Supreme Court Greenlights Gerrymandering

When History stands at the grave of American Democracy, it will read the epitaph loud and clear:

"Killed by the timidity and complicity of the very institution created to protect it, the United States Supreme Court".

President Trump Refuses to Fire Conway

This nation is no longer governed by the rule of law when President Trump can cavalierly dismiss the finding of his appointed head of the Office of Special  Counsel, that Kellyanne Conway be dismissed as a repeat offender of the Hatch Act. That law prohibits federal employees from engaging in political activities while on duty or on federal property. Ms. Conway's brazen and multiple violations of this law, often captured on video, is defended by Mr. Trump as an exercise of free speech. However, his disregard of the law flies in the face of holdings by the Supreme Court that the Hatch Act achieves a delicate balance between fair and effective government and the First Amendment rights of individual employees.

Files Disclose Partisan Hand In 2020 Census

The explosive disclosure (P.A1, 5/31/19), proving  that the Trump administration patently added the citizenship question to the upcoming census solely to further its gerrymandering goals and that it offered false justification to the courts, must not be ignored by the Supreme Court. At oral argument a majority of the Justices seemed inclined to accept the government's now demonstrably false explanation that the information about citizenship was needed to better enforce the Voting Rights Act.

Should the Court reject this new evidence, found in the files of the deceased Republican architect of this insidious scheme, because it is not a part of the Record on Appeal, it must, at the least, delay its decision and send the case back to the trial court so that the newly-discovered facts may be fully developed, subjected to cross-examination and made a part of the appellate record. Only by doing so can the Supreme Court fairly rule on an issue which will profoundly affect just and equitable representation for all Americans for years to come.

Candidates

Mayor Pete Buttigieg speaks with a thoughtfulness and clarity rare for a politician. He conveys a respect for the intelligence of his listeners and a firmness of conviction. Mayor Pete has demonstrated his bravery on the battlefield and in his unapologetic choice of a same sex marriage. He has proven his appeal to voters by winning elections in a conservative city and has shown that he can govern effectively.

The only concern is whether the wider American electorate is prepared to accept his untraditional lifestyle and the limited nature of his administrative experience. Candidates with less executive experience have won election and governed successfully (Abe Lincoln, Barack Obama). The imperative that our democracy be rescued from the imperial designs, corruption and utter incompetence of Donald Trump mandates that Democrats field a candidate likely to win. That does not mean we must compromise our progressive principles by backing someone with tired ideas and a stale approach. Rather, we must galvanize the young, the underserved, the community of color and the women of this country whose collective might, sufficiently motivated, can carry the day.

Statement of Robert Mueller

Put aside that Robert Mueller, by his statement today, exposed the duplicity of Attorney General William Barr's "summary" of the Mueller Report's principal conclusions and made clear that the Report did not exonerate Donald Trump of criminal misconduct. His statement highlights the hollowness and falsity of Mr. Trump's favorite mantra, "No Collusion, No Obstruction" and dispels entirely the Fox Network-inspired specious coinage, "The Russia Hoax".

The important takeaways from Mr. Mueller's statement are that Russia has seriously attacked our democracy and that Congress and the American people must act to stop this intrusion and safeguard our elections. Further, Mr. Mueller has laid squarely on the doorstep of Congress the challenge to use its constitutionally mandated authority to redress Mr. Trump's documented criminal misconduct. 

Whether his clarion call and dire warning is heeded by the nation and its elected representatives remains to be seen. At stake is the continuing viability of our democracy and the rule of law.

Trump Stomps Out of Meeting

So the most transparent president in the history of this country has resisted every congressional attempt to obtain documents and witnesses required for constitutional oversight. He and his family have filed lawsuits likely to delay significantly the wind up of legislative investigations and he has directed witnesses under subpoena not to appear.
Then Mr. Trump tells the American people that he will not meet with Democratic leaders to pursue essential infrastructure funding while the investigations are pending. “Wind them up “, he demands.
Either the “Catch 22” nature of his stance eludes Mr. Trump or he is shamelessly attempting to exploit this self-created standoff. Whether he is dumb or devious it is the nation that pays the price.

Uber Drivers Are Contractors, Agency Finds

The Trump administration is devoted to increasing and enhancing the rights and advantages of corporations. While purporting to champion the rights of labor, President Trump has appointed to federal agencies and the federal bench officials and judges who seem dedicated to diminishing the rights of working men and women, especially circumscribing their right to unionize and bargain collectively.

Thus, the Supreme Court recently ruled that unions may not require dues from nonmembers whose interests they, nevertheless, protect and advance. Now, the Trump appointed general counsel of the National Labor Relations Board has defined "contractors" so broadly as to exclude millions from "employee" status, greatly reducing their right to act collectively and have the protections afforded by federal labor law.

Congress must revise existing laws to better reflect the realities of the "gig" economy and balance the  bargaining power between corporations and their workforce. Unfortunately, that is not likely to happen so long as the Senate is controlled by conservative Republicans.