Dear readers;

“Solon’s Republic” was name given to the concepts of the Athenian statesman Solon (born c. 630 bce—died c. 560 bce) that the voices, ideas, and participation of all in the Republic were important, not just the Aristocracy. He knew that the Republic could only survive and thrive if the public distress caused by debt was relieved. His primary concerns were for freedom, justice and humanity, and many of his political reforms have become part of the fabric of governments to this day. Yet these principles that form the core fabric of America seem to be under assault from the President and his Party’s elected officials.

Since 1972 when the American voting age was lowered to age 18, I was a Young Republican in a party where all these things all formerly mattered, plus states rights, less federal government, and fiscal responsibility. Yet the concepts of the “Republic” as the foundation for the Republicans has become nothing more than a pipe-dream left in the rubbish heap of their past. Now, the “Party” is the primary objective, the federal government is massive, debt is exponentially increasing, and fiscal responsibility is nowhere to be found. That change started to occur after President Reagan left office, so I said good-bye to the Republican Party 25+ years ago. Democrat or Republican are nothing more than abused terms of people that have become enslaved to those parties aspirations du jour. Their platforms are a bunch of hollow words. If you must put a label on me, I am a Constitutionalist, for this was one of the greatest documents ever written about human rights.

In the last 2 weeks, the one message that has been clear from fact witnesses – The President of the United States violated his oath to the Constitution of the United States and in a manner that was unethical, immoral and illegal:

• Trump’s abuse of power by leveraging US foreign policy for personal gain,

• Soliciting a foreign country for election assistance by using bribery with taxpayer dollars & official acts, plus asking a foreign government to investigate an American citizen,

• Obstructing justice [and Congress] by blocking testimony & documents [an Article of Impeachment against Richard Nixon]. Read more

 
Coming up in 2020, this nation will have to decide if the Constitution of the United States is nothing more than words written on parchment in the National Archive. While every elected official swore an oath to defend, protect and preserve the Constitution, we are at a crossroads where that oath MUST be first and foremost, or will his Republican Party’s congressional electeds protect the President at all costs and the Constitution be damned. Soon I envision Trump being the 3rd President ever to be impeached by the House, though I do not see him being removed from office by the Senate. In that case, we will have a true Autocratic, Authoritarian Ruler-King (nee Dictator), who will lay waste on Twitter and FOX TV to anyone critical of him, exponentially advance his torching of truth and continue with lies upon lies, name-calling, and being unkind. Trump will consider the failure of the Senate to remove him from office to be “exoneration,” as in The Mueller Report, which will embolden him to thumb his nose at the Constitution and potentially make 2020 the most contentious and worst year for American government since the Civil War. He will continue to divide the nation as the ruler/representative of only his base and not the American people. His rallies will be even more oppressive and filled with offensive propaganda.

The one shining light that brings Americans together in union is in helping each other with the ever burdening climate emergencies, destined to proliferate even more in 2020, as well. While this country is split apart by the folly of political hysteria, Trump continues to dismantle environmental regulations as a climate denier as Mother Nature attempts to heal herself from the disregard of humanity, which will disrupt the lives of millions. America’s lending a helping hand in camaraderie is what we have to acknowledge this Thanksgiving holiday! This is what we have to be thankful for as this decade comes to a close in a little over a month.

Steve Klein, Yelm Community Blog Host.

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“U.S. intelligence officials briefed senators, aides on Russian attempt to frame Ukraine”

“U.S. Intelligence officials briefed senators and aides about Russian effort to frame Ukraine for 2016 election interference, but Pres. Trump and his allies continue to say otherwise,” by Meet the Press Daily, MSNBC. Read more

“Trump ‘violates all recognized democratic norms,’ federal judge says in biting speech on judicial independence”

By Katie Shepherd, Washington Post. Read more

“Why Trump Is Bad for Business”

“America’s first billionaire President promised to bring a C-suite sensibility to the Oval Office. It started well—but now bad policy choices have pushed CEO confidence to the lowest level in a decade,” by Geoff Colvin, Fortune Magazine. Read more

“House investigating whether Trump lied to Robert Mueller”

By Katelyn Polantz, CNN. Read more

“Bill Barr’s fascist manifesto: Is this man the real threat to American democracy?”

“Trump’s AG gives a speech accusing left of ‘shredding’ norms and embracing ‘coercive state power.’ Project much?” by Heather Digby Parton, Salon Magazine. Read more

“Pompeo announces reversal of longstanding US policy on Israeli settlements”

“The announcement, which breaks with international law and consensus, is the latest in a string of hardline, pro-Israeli moves that are likely to inflame tensions between the Trump administration and Palestinians and widen the divide between the Trump administration and traditional US allies in Europe,” by Jennifer Hansler, Nicole Gaouette and Jeremy Diamond, CNN. Read more

“Mike Pompeo reportedly plans to quit, run for Senate before Ukraine drags him down”

“Secretary of state reportedly wants to bail, launch Senate bid before impeachment maelstrom sucks him to his doom,” by Igor Derysh, Salon Magazine. Read more

“Tell Congress to stand up for the rule of law.”

“The country needs your voice. Click below to contact your legislators and let them know: We must speak out against Trump’s abuse of power,” by Republicans for the Rule of Law. Click here

“Fox News Judge Andrew Napolitano just called for articles of impeachment against Trump.”

By Brian Tyler Cohen. Click here

“Trump recasts way U.S. deals with the world. And this is a big deal.”

“The impeachment process means countries around the world are having to re-think how they deal with the U.S.,” by Patrick Smith, NBC News, London. Read more

“Giuliani-Pompeo contacts before Yovanovitch ouster are seen in newly released State Dept. documents”

By Danielle Wallace, FOX News. Read more

“Giuliani associate willing to testify Rep. Nunes met with ex-Ukrainian official, attorney says”

“Nunes has been one of the president’s most ardent supporters as he faces impeachment proceedings,” by Kristen Welker, NBC News. Read more

“A Former Fox News Executive Divides Americans Using Russian Tactics”

“An investigation found that several sites owned by Ken LaCorte push inflammatory items — stories, petitions and the occasional conspiracy theory — to the public,” by Nicole Perlroth, The New York Times. Read more

“Nearly 300 US Cities Will Mobilize to Demand Impeachment on Eve of House Vote”

By Jonah Minkoff-Zern, Truthout. Read more

“Prosecutors Investigating the Trump Organization Zero In on Trump CFO Allen Weisselberg”

“Weisselberg is one of the Trump Organization’s longest tenured employees and is now co-running the business. He escaped federal prosecution for the Stormy Daniels payments but is now a focus of an investigation by Manhattan’s district attorney,” by Peter Elkind, ProPublica. Read more

“I was a juror in Roger Stone’s trial. I am proud of how we came to our decision.”

“Our unanimous conclusion was this: The truth matters. Telling the truth under oath matters. At a time when so much of our public discourse is based on deception or just lies, it is more important than ever that we still have places where the truth can be presented, examined and discerned. Congress is one of those places. That’s what the case was about,” by Seth Cousins, juror Number 3 in the Roger Stone trial. Read more