Violence and a President Who Seems to Fan the Flames

What you sow, you will reap!  This is an old proverb, but still true.  It is unprecedented to have an American President make statements that advocate for violence.  Acts of hate and violence here and world-wide are early fruits of the harvest.

What You Sow

Here are some examples:

--A President who repeated refers to the Press "is the Enemy of the People"

--A President who applauds an assault on a journalist:

• “Any guy that can do a body slam — he’s my kind of guy,” Trump said to cheers and laughter from the crowd, referring to Rep. Greg Gianforte's  assault on Guardian reporter Ben Jacobs.

--A President who, as a candidate, encouraged the crowds at his rallies to commit violence:

• "Knock the hell out of him!...I promise you I will pay the legal fees.”
• “Maybe he should have been roughed up.”
• “I don’t know if I’ll do the fighting myself or if other people will.

With these and other examples, it beyond credibility that Sarah Huckabee-Sanders said at the White House Daily Press Briefing on 29 June 2017:  “The president in no way, form, or fashion has ever promoted or encouraged violence.”  This is just another example of a President and aides who call proven lies as their alternative facts.  (Ref. https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/donald-trump-incitement-violence/)

The Harvest?

• June 29, 2018 - Five dead in shooting at Capital Gazette in Annapolis, Maryland. (Reference)
• October 25, 2018 - White gunman who killed two black people in supermarket made racist remarks before attack. “Whites don’t kill whites,” he said to an armed man who confronted the killer. (Reference)
• October 25, 2018 - Man sends 13 pipe bombs to Democrats who criticized the President. (Reference)
• October 27, 2018 - Man yelled "All Jews must die" as he kills 11 at Synagogue in Pittsburgh. (Reference)

Other acts of harassment and confrontation have occurred.  And there is the Unite the Right Rally in Charlotteville, VA on August 11 to 12, 2017, which included many carrying weapons, wearing Nazi insignia, chanting racist and antisemitic  slogans.  And there is the case of the the apparent assassination of a Washington Post contributor.

While most of the violence has been perpetrated by fringe characters (either with histories of mental illness and/or violence), the word seems to be "come out, it's safe" for the right-wing fringe.  And what is this saying to the world?

You can't sow the seeds of violence and hatred without expecting the harvest of the same! 

No to Torture!

February 27, 2017.  Donald Trump is now tweeting about a return to torture by the United States.  This is wrong.  It is not the American way.  We do not torture human beings now or ever!

See other posts:

Trump, Torture, Terrorism

Does a Majority of Regular Churchgoers Favor the Use of Torture?
Cheney Still At It
A new Dawn Part 2: The Return of Liberties and the Rule of Law

On the Eve of Super Tuesday

On the night before the first deluge of votes and delegates, the race is pointing to Clinton and Trump to continue their leads.

On the Republican side, Trump leads significantly in delegates:

• Trump 82  6.6%
• Cruz 17    1.4%
• Rubio 16   1.3%
• Kasich 6   less than 1%
• Carson 4  less than 1%

On the Democratic side, it's a virtual landslide:

• Clinton   544 22.9%
• Sanders    85  3.7%

There are no indicators out there in the polls that this pattern won't continue.  You don't need to be a pollster or statistician to predict Wednesday's headlines!

The President Shall Nominate a Replacement for Justice Scalia

No sooner had Antonin Scalia, Associate Justice  of the Supreme Court un-expectedly died, when the controversy over his replacement started.

The President wants to nominate a replacement.  A number of Republican senators and Presidential candidates say we should wait until the public votes for a new president.

Who is correct?  

Let's start with a quote from the Constitution of the United States, Article II, Section 2.  Referring to the President of the United States, the second sentence of the second paragraph states "...and he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint ... Justices of the supreme Court..."

At times like these, we should follow the Constitution.  The Constitution is clear, using the auxiliary verb "shall" to indicate an obligation.  Not just a nice idea, not just a suggestion, not just maybe he should, but "shall" means it's a true obligation.

Most importantly, there's nothing in the Constitution saying that if the President only has 1 year left in his term, he should wait for the next President.  It's just not there.

So the President is obligated to submit a nominee to the Senate.  Once nominated, the Senate has its role of providing Advice and Consent.  In that role, the Senate can advise the President that he shouldn't have nominated anyone.  But, giving the obligatory nature of the auxiliary verb "shall," that would be unconstitutional advice.  Sorry, Senators!

The Senate also must provide its Consent to any nominee.  If the Senate does consent to the nominee of the President, they can vote accordingly.  And the President can try again.  And the Senate might not vote to approve the nominee.  This back and forth until the next President is sworn in.  That would at least be constitutional.

But, to follow the Constitution, the President shall nominate a replacement for Justice Scolia.  Not to do so would be unconstitutional.