Sadly, it's difficult to feel optimistic that things will get better and say that this tragic week in American history is a culmination of sorts as opposed to a next step in the escalating of anger and hatred in this country. This statement is profoundly more sad when you consider that yesterday we witnessed in horror of the worst anti-Semitic attack in U.S. history.
It's almost paralyzing to write because processing the events of this week are so overwhelming, and today's interviews on "Meet The Press" offered no comfort.
In a joint interview with the respective chairs of the House Congressional Committees, Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM) and Steve Stivers (R-OH) responsible for getting candidates in their parties elected, the dialogue strode the edge of civility as Mr. Stivers initiated an attack on his Democratic counterpart for defending what he said were Democratic candidates who have made bigoted statements. He did have to go there, especially today, but he did. Also, Mr. Stivers defended an ad running in Minnesota that demonizes George Soros, to which he simply said that ad was factually accurate but when you watch the ad, the tone clearly implies insidious motives.
https://youtu.be/hU00BW-trLo
That Mr. Stivers could defend this ad against a Holocaust survivor in the wake of a bomb threat and a heinous mass shooting hate crime in which 11 people were killed at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh is beyond the pale.
As The Cook Political Report's Amy Walter explained, no one wants to take responsibility, and 'everyone' is to blame. She went on to say that as a candidate, it's a zero-sum game to win the election, but once the person is in elected office the presidency in particular, you have to be a unifying force. But President Trump has no interest in unifying the country, especially not now with 9 days to go before the midterm elections. Elections that will dictate the trajectory of the rest of his first term.
The week started with a bomb being mailed to billionaire George Soros, then escalated to a total of 13 bombs being mailed to prominent Democratic politicians, prominent Trump critics and CNN. This act of domestic terrorism propelled the ATF, FBI, NYPD and NYFD along with U.S. Post Office Security into high alert. Two of the bomb targets were two former first couples, Mr. and Mrs. Obama and Mr. and Mrs. Clinton. When asked if he would call the former presidents to offer support, Mr. Trump said he would pass. And even given the bomb threats (before Saturday's shooting), Mr. Trump was also asked if he should tone down his divisive rhetoric, to which he answered he could actually 'tone it up,' as NBC's Kristen Welker reported.
Fox News and right-wing talk radio, specifically Rush Limbaugh, forwarded false flag theories, that these bomb threats were perpetrated by liberals. To digress for a moment, Rush Limbaugh is a blowhard and the reason for that description is because 15 hours a week attacking some people and making others angry, but never offers any solutions. With no solutions, you're just part of the problem.
Also, let's also point out the in Kentucky this week, two African-Americans were shot dead at a Kroger's supermarket in a racially motivated attack. The perpetrator's initial target was an African-American community church with the goal to kill more people. (https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/26/us/kentucky-kroger-shooting/index.html).
Jonathan Greenblatt, president of the Anti-Defamation League said that in 2017, there has a 57 percent rise in anti-Semitic acts, and through social media bigoted, racist and anti-Semitic language has increased exponentially just about putting it into the mainstream.
Dissertations and books discussing how we've gotten to this place as a society are in infinite supply, to be sure, but let's face it, though President Trump is a symptom of this digression, he's done nothing to combat the downward spiral. Many make the argument like conservative commentator Charlie Sykes, cited today, who called the president the 'arsonist in chief.' Alas, as Resurgent editor-in-chief Erick Erickson said, the president isn't going to change, which means the leadership has to come from someplace else. But where?
There's one president and he's the authority, as Joshua Jackson clearly put it. This means that he has to be the president for all the American people, and his after-the-fact perfunctory statements just don't cut it. These statements are especially galling considering that after the president offers a form of 'thoughts and prayers' he goes right back to attacks opponents as un-American and as some form of evil, along with his consistent demonizing of the 'other,' (see all his statements on immigration).
As long as the president sows divisive rhetoric refusing to take the mantle of trying to heal our differences, tragic and truly sad weeks like this will continue to plague this country.
Panel: Kristen Welker, NBC News; Joshua Jackson, NPR; Amy Walter, The Cook Political Report; Erick Erickson, The Resurgent
Sunday, October 28, 2018
Sunday, October 21, 2018
10.21.18: What's Really at Stake in These Midterms
Let's start off on a good note.
It was pleasantly refreshing to hear Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) agree that Saudi Arabia's explanation on what to Washington Post columnist Jamal Kashoggi, that it was just not credible that a 59 year-old journalist got into a brawl with 15 Saudi security agents that resulted in his death.
While understandably Mr. Tillis was a bit more measured in his comments because of common party affiliation with the president, he did state that it looks like Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman was involved in the decision to kill Mr. Khashoggi and that the Saudis need to be held accountable. More and more, it seems as though senators of both parties hold a position that is in opposition to the president.
Senator Durbin stated that the United States should immediately expel the Saudi ambassador until a full investigation has been conducted, the facts come to light and the Saudis are held accountable. Senators of both parties would agree with this action, however, the president has been dragging his feet on coming out on the side of the U.S. intelligence service. It begs the question of why, which can be easily answered.
President Trump's and, for that matter, Jared Kushner's financial ties to the Saudis is compromising the administration's ability to make decisions that represent American values. That's saying it politely. In other words, the president is violating the Constitution of the United States, specifically the emoluments clause, by accepting Saudi money to his businesses. Obviously, the Mr. Trump doesn't want to personally upset the Saudi government or it will divest from his businesses. Once again, Mr. Trump is compromised in his decision making because he is putting personal profit over the interests of the United States. Yes, it's that clear and simple.
What's not clear and simple is predicting the upcoming midterm elections. As Christian Broadcast Network News' David Brody said, the biggest issue on the table is anger, and which side - Republican or Democrat - has more of it. The panel all agreed that there needs to be someone to bring people together to calm the situation, and though Peggy Noonan disagreed with Chuck Todd that person should be the president, it should be. However, the difference with Donald Trump and every other president that has proceeded him is that he has no aspiration to be the president for all Americans. He'll never let up on pitting individuals against one another. Even if the right-wing and left-wing press together called a truce along with politicians of all stripes, it's the president that truly wields the influence when trying to bring people together. Mr. Trump has no interest whatsoever in that.
Both sides are fired up, there is no doubt and what we're going to see if the next 16 days before the vote is that constituents are going to come home to their usual respective parties, with one big exception - women. Women will decide these primaries, specifically suburban women and women of color, as pointed out by Eugene Robinson. Millennial turnout will once again be low and for the most part, minority turnout (with the exception of black women) will also be lackluster.
Senator Tillis said that it can be rationalized that the huge tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, predominantly, will pay for themselves, but Republicans are not running on tax cuts, because let's face it, the game is up and the populace isn't buying it anymore. The warning to Republicans, as Peggy Noonan explained, is that in a time where there haven't been any new wars and with the economy doing well, the president can not get his approval rating over 50 percent. Republicans have been supplying the argument that the president is getting results despite the deeply divisive nature of how he's going about it. However, given Ms. Noonan's point, the president's words do matter greatly.
Healthcare has become a central issue for the Democrats as that what most of the electorate, justifiably so, is concerned about. Republicans are saying that they want to repeal the Affordable Care Act but keep protections for preexisting conditions. As this column pointed out last week, there will be no way to pay for it, and people with preexisting conditions will be essentially priced out of the market. Democrats, this time around, are now embracing the ACA as they should have been doing all along. It's ok to say that it's not perfect and fixes are needed, but at the same time the basis tenets of the bill are beneficial to ordinary people.
Sticking with conventional wisdom, the Senate will most likely stay in Republican control. However, if the House doesn't flip to Democratic control, here's what will happen: Mitch McConnell as he stated this week will start the 'need' to get the federal budget under control. The federal budget has been blown up with an unnecessary Republican tax cut. So how does Mr. McConnell propose to control spending? He's stated that Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security be 'reformed.' In other words, those programs need to be cut.
Those programs are all tied to healthcare and that's really the main stake in this midterm election.
Panel: Peggy Noonan, The Wall Street Journal; Katy Tur, MSNBC; Eugene Robinson, The Washington Post; David Brody, Christian Broadcast Network News
One more thing...
Scaramucci has he was concerned about what happen with Jamal Khashoggi (he didn't mention him by name) and the Saudi government, but that he still sending a representative from his financial firm, Skybridge Capital, to Saudi Arabia for the financial conference. In other words, the only thing he cares about is money. This guy is so disingenuous that there is really no reason to ever take him seriously.
It was pleasantly refreshing to hear Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) agree that Saudi Arabia's explanation on what to Washington Post columnist Jamal Kashoggi, that it was just not credible that a 59 year-old journalist got into a brawl with 15 Saudi security agents that resulted in his death.
While understandably Mr. Tillis was a bit more measured in his comments because of common party affiliation with the president, he did state that it looks like Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman was involved in the decision to kill Mr. Khashoggi and that the Saudis need to be held accountable. More and more, it seems as though senators of both parties hold a position that is in opposition to the president.
Senator Durbin stated that the United States should immediately expel the Saudi ambassador until a full investigation has been conducted, the facts come to light and the Saudis are held accountable. Senators of both parties would agree with this action, however, the president has been dragging his feet on coming out on the side of the U.S. intelligence service. It begs the question of why, which can be easily answered.
President Trump's and, for that matter, Jared Kushner's financial ties to the Saudis is compromising the administration's ability to make decisions that represent American values. That's saying it politely. In other words, the president is violating the Constitution of the United States, specifically the emoluments clause, by accepting Saudi money to his businesses. Obviously, the Mr. Trump doesn't want to personally upset the Saudi government or it will divest from his businesses. Once again, Mr. Trump is compromised in his decision making because he is putting personal profit over the interests of the United States. Yes, it's that clear and simple.
What's not clear and simple is predicting the upcoming midterm elections. As Christian Broadcast Network News' David Brody said, the biggest issue on the table is anger, and which side - Republican or Democrat - has more of it. The panel all agreed that there needs to be someone to bring people together to calm the situation, and though Peggy Noonan disagreed with Chuck Todd that person should be the president, it should be. However, the difference with Donald Trump and every other president that has proceeded him is that he has no aspiration to be the president for all Americans. He'll never let up on pitting individuals against one another. Even if the right-wing and left-wing press together called a truce along with politicians of all stripes, it's the president that truly wields the influence when trying to bring people together. Mr. Trump has no interest whatsoever in that.
Both sides are fired up, there is no doubt and what we're going to see if the next 16 days before the vote is that constituents are going to come home to their usual respective parties, with one big exception - women. Women will decide these primaries, specifically suburban women and women of color, as pointed out by Eugene Robinson. Millennial turnout will once again be low and for the most part, minority turnout (with the exception of black women) will also be lackluster.
Senator Tillis said that it can be rationalized that the huge tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, predominantly, will pay for themselves, but Republicans are not running on tax cuts, because let's face it, the game is up and the populace isn't buying it anymore. The warning to Republicans, as Peggy Noonan explained, is that in a time where there haven't been any new wars and with the economy doing well, the president can not get his approval rating over 50 percent. Republicans have been supplying the argument that the president is getting results despite the deeply divisive nature of how he's going about it. However, given Ms. Noonan's point, the president's words do matter greatly.
Healthcare has become a central issue for the Democrats as that what most of the electorate, justifiably so, is concerned about. Republicans are saying that they want to repeal the Affordable Care Act but keep protections for preexisting conditions. As this column pointed out last week, there will be no way to pay for it, and people with preexisting conditions will be essentially priced out of the market. Democrats, this time around, are now embracing the ACA as they should have been doing all along. It's ok to say that it's not perfect and fixes are needed, but at the same time the basis tenets of the bill are beneficial to ordinary people.
Sticking with conventional wisdom, the Senate will most likely stay in Republican control. However, if the House doesn't flip to Democratic control, here's what will happen: Mitch McConnell as he stated this week will start the 'need' to get the federal budget under control. The federal budget has been blown up with an unnecessary Republican tax cut. So how does Mr. McConnell propose to control spending? He's stated that Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security be 'reformed.' In other words, those programs need to be cut.
Those programs are all tied to healthcare and that's really the main stake in this midterm election.
Panel: Peggy Noonan, The Wall Street Journal; Katy Tur, MSNBC; Eugene Robinson, The Washington Post; David Brody, Christian Broadcast Network News
One more thing...
Scaramucci has he was concerned about what happen with Jamal Khashoggi (he didn't mention him by name) and the Saudi government, but that he still sending a representative from his financial firm, Skybridge Capital, to Saudi Arabia for the financial conference. In other words, the only thing he cares about is money. This guy is so disingenuous that there is really no reason to ever take him seriously.
Sunday, October 14, 2018
10.14.18: Democrats Need To Take Control of the Narrative
Democrats, if they want to be successful in these midterm elections, need to take back control of the narrative. When you listen to Josh Hawley, senate candidate against incumbent Claire McCaskill in Missouri, you hear him say how awfully Senate Democrats on the Judiciary Committee behaved and the ensuing 'mob' behavior.
First, note to women: When Republican men, the only ones using this language, say 'mob' they are referring to you! Women.
Let that sink in and think about how you feel. They're saying that women whose pleas to be heard about sexual assault and being ignored are an angry mob.
In terms of the behavior on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Democrats asked tough questions, relevant questions of Judge Kavanaugh, not once yelling at or insulting him. Yet, Judge Kavanaugh rudely interrupted female Democratic senators, in particular asking Senate Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) if she ever blacked out from drinking. Completely inappropriate. And this was all before Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) completely debased himself with his 'I hope you never get power' rant. Mr. Graham used to be a politician that even though he disagreed with his policy positions, you could respect, but no longer. Now, he's simply a sycophantic suck-up to Donald Trump. Mr. Graham, no doubt, is angling for the Attorney General job.
Women, the angry mob, really? How about Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) saying that Republicans would 'plow through' the nomination. More like 'plow over' women, not take seriously a word they have to say and push through Mr. Kavanaugh. That's mob mentality...
And to that point, Mr. Todd interviewed Stacey Abrams, running in Georgia to be the first African-American female governor in the country. And what is her opponent Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp doing? Suppressing the vote by withholding 53,000 voter registrations, 70 percent of which are for people of color. In Texas, Andrea Mitchell explained that Hispanic turn-out will probably not be as strong as it should be because legal or not, they don't want to register because they are afraid of ICE and the government.
If this midterm election is a choice between judges and healthcare, as Mr. Hawley outlined, healthcare is the winner. The energy that Republicans tout from the Kavanaugh confirmation is anecdotal and really won't translate into voters at the polls. However, if Democrats let that stand and don't take back the narrative, their turn-out will indeed be dampened as well. Thus the conventional wisdom that Democrats will take back the House will be in jeopardy. Mr. Hawley also said that you can repeal Obamacare and yet mandate insurance companies by law not to deny coverage for preexisting conditions. The government could do that but price controls would go out the window! Insurance companies would reject anyone with preexisting conditions but they would set the cost, the monthly premium, so high that millions would be priced out of the market. He conveniently doesn't mention that.
Democrats need to take control of the discourse in the next 25 days so that they reestablish their chances for taking the Senate as well. The energy is on their side if they are bold enough to harness it because as it stands right now, Democratic strategists are doing a disservice to candidates like Beto O'Rourke in Texas and Phil Bredesen in Tennessee.
Part of this is putting the president's ethics back front and center. NBC's Carol Lee explained that the president is feeling pretty good at the moment because the president's scandals are not a focal point at the moment.
And two more fresh examples of the president's unfitness for office are front and center this week. President Trump hasn't made any strong statements for the people and communities devastated by Hurricane Michael and is planning to visit this upcoming week. There has been no sense of urgency on behalf of the administration to address this disaster - at least that's how it's playing out in his media narrative.
The second is the disappearance of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, who went in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 1 and never left. Mr. Trump is clearly facing a difficult political situation with Saudi Arabia but is reluctant to sanction them because of what he says is a large arms deal. Basically, he is sacrificing American principles for money. In other words, money is more important to him than the principles for which this country has stood for over 240 years. And let's be clear, money not for the country, his money. Saudis have given millions upon millions of dollars in real estate purchases in Trump properties. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) said that if it is proven that the Saudis did indeed kill Mr. Khashoggi then Congress will act swiftly and decisively in a bipartisan manner, which will isolate the president and his position. The money that Mr. Trump personally stands to lose if Congress sanctions Saudi Arabia creates a clear conflict of interest. The administration has a legal obligation to investigate which Mr. Trump doesn't want to do. Not to mention the fact that Mr. Trump has violated the Constitution by taking emoluments from the Saudi government.
Government's function is to serve the people, not serve itself. However, with Republicans in power that's exactly what they're doing - enabling a thoroughly corrupt president and serving themselves to have absolute power. Democrats don't need to kick them when Republicans go low, they just need to shout the truth - LOUD.
Panel: Andrea Mitchell, NBC News; Carol Lee, NBC News; Peter Baker, The New York Times; Lanhee Chen, Stanford University
One more thing...
Kanye West and Jim Brown are fools if they think for one minute that President Trump cares one iota about the plight of people of color in this country. How these two men can support him simply defies common sense and decency. Just an off-the-cuff opinion.
First, note to women: When Republican men, the only ones using this language, say 'mob' they are referring to you! Women.
Let that sink in and think about how you feel. They're saying that women whose pleas to be heard about sexual assault and being ignored are an angry mob.
In terms of the behavior on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Democrats asked tough questions, relevant questions of Judge Kavanaugh, not once yelling at or insulting him. Yet, Judge Kavanaugh rudely interrupted female Democratic senators, in particular asking Senate Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) if she ever blacked out from drinking. Completely inappropriate. And this was all before Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) completely debased himself with his 'I hope you never get power' rant. Mr. Graham used to be a politician that even though he disagreed with his policy positions, you could respect, but no longer. Now, he's simply a sycophantic suck-up to Donald Trump. Mr. Graham, no doubt, is angling for the Attorney General job.
Women, the angry mob, really? How about Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) saying that Republicans would 'plow through' the nomination. More like 'plow over' women, not take seriously a word they have to say and push through Mr. Kavanaugh. That's mob mentality...
And to that point, Mr. Todd interviewed Stacey Abrams, running in Georgia to be the first African-American female governor in the country. And what is her opponent Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp doing? Suppressing the vote by withholding 53,000 voter registrations, 70 percent of which are for people of color. In Texas, Andrea Mitchell explained that Hispanic turn-out will probably not be as strong as it should be because legal or not, they don't want to register because they are afraid of ICE and the government.
If this midterm election is a choice between judges and healthcare, as Mr. Hawley outlined, healthcare is the winner. The energy that Republicans tout from the Kavanaugh confirmation is anecdotal and really won't translate into voters at the polls. However, if Democrats let that stand and don't take back the narrative, their turn-out will indeed be dampened as well. Thus the conventional wisdom that Democrats will take back the House will be in jeopardy. Mr. Hawley also said that you can repeal Obamacare and yet mandate insurance companies by law not to deny coverage for preexisting conditions. The government could do that but price controls would go out the window! Insurance companies would reject anyone with preexisting conditions but they would set the cost, the monthly premium, so high that millions would be priced out of the market. He conveniently doesn't mention that.
Democrats need to take control of the discourse in the next 25 days so that they reestablish their chances for taking the Senate as well. The energy is on their side if they are bold enough to harness it because as it stands right now, Democratic strategists are doing a disservice to candidates like Beto O'Rourke in Texas and Phil Bredesen in Tennessee.
Part of this is putting the president's ethics back front and center. NBC's Carol Lee explained that the president is feeling pretty good at the moment because the president's scandals are not a focal point at the moment.
And two more fresh examples of the president's unfitness for office are front and center this week. President Trump hasn't made any strong statements for the people and communities devastated by Hurricane Michael and is planning to visit this upcoming week. There has been no sense of urgency on behalf of the administration to address this disaster - at least that's how it's playing out in his media narrative.
The second is the disappearance of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, who went in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 1 and never left. Mr. Trump is clearly facing a difficult political situation with Saudi Arabia but is reluctant to sanction them because of what he says is a large arms deal. Basically, he is sacrificing American principles for money. In other words, money is more important to him than the principles for which this country has stood for over 240 years. And let's be clear, money not for the country, his money. Saudis have given millions upon millions of dollars in real estate purchases in Trump properties. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) said that if it is proven that the Saudis did indeed kill Mr. Khashoggi then Congress will act swiftly and decisively in a bipartisan manner, which will isolate the president and his position. The money that Mr. Trump personally stands to lose if Congress sanctions Saudi Arabia creates a clear conflict of interest. The administration has a legal obligation to investigate which Mr. Trump doesn't want to do. Not to mention the fact that Mr. Trump has violated the Constitution by taking emoluments from the Saudi government.
Government's function is to serve the people, not serve itself. However, with Republicans in power that's exactly what they're doing - enabling a thoroughly corrupt president and serving themselves to have absolute power. Democrats don't need to kick them when Republicans go low, they just need to shout the truth - LOUD.
Panel: Andrea Mitchell, NBC News; Carol Lee, NBC News; Peter Baker, The New York Times; Lanhee Chen, Stanford University
One more thing...
Kanye West and Jim Brown are fools if they think for one minute that President Trump cares one iota about the plight of people of color in this country. How these two men can support him simply defies common sense and decency. Just an off-the-cuff opinion.
Sunday, October 07, 2018
10.7.18: The Civil Cold War Is Official
Brett Kavanaugh has been confirmed to the United States Supreme Court... in the closest vote in 137 years.
You have to let that sink in because it is, indeed, the reality now.
No matter what side of the aisle you're on, we have to move on despite the fact that all this confirmation process did was further divide and weaken the United States, leaving the president that only winner, a man whose goal it is to divide America a much as possible. Instead of our politicians taking the steps to lead us out of this morass, they simply take actions to deepen the divide, with the United States Senate - no longer should it be considered the world's most deliberative body - leading the way.
On top of no longer being deliberative, the Senate doesn't even remotely reflect America writ large. After this bitter, partisan fight, Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) said that there are no Republican women on the Senate Judiciary committee because being on said committee is really hard work, inferring that women can't handle it. This is reflective of the fact that Senate Republicans were never ultimately going to deny Judge Kavanaugh a seat on the court, no matter what. Even if you feel that Mr. Kavanaugh was not guilty of the allegations brought by Dr. Ford, as we said in last week's column, he illustrated his ill-temperament to be on the court with his naked partisanship spouting conspiracy theories, of all things. Danielle Pletka of the American Enterprise Institute said that judges usually grow in the office, gaining a deeper understanding of their responsibility, but that hasn't been the case with Clarence Thomas nor will it be the case with Brett Kavanaugh. And if you think many women are angry now, if Roe v. Wade comes before the court again, and five men decide the to strike the precedent, the divide will become irreparable.
Founder of the MeToo Movement, Tamara Burke, explained that most people do not understand the life cycle of a sexual assault survivor, and it's not difficult to put people such as Mitch McConnell, Lindsey Graham or Chuck Grassley in that camp. In the joint interview, Alyssa Milano, who brought MeToo into the cultural consciousness said that she is not playing for the 'win,' but against the abuse of power. The only problem with that is she's fighting forces (see the aforementioned Senators) that are fighting for the win and don't care how their potential abuses of power are perceived. On the part of Republicans in the Senate, their really is a disconnect.
With all that said, Mr. Kavanaugh's reputation is destroyed as his career almost was, and if there isn't solid evidence that he committed this criminal act, like it or not you're innocent in the United States until proven guilty. The FBI investigation was incomplete at best so Senator Lamar Alexander's (R-TN) explanation isn't based on all the facts. On the other hand, despite Democrats emphasizing the point too late that this is a job interview as mentioned today by Senator Chris Coons (D-DE), that's in fact what it was, and Mr. Kavanaugh did not do well. Again, proving he shouldn't have been confirmed.
Republican strategist Al Cardenas had the most sensible solution in the aftermath of this most damaging battle and that is that the Senate should move to set clear guidelines for their role of advise and consent. Unfortunately, the problem is with Mitch McConnell leading the way, that's never going to happen because it doesn't allow him to change the rules or muddy the water when he wants as to ensure that he gets what he wants.
Where does this leave us? Mr. Cardenas said we're headed for a civil cold war, but we're already there. Both sides are energized and are ready for the midterm fight. NBC's Kasie Hunt explained the conventional wisdom says that Democrats will take the House and Republicans will keep control of the Senate. The problem with that thinking is that you have to ask yourself, has anything in the last three years been conventional? Not in the slightest.
This picture pretty much sums up the week, doesn't it?
Panel: Kasie Hunt, NBC; Danielle Pletka, American Enterprise Institute; Al Cardenas, Republican Strategist; Michael Beschloss, Presidential Historian
You have to let that sink in because it is, indeed, the reality now.
No matter what side of the aisle you're on, we have to move on despite the fact that all this confirmation process did was further divide and weaken the United States, leaving the president that only winner, a man whose goal it is to divide America a much as possible. Instead of our politicians taking the steps to lead us out of this morass, they simply take actions to deepen the divide, with the United States Senate - no longer should it be considered the world's most deliberative body - leading the way.
On top of no longer being deliberative, the Senate doesn't even remotely reflect America writ large. After this bitter, partisan fight, Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) said that there are no Republican women on the Senate Judiciary committee because being on said committee is really hard work, inferring that women can't handle it. This is reflective of the fact that Senate Republicans were never ultimately going to deny Judge Kavanaugh a seat on the court, no matter what. Even if you feel that Mr. Kavanaugh was not guilty of the allegations brought by Dr. Ford, as we said in last week's column, he illustrated his ill-temperament to be on the court with his naked partisanship spouting conspiracy theories, of all things. Danielle Pletka of the American Enterprise Institute said that judges usually grow in the office, gaining a deeper understanding of their responsibility, but that hasn't been the case with Clarence Thomas nor will it be the case with Brett Kavanaugh. And if you think many women are angry now, if Roe v. Wade comes before the court again, and five men decide the to strike the precedent, the divide will become irreparable.
Founder of the MeToo Movement, Tamara Burke, explained that most people do not understand the life cycle of a sexual assault survivor, and it's not difficult to put people such as Mitch McConnell, Lindsey Graham or Chuck Grassley in that camp. In the joint interview, Alyssa Milano, who brought MeToo into the cultural consciousness said that she is not playing for the 'win,' but against the abuse of power. The only problem with that is she's fighting forces (see the aforementioned Senators) that are fighting for the win and don't care how their potential abuses of power are perceived. On the part of Republicans in the Senate, their really is a disconnect.
With all that said, Mr. Kavanaugh's reputation is destroyed as his career almost was, and if there isn't solid evidence that he committed this criminal act, like it or not you're innocent in the United States until proven guilty. The FBI investigation was incomplete at best so Senator Lamar Alexander's (R-TN) explanation isn't based on all the facts. On the other hand, despite Democrats emphasizing the point too late that this is a job interview as mentioned today by Senator Chris Coons (D-DE), that's in fact what it was, and Mr. Kavanaugh did not do well. Again, proving he shouldn't have been confirmed.
Republican strategist Al Cardenas had the most sensible solution in the aftermath of this most damaging battle and that is that the Senate should move to set clear guidelines for their role of advise and consent. Unfortunately, the problem is with Mitch McConnell leading the way, that's never going to happen because it doesn't allow him to change the rules or muddy the water when he wants as to ensure that he gets what he wants.
Where does this leave us? Mr. Cardenas said we're headed for a civil cold war, but we're already there. Both sides are energized and are ready for the midterm fight. NBC's Kasie Hunt explained the conventional wisdom says that Democrats will take the House and Republicans will keep control of the Senate. The problem with that thinking is that you have to ask yourself, has anything in the last three years been conventional? Not in the slightest.
This picture pretty much sums up the week, doesn't it?
Panel: Kasie Hunt, NBC; Danielle Pletka, American Enterprise Institute; Al Cardenas, Republican Strategist; Michael Beschloss, Presidential Historian
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