In a move that smacks of nothing so much as the 1850 Fugitive Slave Act, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is seeking to extend his power of repression, and violation of personal freedom and privacy beyond his state's lines.
Paxton HIPAA Interstate Violation
Paxton is utterly shameless in his constant search for distractions from his own prodigiously corrupt record.
I flipped on the TeeVee a couple minutes ago, and the Olympics closing ceremonies were on. As the athletes marched out, one of the first images I saw was Imane Khelif, the gold-medal winning Algerian boxer. As she passed the camera, she kissed her gold medal, and smiled sweetly at the camera.
That's beautiful! This talented young woman, who had become the target of the most hateful expressions of misogyny, from the foulest sectors of American society, responded with gentle love and humor.
You go girl! Knock 'em down for the count!
Last week, President Biden pulled off a diplomatic feat, orchestrating the largest prisoner exchange with Russia since the Cold War days and the Soviet Union.
Consistent with his character, Biden played down his role in this historic event, deflecting credit to our allies in Europe, particularly Germany and Slovenia - who released prisoners while gaining nothing in return.
Meanwhile, up in the peanut gallery, a heckler—who played no part in this exchange whatsoever—tried to claim credit for it, even as he belittled the accomplishment; claiming it as a win for his mentor in Moscow. This claim was parroted by his running mate, as well as his always-reliable lick-spittle, Lindsey Graham.
What an incredible character study in contrasting leadership styles – hard work, humility, and shared credit, versus narcissistic vapor-ware puffery.
I'm as conflicted today as one would be witnessing a beloved father surrendering his car keys.
As things now lie, President Biden can retire on an exceptional record of accomplishment in his presidency, vice-presidency, and throughout a lifetime in the Senate.
And, as things now lie--whether the Democratic candidate is Kamala Harris, or somebody else--we are offered a clear choice; maturity and civility, or ...
rather than finish that sentence, I encourage you to read the 'grace and dignity' with which the opponent responded to President Biden's withdrawal from the race; so absolutely typical. and indicative of his well-established mental illness:
https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2024/07/21/joe-biden-drops-out-election/trump-pounces-00170008
I would have had no fear with President Biden leading us on the world stage, if we still had the kind of country that backs the president in international affairs.
But his most dangerous enemies--our nation's most dangerous enemies--are no longer foreign. They are Americans, under the domination of an adversarial foreign power.
We're approaching the midway point of Pride Month, when we celebrate our LGBTQ brothers and sisters (etc., it is hard to keep up, I'll admit).
Earlier this week, was National Loving Day, which commemorates the Supreme Court Loving v. Virginia decision in 1967, disallowing state laws that had banned interracial marriages.
Then yesterday, the current Supreme Court unanimously tossed out a proposed nationwide ban on Mifepristone, a drug used by women to privately terminate pregnancy.
I propose we institute a 'Mind Your Own Damn Business' week, combining the best attributes of these - and encourages the Gladys Kravitz's cross our land to stop peeking through the curtains of other people's lives ... and maybe get one of their own.
If this week is well received, maybe we can stretch it out to ... I don't know ... forever?
Do you suppose that if Georgia's Congressional CrossFit Queen backed off a little (or maybe a lot) on her steroid dosages, it could help prevent these manic outrage episodes?
I doubt that there is any way for her to un-grow that paleo brow, or the other cosmetic side effects, but at least she might be able to begin practicing some more civilized homo-sapiens behaviors.
I don't normally pass on commentary from columnists ... and George Will is generally a bit on the conservative side for me. But these are the kind of times when true conservatives find common ground with liberals, in opposition to a treasonous cult, whose leader is a 'useful idiot' of a dangerous foreign enemy.
In 1994, in the aftermath of the collapse of the Soviet Union, Ukraine gave up it's stockpile of nuclear weapons, in return for security assurances from Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The world has been safer for thirty years now, thanks to that agreement. Putin's attack against Ukraine's territorial integrity, and sovereignty, it is a clear violation of this international accord that has enabled safety and stability in the post-Soviet era.
It gives undue credit to M.T. Greene's intellect to assume that she has any conception of what it means for us to stand aside and allow the violation of this accord to wipe the key signatory off the map. And Donald Trump is so utterly narcissistic that he can't see beyond his self-interest, and the loss of his primary international mentor. So it is up to the rest of us, regardless of political affiliation, to rise above the fools and the corrupt, to make sure our leaders act in out nation's--and the world's--best interests, by stopping this aggression, while it can still be contained.
George Will - Putin-Wing Republicans
Arsenal of Democracy
