officials to keep Robert Kennedy on the ballot in swing states after seeking to block actual candidates from the same ballots. It is all in the name of democracy.
Here is the column:
In 1968, in the midst of Democratic convention riots, Chicago Mayor Richard Daley famously declared, “The policeman isn’t there to create disorder; the policeman is there to preserve disorder.”
Democratic state election officials appear to have adopted a similar approach to the upcoming election. In states such as North Carolina and Michigan, Democrats are fighting to keep the name of Robert Kennedy, Jr. on the ballot even though he withdrew from the race and endorsed former president Donald Trump. These are key states where the misplacement of even 1 percent of votes could turn the outcome of not just the state but the entire election.
In Michigan, Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson recently fought to keep third-party candidate Cornel West off the ballot. Unlike Kennedy, who is viewed as likely to drain votes from Trump, West is viewed as pulling votes from Vice President Kamala Harris, particularly among those opposed to her policies toward Israel.
A court ruled against Benson and said that she was adopting an artificially narrow interpretation to keep Kennedy on the ballot.
In North Carolina, where Trump and Harris are in a statistical tie, Democrats also refused to remove Kennedy’s name. An appellate court this week ordered them to do so to avoid the obvious confusion for voters.
Recently, the same Democratic officials sought to block West from the ballot due to his campaign causing “partisan mischief.”
These efforts are being pursued in other states such as Wisconsin (another key state), where Democrats on the election board blocked a Republican effort to remove Kennedy’s name.
In Michigan and North Carolina, officials have the distinction of fighting to keep a popular candidate from the ballot while fighting to retain a non-existent candidate.
It is all in the name of protecting democracy from itself.
Previously, Democrats in Florida and North Carolina fought to block other Democrats from appearing on primary ballots. Candidates like Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.), author Marianne Williamson and commentator Cenk Uygur faced concerted campaigns by election officials and advocates to prevent voters from having a choice in the primary.
After preventing a meaningful primary and securing the nomination for President Biden, Democrats later handed the nomination to Harris without a single vote from a single primary voter.
Democratic activists are now calling it an election by “acclamation,” like a political version of the immaculate conception in which a candidate is simply conceived by the party elite. It is enough to make the Chinese Central Committee blush.
Harris was then walled off from the media to avoid any unscripted interactions, including by putting earbuds in her ears in what many called a clearly fake call to avoid press questions.
At the same time, Democratic supporters are now arguing that it is not necessary for Harris to offer detailed plans or agree to interviews in a campaign that is selling “joy” and “good vibes” like political valium.
Others appear to believe that saving democracy means holding Harris to a different, more deferential standard. New York Times editorial board member Mara Gay appeared on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” to defend treating Harris differently: “I think the challenge, not just for journalists, but really for the country, is that not only is Donald Trump a threat, but, you know, it lowers the bar. So, I don’t think it’s unacceptable,” she said.
Somewhere in that double negative, journalism perished. In my new book, I discuss how journalists are now sometimes taught to dispense with both neutrality and objectivity in favor of framing the news for viewers and readers.
You see, it is all about saving democracy. Gay explained: “The context is difficult because of the extremism of the Republican Party, because of how extreme Donald Trump is, it’s hard to hold both candidates accountable equally, because one is committed to democracy and is functioning as a normal candidate from a normal American party, and the other is not.”
This was echoed by “Morning Joe” host Joe Scarborough, who said that life as we know it would end unless Harris is elected, telling viewers that the “autocrat” Trump would throw opponents in jail and take media outlets off the air: “So, yeah, the threats to democracy are real,” he said. “But [so are] the threats to the free market, the threats to free enterprise, to our economy.”
Other guests amplified that dire message further and criticized people for covering how Harris is changing her positions and refusing to offer details on policies. It appears that this election is simply too important for substantive debate. After all, Harris has said that 2024 “genuinely could be” the last democratic election in America’s history. The last thing we need is a substantive election at this precarious time.
The omitted details include Harris’s support for policies that many of us view as a direct threat to our constitutional system, including censorship and court packing.
Both candidates have much to address that they would prefer to ignore. The media is correct to press Trump on many of these issues. Yet, the success of any democratic system is dependent on three key elements: participation, information and choice. Getting the vote out takes on a menacing meaning if voters are being protected from the distractions of facts. Winning at any cost is no virtue in a democracy, even when claiming to be a defender of democracy.
Jonathan Turley is the Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law at George Washington University and the author of “The Indispensable Right: Free Speech in an Age of Rage.”
“The “autocrat” Trump would throw opponents in jail and take media outlets off the air” — kind of like what the Democrats are doing now! They know the playbook because they wrote it, and now they’re afraid it will be used against them.
Like little children who do not calculate actions and consequences; when caught stealing the cookies they scream and cry when the leather belt comes out.
“The context is difficult because of the extremism of the (Democrat) Party, because of how extreme (Kamala Harris) is, it’s hard to hold both candidates accountable equally, because one is committed to democracy and is functioning as a normal candidate from a normal American party, and the other is not.”
Ring a bell?
The leftist controlled Democrat party is the extreme party. Just look at all their attacks on free speech.
“… Democratic supporters are now arguing that it is not necessary for Harris to offer detailed plans or agree to interviews in a campaign that is selling “joy” and “good vibes” like political Valium. …”
-Snip-
Mara Gay via MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” “… is that not only is Donald Trump a threat, …”
IF he’s such a “Threat”, What is he a Threat of ???
Perhaps a “Kill-Joy of Good Vibes”
This is getting old. When times get tough, They accuse You (Trump) of something your not.
Because that’s a reality that They think puts them in control.
These are Crazy People.
* There is no USA anymore. There’s nothing here that even resembles it. All that’s here since Obama is an insane asylum.
Where can anyone go? I’d suggest trying another good reputation nation from the old world to see if another orbit is anywhere to be found.
This is immoral, criminal and insane.
Gbye
Well we have dealt with imperfect candidates before but usually we did not find out that much until they were in office already or were on their way out.
Woodrow Wilson-who the NAACP moved to support when Republicans were not producing enough equality and then they ended up worse
Harding was corrupt , Coolidge colorless , Hoover was a good man but inadequate for the Job, FDR-charisma and used disaster to transform the republic and built a monolith in DC during the crisis of the depression and WW 2 but was out of his league dealing with Stalin and his American sensibilities blinded him to what he was getting in bed with (whereas Churchill was not but Churchill had his own issues), Truman not a crook but did try to nationalize railroads and steel mills when labor troubles arose, Eisenhower was good and decent but not perfect but should have tried to shrink the monster Roosevelt built, JFK real substance and promise but not so quick as we thought and a weakness for MM, and on and on.
In other words-real people. Saints don’t run for president and if they claim they are then you should avoid them.
The only thing extreme really about Trump is his personality. His policies-are not extreme in light of history both recent and distant. The problem for too many people is that he actually plans to fulfill what he promises and the Republicans who stood in his way after 2016 are no longer in power.
The Democrats gave us The preacher (Obama) the unifier (Biden) and Joy (Kamala) but the programs remain the same and unpalatable and the spending and debt is with out end and an open border that has disrupted communities and killed citizens all across the land and there is no end in sight
The press has aided in this for nearly a century and needs to pay the price because they are part and parcel of this civil disorder. The Last time The NY Times endorsed a Republican was 1952, almost 70 years ago. I think that says about as much as you need.
Both Presidential candidates have problems with authenticity — both suffer from untrustworthiness.
Of the 2, I think Trump has an easier path to addressing his negatives. You see, Judge Chutkin just allowed Jack Smith to make public all the depositions from Trump-insiders like Mark Meadows about the multiple 2020 post-election plots, all the juicy details that were covered up so far. Jack Smith will expose all his evidence to the “court of public opinion” in October.
Trump therefore has an opportunity to pre-empt this by doing a TV interview beforehand, candidly admitting to everything Jack Smith will be revealing. This will shock people. It will redefine Trump as a competitor who can admit to mistakes and take responsibility, instead of doubling down. That is what independent voters and women who know all about distrustful men want to hear from Trump. It would cement his comeback to finally address his negatives with authenticity and honesty.
The only question is whether he’ll have the cojones to do this. The cowardly, loser midget in him might say to just keep denying and dissembling, which would hand Jack Smith a pre-election victory, and solidify Trump’s negatives with key undecideds. The way I see October rolling out, it’s Trump’s election to lose, based on lack of courage to make strategic adjustments.
MORE TORT!!!
MORE TORT
No, pbinca is actually saying: MORE LAVARENTIY BERIA STYLE POLICE STATE FASCISM FROM JACK SMITH!!!!!
” how either party could achieve an unchallengeable lock on power”
Pbinca, that is why the Democrat Party relies on lies and illegal actions to help them get elected. They use prosecutors who abuse their power, lie and steal.
You questioned Trump’s cojones, but do you lack them, and that is why you refuse to attach significant fact to your comments about Trump.
Take note of how you manage to single out Trump with barely a word about Harris who fails to demonstrate an ability to lead. Though you are intelligent and can spin words to suit your needs, you refuse to let anyone else have the power to disagree with what you wish. From what you say here and elsewhere, the only thing that would comfort you would be for you is dictatorship from the left.
S. Meyer: you have it exactly backwards–it’s Republicans whose frontrunner is a convicted criminal, who is a pathological liar, and who got fake electors to falsify Electoral College documents, who tried to force the VP to refuse certified votes and who pressured Secretaries of State to “find” votes he didn’t get. It’s Republicans who passed laws purporting to give vote-counters some “discretion” to refuse to certify votes on a whim. Just today, Trump doubled down on his pledge to try to jail his perceived enemies. Name just ONE prosecutor who has lied and stolen anything. OTOH–Trump stole classified documents and lied about returning them. That’s just ONE example of his criminal behavior.
Harris was a Senator and Attorney General before becoming VP. Where do you get off claiming that she cannot lead? It’s Trump who cannot lead. What has he ever accomplished in his pathetic life? He is a trust-fund baby who not only inherited wealth he squandered, who has a list of failed businesses as long as your arm, but who got bailed out to the tune of hundreds of millions by his Daddy, which is when the bankruptcies started. Why not believe the words of former members of his administration that say he has problems paying attention because he really doesn’t care, that daily briefings had to be “dumbed down” for him, that he has no leadership abilities, that he’s not respected by other world leaders
“S. Meyer: you have it exactly backwards–it’s Republicans whose frontrunner is a convicted criminal”
Gigi, when you start with a lie that has been corrected many times, one immediately knows they are dealing with a person with a learning disability or one who is unable to recognize the truth. Trump is not a convicted felon until the judge rules. What you said means that there are many convicted felons roaming our streets who never committed a crime. Sometimes, the Judge disagrees with the jury, and sometimes, the case is carried forward on appeal.
You write junk. Everyone well knows that. When you look up the law and admit your lie and failure in this case, I will read forward to the following error. Reading more without an apology is a stupid waste of time, especially if a person’s replies are lies or based on stupidity.
The jury found Trump guilty of 34 felonies.. Judge Merchan entered JUDGMENT on the verdict. That makes Trump a convicted felon. Trump has not yet been sentenced—but, that in no way vitiates the verdict and judgment of guilt, And, if the judge were going to over rule the verdict it would be before the Judge entered judgment on the verdict. And, BTW, Judge Merchan deferred sentencing so that Trump cannot whine about his sentence costing him the election if he loses. I am neither lying nor stupid–what qualifies you to opine that Trump is not a convicted felon because he has not yet been sentenced, given the fact that the jury returned 34 guilty verdicts? And, in any event, no matter what the sentencing or appeals–TRUMP IS GUILTY.
I’m stil waiting for you to name one prosecutor who lied or stole anything, like you claimed.
“The jury found Trump guilty of 34 felonies..”
It is still pending a final decision and you are still stupid.
You need to stop listening to whatever MAGA media is telling you this— the jury found Trump guilty and was dismissed. Judge Merchan accepted the verdict and entered judgment. There is such a thing as JNOV- judgment notwithstanding the verdict, but that didn’t happen because Judge Merchan entered judgment. The issue of Trump’s guilt is over and done with. Now the case is in the penalty phase, which Judge Merchan deferred until after the election to take away any claim of election interference if Trump loses. Now if Judge Merchan was the partisan hack Trump and Republicans accuse him of being, he would have gone ahead and sentenced Trump— but he didn’t.
Keep repeating your nonsense. It makes the left look like it is grabbing at straws.
The jury concluded unlawfully because of the Judge. That needs to be appealed. A Supreme Court case makes much of the evidence unlawful and open to appeal. That needs to be resolved. Numerous other things surrounding the Judge make the case unlawful. These are all claims that must go to a higher court. The Judge has yet to conclude.
No, Trump is not yet guilty and remains innocent until proven guilty. That is the law of the land. The case will be appealed, But why does the left hold so dearly on errantly calling Trump a fraud? Because that lie is a selling point, the left knows they have no selling points. That is why Kamala won’t get before Mike.
Trump No War
Kamala Trump is a felon even though he isn’t and will be found innocent
Trump Better economy
Kamala Trump is a felon even though he isn’t and will be found innocent
Trump Cloe the border
Trump is a felon even though he isn’t and will be found innocent
Do you get the point? Trump is a winner and Kamala a zero.
The jury found Trump guilty of 34 felonies.. Judge Merchan entered JUDGMENT on the verdict. That makes Trump a convicted felon.
When does Biden stand trial for his 50 years of serial felonies WHILE IN OFFICE, Gigi? His own hand picked prosecutor said he’s a serial felon from all the way back to the 1970’s, but as Biden’s DoJ prosecutor, he was not going to indict and try the boss who authorizes his continued employment at the DoJ.
I’m stil waiting for you to name one prosecutor who lied or stole anything, like you claimed.
That’s easy. Both of Obama/Biden’s last two Attorney Generals, both Obama/Biden’s FBI Directors, and every single FBI and DoJ prosecutor who perjured themselves to FISA courts and uttered false documents to FISA courts.
Not just lying, PERJURY: swearing that the “Russia Dossier” was all intelligence agency product and all verified as true with no contrary information prior to giving that to the court to get the spy warrants that FISA said were illegal. Add the felony of ‘Uttering A False Document’.
Oopsy, gigi!
Now, need a reminder of what the Manhattan U.S. Attorney’s Office Spokesman said about Alvan Bragg’s police state fascist prosecution of Trump? Sure you do! You always want to tell us what people from inside Trump’s time as VP have to say:
Manhattan U.S. Attorney’s Office Spokesman Says Alvin Bragg’s Prosecution of Trump Is A Perversion of Justice, A travesty Of Justice, And A Mockery Of American Justice
https://justthenews.com/government/federal-agencies/doj-official-calls-da-alvin-bragg-and-letitia-james-idiots-who-run-new
S. Meyer: you have it exactly backwards–it’s Republicans whose frontrunner is a convicted criminal, who is a pathological liar
Hmmmm… Gigi! Biden says he graduated with two degrees at the top of his class on a full pull scholarship! AND he turned down a scholarship at the Naval Academy to play football with Heisman Trophy winner Roger Staubach. AND he never knew anything about his son’s customers, who they were, what their names were, and he never once met with any of them and especially never in the Vice President’s office!
Oh, and if he and Obama pass Obamacare, if you like your health care plan you can keep your health care plan!
If you have a few hours Gigi, we can go over the list. The list of SUBSTANTIAL lies about what he did and didn’t do while in office.
As for lifelong criminals Gigi… there is this
Special Counsel Finds Sufficient Evidence To Convict President Biden Of Multiple Felonies Before, During, And After Serving As Vice President But Refuses To Indict
As long as your own DoJ and hand picked special counsel will give you the Clinton Get-Out-Of-Jail- No- Would Indict/Convict-Card… Gigi loves her candidates with decades of felonies and serial lying from their decades in office.
Gigi at her Birthing Person finest on Trump: Why not believe the words of former members of his administration that say he has problems paying attention.
You have a credibility problem Gigi – none of those people including Vice President Cackle Ho Of The Calloused Knees were just a few short weeks ago telling Americans Biden was sharp as a tack and working young staffers half his age into the ground.
Not ONE of these pathological liars from your party was willing to tell Americans the truth: Biden has scrambled eggs for brains.
Especially the callous kneed slut named VP Cackle Ho who was supposedly “the last one in the room” with him every day, on every decision.
pbinca: “cement his comeback”? From WHAT? According to Trump, he won–what is there for him to “come back” from? The majority of Americans did NOT vote for him in 2016 or 2020, and we don’t like him any better now than we did then. You say he should “candidly admit” to the facts contained in the SWORN testimony that Jack Smith will be revealing? You ignore the simple truth that Trump is a narcissistic sociopath–he can NEVER be wrong, and if things don’t go his way, he will: 1. claim he got screwed one way or another by enemies “out to get him”; and/or 2. continue to lie about the facts. There exists NO WAY Trump is ever going to admit that he’s been lying all along–The Big Lie, the attacks on E. Jean Carroll and Stormy Daniels, both of whom juries found credible, the attacks on the various judges who have ruled against him, the attacks on Republicans who put their party above Trump, the lies about Mexico paying to build the wall, lying about the seriousness of COVID, lying about delivering a “miracle” economy, calling migrants “animals, vermin, murderers and rapists”.,……
What are his “negatives”? The list is too long, but it includes sexually assaulting E. Jean Carroll and defaming her, twice, stealing classified documents, refusing to return them, lying about returning them, lying about Joe Biden sanctioning the FBI to kill Trump based on boilerplate language in all search warrants, falsifying business records to cover up trysts with a porn actress and nude model to hide his conduct, falsifying financial statements and loan applications, bragging about grabbing womens’ genitals. How about endlessly exaggerating everying and flip-flopping on abortion–first he brags about getting Roe v. Wade overturned, and when he finally figured out this is unpopular, changed position.
How about all of the Republicans who have turned against him, including the Cheyneys, the former members of his administration, like H.R. McMaster, Gens. Kelly and Milley, all of whom say he is not fit to serve and that foreign leaders have no respect for him. Then, there’s the absolute mess he left Biden to fix–COVID out of control, schools, businesses, restaurants closed, no leisure travel all while he’s telling us it will go away when the weather warms up, high unemployment, strained relations with NATO and EU allies….. Then, there’s the tariffs that will push us into a recession, not even to mention Project 2025 that most Americans DO NOT WANT, so he lies about it even though it was mostly drafted by former members of his administration. All of this in addition to felony convictions and multiple indictments. Will he ever own up to responsibility for the death of Ashli Babbitt, who died believing his lies? Rick Wison says “Everything Trump Touches Dies”–it’s the title of a book –and he’s right. You say “… Trump as a competitor who can admit to mistakes and take responsibility, instead of doubling down”–do you really think he would admit to all of the foreging, pay damages to the Babbitt family, return the stolen classified documents, apologize to E. Jean Carroll, Stormy Daniels, various judges and their families that he has slandered and who have faced death threats, apologize to various Republicans and Democrats he has slandered, admit that he tried to get Raffensberger to steal votes from Biden, own up to falsifying business records and loan applications, and pay the judgments he owes? The issue isn’t “courage”–it’s integrity–something Trump doesn’t have. What he DOES have is a large ego and palpable fear of being branded a loser and losing control by going to jail.
You are living in a dream world if you believe that all Trump needs is “strategic adjustments”. Yes, the choice is clear.
Gigenius
What happened to Trump’s tariffs, that you claim are the cause of 9% inflation?
Cheyneys
Gigenius shows her true genius again
How about all of the Republicans who have turned against him, like H.R. McMaster, Gens. Kelly and Milley
All those generals who assured you Trump was a failure as a president… but didn’t utter a single peep of dismay that Bribery Biden deserted Afghanistan for a photo op, deserting thousands of Americans and our allies to die at the hands of hajji Muslim terrorists. Leaving enough military weapons, aircraft, drones, artillery to equip a NATO nation – or for hajji Iranian sponsored terrorists to murder Americans for decades to come.
Not one of those generals said “This is Biden deserting Americans and Americans to die for a THIRD time since coming to the White House. Now he is lying to Americans and our soldiers that no soldier died while he was Commander In Chief – his is not fit to lead.”
Generals like that are really persuasive to normal Americans, Gigi.
Almost as much as you’re persuasive that these culls should change our minds. Milley helped Biden desert Americans to die TWICE.
That will change minds!
You cannot have any self esteem to come here so eagerly to so pathetically and pathologically serial lie.
McMaster admired Trump and recognized his abilities.
Both Presidential candidates have problems with authenticity — both suffer from untrustworthiness.
All politicians suffer from varying degrees of untrustworthiness as far as serving in office as they claimed they would do. Ditto for commentators here.
It is one MASSIVE attempt at forming a false moral equivalency to put Trump and Biden or Trump and Harris or Trump and Obama to put them on the same level.
Obama was pretty much the exact opposite of everything he ran as and assured Americans he was – the claims of being a president for all Americans is the first thing that comes to mind.
Biden, his Vice President, promised to be a moderate – another “most transparent administration ever”, another president for all Americans.
What is always missing in these condemnations of Trump and attempts at pathetic moral equivelencies is comparing what they said they would do if elected – and what they actually did after being elected.
That’s how you measure untrustworthiness – not emotional pandering to service the police state fascist Democrats.
pbinca: You see, Judge Chutkin just allowed Jack Smith to make public all the depositions from Trump-insiders like Mark Meadows about the multiple 2020 post-election plots
Oh look at that! Right before the election! A one sided Jack Smith Lavarentiy Beria style day in court just before the election that Trump can do little to respond to in turn!!! What a coincidence that is!!!!
The fastest rocket docket in history… can California commies admit this is more Jack Smith election interference?
A replay to what he did to Obama/Biden’s most feared potential opponent in 2012 in that election? Remember how that one turned out, bpinca? Of course, to quote gloating Harry Reid after that election when asked about his lies “So what… Obama won, didn’t he?”
BTW, Mark Meadows wasn’t an “insider” – as Turley and others including federal prosecutors have pointed out, he was part of the Trump administration. But despite the immunities decision, Jack Smith has kept Mark Meadows inside this new subpoena he filed to try and get past the requirement to fix the crap he rushed through to use this prosecution to fix the election.
The cowardly, loser midget in him might say to just keep denying and dissembling, which would hand Jack Smith a pre-election victory
It takes a police state fascist and cowardly neo-communist that is an ethical midget in every cell of his body to support and push a vile, evil police state fascist like Jack Smith, straight from Lenin’s Laverentiy Beria with his famous “Show me the man and I’ll find you his crimes.”
Need a link to the case where SCOTUS unanimously threw out Smith’s 2012 prosecution of Obama’s most feared opponent, found that he made up law and changed law to suit his purposes, deceived the court and jurors?
And for the first time I’m aware of, a SCOTUS decision held that the prosecutor whose conviction they were throwing out was, to quote: “a threat to our separation of powers”.
You Cheap Fake American police state fascists… you’re disgusting.
The decision has already been made!
“campaign that is selling “joy” and “good vibes” like political valium.”
This is the same lie the Nazi’s fed the German people:
NS Gemeinschaft Kraft durch Freude (German for ‘Strength Through Joy’; KdF).
How were these people allowed to creep into our government? So many openly display the hatred for the constitution of which they violate regularly, our people and the nation’s success?
Simply believe what the dems tell us: 2024 will be the last democratic election. That is if they win. After that they will ensure they will stay in power for ever.
Explain how either party could achieve an unchallengeable lock on power. Just because some zealot says something doesn’t make it true. Our nation’s core 80% of voters DO NOT WANT 1-party rule, and that makes it almost impossible to achieve.
” how either party could achieve an unchallengeable lock on power”
Pbinca, that is why the Democrat Party relies on lies and illegal actions to help them get elected.
Lies, yes! The Hunter laptop cover-up (which only had to cast its magic spell for 3 weeks to be effective) is a great example of deceitful infowarfare used toward political ends.
That’s why I’ve been suggesting to expand defamation law, so that lawsuits may be filed immediately following the pushout of a public fraud (a false narrative launched for political effect). If those types of lawsuits were allowed, the Hunter laptop cover-up could have been legally challenged while people were still deciding who to vote for — while getting the truth out still mattered. Now, after the fact, everyone knows how the cover-up was orchestrated (with CIA expertise in PsyOps, thans to Mike Morrell), but it matters little — unless we adapt the law to do better in the future — to make it harder to dupe the gullible among the electorate.
Illegal campaign activities? You’ll have to give specifics.
“a great example of deceitful infowarfare used toward political ends.”
You are correct, but the way to manage that is to first reduce the size of government, the power of our intelligence agencies and to fire all those involved or those who should have prevented these effects. If the IC is too afraid to talk against their own, then they are too scared to be in such an agency. There are other ways of management but not necessary to discuss at present.
“That’s why I’ve been suggesting to expand defamation law,”
Such expansion is not a problem as long as the government remains outside of the decision making as to what is or what is not defamation. Maybe I have the wrong impression but you seem to want the government as an active party in that type of discussion. If I erred I hope you correct me because I agree that defamation should be prevented as best as possible. I am for changing Sullivan and creating a sharp difference between a platform and a service that moderates opinion. You might remember the from the discussions on section 230 where I provided Professor Hamburger’s ideas about 230.
The above was me, sent by the cyberdevils. I will continue.
We need honest government. The Biden-Harris administration didn’t provide it, and neither will Harris. For those reasons and others, they should never have been elected.
“Illegal campaign activities? You’ll have to give specifics.”
As you know, those specifics were presented on this blog many times. A few were included in the documentary 2000 Mules and heavily discussed. I believe there was a lot of ballot fraud, and we see more and more evidence that it occurred. Many of the times when such proof came forth, the proof was documented on this blog. John Say has been good about such documentation.
Democrats and Republicans could improve government if prior voting procedures were returned to the tried and proven, such as picture ID, paper ballots, single-day voting at the precinct, updated voter lists, etc.
I don’t know if you approve of any of these suggestions, so I appreciate you telling me where you are. If you disagree, I hope you will correct my errors, including why you believe I am wrong.
pbinca, feigning ignorance again: Illegal campaign activities? You’ll have to give specifics.
It is a felony to pay foreign nationals to work on or for political campaigns. Commissioning and spending $6 million dollars to hire a Russian spy under investigation by the FBI for espionage to write the Obama/Clinton “Russia Dossier” fraud, and then partner with The New York Times to “leak” that dossier as being verified intelligence agency product. The multiple felonies committed by Obama/Biden’s Attorney Generals and FBI Directors to follow the orders to perjure themselves to FISA courts about those fraudulent documents are felonies, but not illegal campaign activities.
Clinton and DNC lawyer Marc Elias money laundering the payments to both the Russian and British spy for their work creating and “leaking” the Russia Dossier. Committing the felony of declaring the disbursements of the $6 million as being payment for “legal services”. Elias wasn’t even disbarred, much less fined or indicted and sent to trial. “Admonishment”.
Marc Zuckerberg pouring $420 MILLION Zuckerbucks into carefully selected pro-Democrat districts in critical battleground states to “get out the vote”. It was indeed to “get out the vote” – but only the Democrat vote. None of that $460 MILLION was spent by Zuckerburg in districts that were majority Republican to “get out the vote”.
analysis found that the spending likely added about 200,000 votes to Biden’s expected tally on the voting in the crucial swing states of Wisconsin and Georgia. Biden narrowly won both races, by less than 21,000 votes in Wisconsin and less than 12,000 votes in Georgia.
https://nypost.com/2021/10/14/zuckerberg-election-spending-was-orchestrated-to-influence-2020-vote/
To nobody’s surprise… just the biggest fine in FEC campaign finance laws history. But no indictment on felony charged like Alvin Bragg hung on Trump for a none disclosure agreement signed YEARS before Trump ran for office.
Zuckerberg Slapped with Historic Fine for Over 800 Election Law Violations
https://www.westernjournal.com/ap-meta-fined-24-7m-campaign-finance-disclosure-violations/
pbinca lying by cosplaying ignorance: Explain how either party could achieve an unchallengeable lock on power.
Explain why this short list of Democrat promised/wish list of moves WOULDN’T give Democrats generations of hegemony in Washington DC:
1. Give amnesty to the 20+ MILLION criminal Illegal Aliens Biden and Harris invited to come to America during their 2020 campaign. As they’ve been demanding. Permanently flip Florida and Texas and their electoral college votes for starters.
2. Make two heavily Democrat territories into two new states – meaning FOUR more Democrat Senators (not to mention House members). As they’ve said they want to do.
3. Pack the Supreme Court as their most radical neo-communist (and now neo-Nazi) party leaders have demanded. Chose for judges black female neo-communists who lie under oath that they can’t define what a woman is, even by taking a quick glance down into their panties. Republicans never win an issue in SCOTUS again.
There’s more, pbinca, lying to us from Newsom, Pelosi, and Harris’s California, but that should be enough.
Making mountains out of molehills perhaps? Every state has specific deadline when names have to be printed on the ballot. Usually after a party nomination. But, RFK Jr. ran as an independent. He suspended his campaign in August 23.
In Arizona ballots must be finalized by Aug. 22 and it largely depends on the counties and state electors can vote for someone other than who is on the ballot.
In Michigan the names on the ballots are those chosen by party conventions, and this step must be done “no later than 60 days before the election so ballots can be delivered to military and overseas civilians 45 days before the election.” The state requires electors to cast their ballots “for President and Vice President appearing on the Michigan ballot.” Electors who do not follow that requirement are disqualified and replaced. To appears the appeals court in MI granted RFK Jr’s removal of his name.
In Wisconsin Independent candidates like Kennedy can only withdraw before the Aug. 6 deadline for submitting nomination papers.
State law does not provide a way for independent presidential candidates to remove themselves from the ballot after they have submitted nomination papers, unless they die. Kennedy filed his papers before the Aug. 6 deadline.
Ironically the Heritage Foundation was all set to do the same thing democrats are doing. Challenging the removal of Biden’s name from the ballots of he dropped out after the convention. I’m sure Turley would be singing a different tune. They were even looking at campaign finance laws to prevent Biden’s name from being removed from the ballot. Now that R.F.K. Jr. endorsed Trump the idea of challenging his name on the ballots is….”preserving disorder”? The Heritage Foundation was going to do it with Biden and I’m sure Turley would have remained silent or defended the practice by citing law. It’s notable that he doesn’t cite the law in this column, only the democrats supposed disingenuous intent.
Democrats can challenge R.F.K. Jr’s name on state ballots just as Republicans once planned to with Biden. It’s up to the courts to decide whether their challenges have merit or not. On battleground states and razor thin margins R.F.K. Jr. poses a problem for Trump. Meaning he doesn’t have a comfortable margin.
There is no razor thin margin, moron. Just ignore the last 2 elections, dum dum.
Again, we are reading Svelaz, who talks without knowledge and is dishonest. He refused to answer my question and then declined again, telling me to answer his. I did so, but he still didn’t answer a question involving facts on an issue he erratically opined on where he made numerous factual errors. Here was the question.
When the Ottoman Empire broke up, portions of the Middle East were divided into Mandates. Some of the major countries of the time each got a piece of land, which, under specific laws, was to be divided up to become nation-states. That is how many of the countries were created and the boundaries settled. Therefore, each country created worked under the same international rules.
What happened to the British Mandate?
He also will not answer for what became of Trump’s tariffs, that he blames for the economy.
Strange for someone who has all the answers, he never answers a question posed.
Obama won his first election to the Illinois state senate by getting all of his opponents thrown off the Democrat primary ballot, including his mentor Alice Palmer. Obama operatives challenged the signatures on nominating petitions until every one of the four other Democrats running in the primary, including Palmer, were removed from the ballot.
Democrats have nationalized Chicago politics.
Harris is not running on policies, she’s running on emotions. So far it’s working great.
The primary “emotion” is the appeal of someone who supports abortion – any time, even after a baby survives the awful “medical” procedure or a birth. Without the appeal of the abortion issue she has nothing left but to bash DJT (while adopting some of his policies as her own). So those who know inflation is biden/harris spawned and know there has been no southern border of the USA sin biden/harris went to live in the White House and Naval Observatory .. but support abortion: only the abortion issue is dispostive.
I hope that every reasonable person who frequents this blog has some kind of tentative strategy to deal with the prospect that these sleaze mongers will be declared in control of the White House, House of Representatives, and Senate after the November elections. If that comes to pass, they will waste no time in dismantling what little remains of our Republic. If you don’t have some kind of contingency plans before that happens, you will be at their mercy, and they entirely lack that quality.
A Harris Victory In 2024 Makes The US A One-Party State
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/harris-victory-2024-makes-us-one-party-state
Split government is the most likely outcome. Even in Trump’s first 2 years, you needed 60 Senate votes to pass legislation, so in effect, you still had split govt. despite 2 Repub majorities and WH. There is absolutely no way Democrats could win 60 Senate seats….impossible.
So your panicked alarmism is just that.
Peanut brain in California
You’re an idiot. They dont need 60 seats, moron. Where were you when they attempted this very thing 3 years ago? Joe Manchin was the only thing that stood in their way. Where were you when they spent $6T with a simple majority??
51 votes to Abolish the filibuster and then
Add two states and 4 democrat senators.
Pack the Supreme Court and lock the number by law.
Pass “voting rights law”
Pass legislation to provide citizenship and right to vote to 20 million illegals
Pass any other legislation they want, whether constitutional or not, with a libtard SCOTUS to back them.
Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger know differently.
PB (Peanut Butter) in CA (California) So your panicked alarmism is just that.
We would prefer you put an end to your sophomoric “nothing to see here – and quite believing your lying eyes” mantra.
Because everybody who hasn’t fallen victim to your sophomoric stolen from the book ‘1984″ Memory Hole remembers the Democrats continuing to promise two new states, to eliminate the filibuster, to stack SCOTUS. Schumer just released plans for how to do all of this without having 60 votes.
“Don’t believe your lying eyes” should be changed to “don’t believe your lying pbinca here”.
Tomorrow night’s debate may be dispositive in determing for sure who will inhabit the Oval Office come January 2025. But even now, prognosticators are giving the edge to Trump as Harris’s cardboard facade begins to wilt. She clearly is burdened by what has been and what has been has been her and the Big (loser) Guy for almost 4 years of economic misery. After tomorrow night, we may see Trump’s star rise like the ketchup in Ogden Nash’s famous poem: “First a little; then a lottle.”
what can you say….Democrats are Fascists. The Party needs to be abolished….2 Civil Wars against America are 2 too many!
“Extremism” is a term the Left has used since the Goldwater campaign in 1964 to demonize and silence dissent from the Right. Fortunately, middle America no longer is cowed by this label. But It still “works” among leftists.
I believe the glaring distinction of this election fraud operation is they removed the duly primared DNC Candidate (one Joseph Biden) off the ballot in a nano second!!!!!!!
The democrats mimicked the CCP, the Soviets, the National Socialists by putting up a puppet.
And they claim Democracy is at risk by MAGA?
I am sure the Dems looked closely at how to “out” Joe Biden. States have different rules and an open Democrat convention such the one had my have violated those rules. If Biden had dropped out later after the convention when states were beginning to print their ballots it may have been illegal. So Harris will legally be on the ballot of all 50 states. Too late to challenge it.
From a legal standpoint, I have no basis to challenge this statement. But from a practical standpoint, the shear hypocrisy of this move to “install” Harris is something that I can’t get past….I’m no Trumper, but the constant chants of the end of democracy is getting a little old. It’s like they forget he was president not that long ago….
If you actually have a democracy there is no need to save it. Corruption begins with the rotting of the roots.
When the spring comes…
Disagree. There will always be gaming for additional unfair advantage in any high-stakes competition. That’s why well-run competitions have referees, with power and speed to intervene instantly to uphold fairness. Except our nation was not set up to have independent election referees…it gives election administration to current office holders at state and county levels. The ones who are hyper-partisan have to be watched like a hawk.
MORE TORT!!
pbinca: Disagree.
Overruled, due to no evidence supporting having standing.
I’m not certain that the selection of Kamala after Biden bowed out is even lawful. Shouldn’t the GOP be challenging that in court? If it’s determined that the selection was unlawful, then Trump is running unopposed.
So you are proposing that Republicans do exactly what Turley is criticizing in this column.
Adopting your legalistic tone, Biden was not made an illegal candidate by stepping aside voluntarily. So, if law was broken to install Harris, Biden would still be the legal candidate.
Pbinca, the question is not whether Biden was made an illegal candidate but whether the Democratic Party acts lawfully according to its own rules or whether its powers are autocratic. Democrats show themselves to be anti-democratic in their approach to their party and the nation.