With the Iowa caucuses less than two months away, the papers are awash in stories on why Joe Biden will lose in 2024. He is too old. The public does not understand all the good things he has made happen. Donald Trump’s base is just too dug in to shrink, even in the face of a legal Armageddon. And they perceive that Joe Biden’s presidency has hurt them.

This last claim has me scratching my head. I have thought long and hard about Joe Biden but have not once thought that his time in the White House has hurt me. Apparently, I am missing something. Last week I read a Wall Street Journal poll conducted on December 4 that found that 53 percent of respondents indicated that “Biden’s policies have hurt me personally.”  This compares with only 37 percent who claim that Trump’s policies have hurt them.

Respondents in polls routinely blame incumbent presidents for things like soaring prices, crime, and responses to crises deemed insufficient (think of George W. Bush’s response to Hurricane Katrina). They also blame incumbents for things like climate change, falling stock markets, and the rise of dictators like Vladimir Putin. The blame is legitimate, but only to a degree. If respondents thought more about it, they might accept that a rise in the price of gasoline might have been caused by OPEC or by disruptions in the supply chain. Similarly, they might accept that a rise in carjackings in Washington might not have resulted from something President Biden did.

I do not like soaring prices, crime, Putin, war, and a lot of other societal and economic problems any more than anybody else but still think Biden is getting a bum rap. Just to look at crime—Biden has not “defunded” police, does not hate the police, and has not coddled criminals. I do not hold him responsible for increases in crime. And if the solution to combatting crime is to shoot drug dealers, mandate racist stop-and-frisk programs, increase incarceration for minor crimes, and abandon efforts to reform policing, count me out. I want less crime but not at the cost of establishing a police state. 

But what about other results in the WSJ poll? Incredibly, 49 percent of respondents indicated that Trump’s policies have helped them while only 23 percent found the same about Biden’s policies.

What is going on here? It is possible that the poll was just too small, consisting of 1,500 phone calls and text messages. Also, the poll did not indicate how the sample was chosen. If we are talking about 1,500 Alabamians or, sadly, 1,500 people on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, maybe the poll makes sense. But what, I wonder, are the Biden policies that respondents said personally hurt them really Biden’s fault?

Setting aside things like permitting the Department of Justice to prosecute crimes associated with the January 6 insurrection, a policy that would prompt Proud Boys, Trump, and several hundred January 6 rioters to face prosecution, it is hard to figure out what the issues are. I suspect the answers are things like, “Biden raised the price of gas,” or “Biden defunded the police and promoted crime,” or “Biden discriminates against White people.”  But are any of these things that Biden should be held accountable for? I do not think so.

Importantly, in looking at inflation, the impact of Biden’s massive spending bills needs to be looked at in the context of where the money was spent. In the case of the infrastructure bill, the money is going to rebuild failing roads, bridges, the electrical grid, and to replace lead pipes. Most of us would accept these expenditures as needed if asked about them separately. And, If Biden’s spending bills are to blame for inflation, he should also get credit for keeping the economy out of recession. Is anyone giving Biden credit for keeping us out of an economic recession? 

Finally, let’s remember that the U.S. economy simply is not controlled by one person, even the president of the U.S. That is why I am unable to blame Biden for inflation or to give him primary credit for low unemployment rates. And I am definitely not ready to credit Trump for good economic developments, like a booming stock market, or to pretend that the massive tax cuts enacted under his watch did not contribute to today’s inflation.

The same WSJ poll asked the 1,500 respondents whether Trump or Biden is “better able” to oversee certain issues. I choked at the reference to Trump’s abilities because he governed by “gut instinct,” refusing to attend national security briefings or rely on experts. What Trump abilities are involved here? President Biden’s abilities, of course, are also questioned by many, but he clearly relies heavily on a team of highly qualified, able advisors. Even if you disagree with various Biden policies, I think, you have to give him the edge on “ability.”  Right?

The poll found that respondents view Trump as more “able” than Biden to oversee the economy, inflation, crime, border security, and “Israel-Hamas.”  Biden edged out Trump in only two categories:  Abortion and “Tone in Politics.”  Frankly, had the poll found that Trump is more able to oversee the issue of tone in politics, I would have thrown away the paper reporting on the poll, and you would not be reading this article. 

Is it possible that Trump really is more able than Biden and that Biden’s policies hurt more people personally than Trump’s did? I do not think so. As president and since leaving office, Trump has led an assault on people of color, the LGBQT community, the media, and many others. Biden has limited his attacks to those denying anyone their civil rights.

How do you explain a poll that seems to endorse a return of Trump to the White House? One answer is to acknowledge that lies work when running for office in a country where too many of us accept claims without verifying or at least questioning them. Trump tells working people that Biden’s policies will flood the country with undocumented immigrants, fentanyl, criminals, communists, and other undesirables. Unfortunately, many people believe him. The same people believe Trump when he says he could end the war in Ukraine in “one day,” prevent wars from breaking out, and won the 2020 presidential election. 

I worry for the future of America when the only politician who lies more than George Santos is shown in a poll to beat Joe Biden if the 2024 election is Biden against Trump. Our only hope is that between now and November of next year, Trump is found guilty of at least some of the 91 felonies he’s charged with, and the public still sufficiently believes in the legitimacy of the U.S. legal system to conclude that Trump, regardless of his abilities and love for flag-hugging working people, is unfit for office.

J.E. Dean is a retired attorney and public affairs consultant writing on politics, government, and other subjects. 

 

Since January, there has been a stench in the halls of Congress. That is when George Santos arrived in D.C. to represent the good citizens of New York’s Third Congressional District. As the first Brazilian American to serve in Congress, there was considerable interest in the new legislator. He had won in a Democratic district. His election contributed to the slim Republican majority in the House.

On December 1, The House flushed the toilet. Although long overdue, the action was a rare instance of bipartisan cooperation. A breath of fresh air.

Since Santos left the Capitol grounds, saying, “To hell with this place,” three people have asked me what Santos will do next. Given the offenses alleged against him and documented in a House Ethics Committee report, one might comment, “Who cares?” The three people asking about Santos, however, seemed somehow concerned about him. One asked, “How will he ever get another job?” I responded, “I don’t think Santos ever wanted one.”

Santos may end up in jail, given the felonies alleged against him. A residential, lock-down mental health facility may also lie in his future. Given his remarkable ability to lie, the National Institute of Mental Health may also want to spend time with Santos. The Guinness Book may wish to study Santos to update its 2024 edition.

My answer to the question of what is next for Santos is based on an analysis of Santos’ character and that of Donald Trump’s. The two men are surprisingly similar in some ways. While Trump has never claimed to be gay or a former Goldman Sachs employee, both are skilled and persistent liars. Neither hesitates to lie in the face of witnesses, photos, and videos disproving their lies. And both see themselves as victims. As expulsion approached, Santos claimed that he had been bullied by fellow members of Congress. Trump claims that he is the victim of a small army of deranged, Trump-hating prosecutors and judges, RINOs, communists, and lunatics.

A New York State judge found Trump guilty of fraud. The defeated ex-president has also been accused of cheating tenants of his buildings by overcharging them, evading state and federal taxes, not paying vendors, and abusing the legal system to prevent his victims from holding him accountable in court. Santos has not been able to threaten anyone with endless litigation, but it is easy to imagine him doing so if he had Trump’s resources. Santos made fraudulent charges on the credit cards of people dumb enough to contribute to his campaign. Trump set up a confusing website for “recurring” contributions that led some contributors to inadvertently commit to monthly rather than one-time contributions. It is easy to imagine Santos engaging in similar trickery.

George Santos was in Congress for about 11 months. During this time, there is little evidence that he ever worked on legislation or tried to fulfill the responsibilities of being a congressman. Trump was president for four years and routinely skipped security briefings, made policy by “gut instinct,” watched a lot of television, played golf, and plotted to overturn the 2020 presidential election, with the first discussions occurring before election day. The two men share a disdain for work. They are both comfortable enjoying elective office without doing any work. My analysis of Santos and Trump led me to believe that Trump should resist the temptation of selecting Tucker Carlson, Kari Lake, Marjorie Taylor Green, Matt Gaetz, or Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban as his running mate and choose George Santos instead.

Some may suggest that voters will reject a candidate under criminal indictment. Trump has already proven that assumption to be wrong. Others wonder what would happen if someone were elected to national office and later was convicted of a felony. Trump is expected to pardon himself should he regain the White House in the 2024 election or through a successful coup. Logically, he could pardon Santos at the same time he pardons himself. He could also send the army in to prevent the enforcement of any state conviction against himself or his VP.

Trump and Santos are two peas in a pod. It is the ideal Republican ticket.

J.E. Dean is a retired attorney and public affairs consultant writing on politics, government, and other subjects. 

 

Less than a year from now, the United States may be in the grip of another Trump-generated Constitutional crisis. The presidential election will be over—at least for those of us who believe in the Constitution and are ready to accept the outcome of the election even if our preferred candidate loses.

Unfortunately, the probability of another Constitutional crisis—another insurrection—is increasing. Donald Trump is again running for president and is unlikely to win without cheating. Or so one can hope.

Why does Trump remain at the center of the American political stage? Despite Trump’s legal, financial, and psychological problems, many Republicans still prefer him as their standard bearer over anyone else. How a foul-mouthed candidate who led Republicans to a mid-term election debacle last year, who has been described as a rapist by a New York Judge, and is facing 41 felony counts, remains popular defies understanding. One must ask, is Trump’s nomination and possible election to another term as president inevitable?

Let’s hope not. But it will take more than hope to get the defeated election denier off the political stage. If we know nothing else about Trump, it is that he will not easily give up his dream of returning to power. To prevent Trump’s return to the White House, it will take a village. That village would be composed of people willing to try to persuade Trump supporters to walk away from their candidate. Put another way, the effort is getting Trump supporters to think about what values they are supporting in continuing to choose Trump over the alternatives.

Over the Thanksgiving weekend, I jotted down a list of five qualities needed in a successful American president. At the top of the list is allegiance to the Constitution. The other qualities are honesty, humility, sanity, and commitment. Trump has none of these qualities. The effort to persuade Trump supporters to abandon Trump requires, I think, getting them to reassess their support for Trump through this or a similar analysis.

Trump regularly professes his love for America. Have you seen the picture of him hugging an American flag at a campaign rally? But that love does not include the Constitution. In 2022 he wrote, “A Massive [Election] Fraud of this type and magnitude allows for the termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, even those found in the Constitution.” The Constitution includes the Bill of Rights guaranteeing free speech, freedom of religion and a number of other rights. 

Trump’s practice of honesty is reflected by its absence. The Washington Post and other newspapers have called him out for telling more than 10,000 lies. More importantly, former Trump administration officials now acknowledge that Trump knew he had lost the 2020 election and continued to claim otherwise. Is better proof of Trump’s dishonesty possible?

What will it take to convince Republican voters who still believe Trump won the 2020 election that he did not? If Trump knew he lost and knew that the only way to retain power was to set aside the Constitution, why do so many Republicans continue to believe the lies?

And what about humility? Trump has none. But Trump supporters seem to admire that. Trump, a self-described genius, believed he was so smart that he did not need to listen to national security briefings, consult with subject matter experts, or even think about decisions before he made them. The result was four years of “policymaking by gut instinct” that alienated allies, created worries of wars with North Korea and others, resulting in a constant state of chaos. 

Interested in a humble president? Try Joe Biden. Biden understands that the job of president is that of leader of a team. In contrast to Trump, Biden’s cabinet and key advisors are experts in their fields, have been free of scandal, and have guided Biden administration policies. 

When I listen to Trump campaign rallies, I often turn them off when they descend into insane rantings. When Trump condemns special counsel Jack Smith as “deranged,” promises to put him and various judges and other prosecutors in inpatient psychiatric care, he tells us “I am your retribution” and “I am your justice.”  That is insanity. What will it take to get Trumpers to see these speeches as pathological? 

Finally, consider what I call commitment. In 2016, when Trump was declared the winner of the presidential election, he saw himself as winning a prize. He won four years of the right to fly around in a 747, to be on TV constantly, and to enjoy all the perks of the office. He did not see himself as accepting an exceptionally demanding job.

The vision of a president who spent mornings watching cable news, regularly played golf throughout his presidency, and devoted hours to Twitter and Facebook (before being banned), is deeply troubling. We need a president who accepts the responsibilities of the presidency. Trump is not that guy.

I am starting to question whether Trump voters will wake up before it is too late for his party to choose someone else to lead their ticket. Anyone else would be an improvement. 

I salute those in the Republican party who are calling out Trump and suggesting he drop out of the race. I also salute journalists and media who are stepping up efforts to persuade Trumpers that their leader is a threat to democracy and is not their friend.

Will these efforts work? I retain hope that a combination of things will finally rid us of Trump. The GOP still has time to find an alternative candidate, but it will take a village, including many of us who are not Republicans and do not plan to vote for the party’s candidate to make that happen. 

Be part of that village. If you see something (a dangerous candidate who has already admitted to rejecting democracy), do something. 

J.E. Dean is a retired attorney and public affairs consultant writing on politics, government, and other subjects. 

 

Every year I put together a list of things for which I am thankful. My lists are not intended to offend anyone, but inevitably do, often resulting in intense arguments at the Thanksgiving Day table. Things I see as positives are viewed differently by others. For example, I am glad that it looks like the House of Representatives will finally expel congenital liar George Santos from its ranks. I doubt Santos shares my gratitude.

Here is my list. As long as I am talking about Congress, let me say that I am thankful it is out of session. This means no more news about an Oklahoma Senator challenging the president of the Teamsters Union to a fight. And I am thankful we can take a break from hearing anything new from House Speaker Mike Johnson. The news that he and his son share an app that ensures neither of them is viewing pornography was already too much information. 

I am grateful that Ron DeSantis is dropping in the polls. His chances of becoming the 2024 Republican presidential nominee were always slim, but now he is running behind Nikki Haley. The book-banning DeSantis embodies most of the negatives of his one-time mentor, Donald Trump, but without the problems of age or advanced mental illness. 

I agree with The Spy’s From and Fuller that Trump will not be the GOP nominee. I would rather see Haley as the next president than DeSantis if the country ends up with another Republican in the White House. Still, I hope Biden, or another Democrat will win.

And, while I question whether Joe Biden should run for re-election, I am grateful that he has done a decent job as president, put together a stellar team of cabinet members, and secured the passage of major legislation addressing climate change and infrastructure. I also like Biden’s focus on civil rights, equity, and inclusion.

I am grateful that the Eastern Shore was not hit by a hurricane this year. Climate change is causing the weather to get progressively more severe. Every year that we do not suffer a major storm is a good year.

I am grateful that Jack Smith (the federal special counsel that Trump calls deranged) is not intimidated by Trump. Thanks to Smith and prosecutors in Fulton County, Georgia, and elsewhere, 2024 will be a bad year for the man I still call the Orange Menace. I am grateful that the clock is running out on Trump’s political career.

I am grateful that the pandemic is mostly behind us. I hope that anyone who has not gotten the most recent COVID vaccine will do so before Thanksgiving.

I am grateful that inflation is subsiding. We have a long way to go, but the economy is improving. 

I am also grateful for The Spy and its founder and editor, Dave Wheelen, and I enjoy being one of Dave’s spies. I am also grateful for The Spy’s readers, including those who hate most of what I write. 

This week saw the first signs of a de-escalation of the war in Israel.  That war, and Putin’s war in Ukraine need to end.  To watch the rising death toll, increasing devastation and destruction is heartbreaking. I hope all hostages will be released, and all the young children taken by Russia will be returned to their rightful families. 

Let me close by sharing a quote from Marcel Proust that The Spy’s Maria Grant shared with me.  When I told her what I was writing this week, she suggested I close the piece with the quote:  “Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.”

I am grateful to Maria and am glad she is part of my life.

Happy Thanksgiving.  May it be safe and spent with family and friends.  If you avoid political arguments, you will have one more thing to be grateful for.  

J.E. Dean is a retired attorney and public affairs consultant writing on politics, government, and other subjects. 

 

In 1971, White House Counsel John W. Dean, III was consulted on Richard Nixon’s proposal to wreck retribution on enemies of his administration.  Nixon was frustrated with what his vice president, Marylander Spiro Agnew, called “nattering nabobs of negativism.”  Nixon White House aides developed a plan to deal with these enemies and shared it with Dean, who summarized the memo describing Nixon’s plan:  “This memorandum addresses the matter of how we can maximize the fact of our incumbency in dealing with persons known to be active in their opposition to our Administration; stated a bit more bluntly—how we can use the available federal machinery to screw our political enemies.”

Flash forward to 2023 and an ex-president who shares Nixon’s feelings of persecution. Donald Trump has shared his plans to screw his enemies with the public. Be grateful for Trump’s lack of self-control. He is telling us before the election how he plans to abuse presidential power. He is letting us know that if he returns to the White House, he plans to engage in more impeachable offenses.

Last Thursday, Trump told journalist Enrique Acevedo that the Biden administration and others who don’t want to see Trump back in power have “weaponized” the FBI and Department of Justice, “they’ve released the genie out of the box.” Biden’s alleged action, in Trump’s view, justifies his plans.

Trump, of course, is not president, so, he told Acevedo, his actions would not influence his own election. “You know, when you’re president and you’ve done a good job and you’re popular, you don’t go after them so you can win an election,” he told Acevedo. 

Elsewhere, Trump has suggested that he will persecute enemies of the MAGA movement. “I am your retribution,” he tells crowds at his rallies. He also shouts, “I am your justice.” Translation: Trump will screw his political enemies on behalf of his followers. (The logic that putting Federal District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan in prison helps his followers escapes me.) 

Nixon never saw himself as anybody’s “retribution.” Trump, however, casts his planned paybacks as selfless acts—he will screw those who have persecuted him on behalf of his followers, a group that also feels victimized by the “deep state.” 

How has Trump been persecuted?  Among other things, such as the theft of the 2020 election, the four indictments and 91 felony charges, as well as the New York civil fraud case and E. Jean Carroll defamation case (the one where the judge said Trump committed rape in the 1970s in a department store dressing room).  

Trump’s rationale is that two wrongs make a right.  That concept is not in the Bible, but it is the same rationale Trump has embraced to evade taxes and engage in shady business practices.

In his interview with journalist Acevedo, Trump also suggests that he will use the power of government to influence future elections, presumably ones where he will not be on the ballot (unless, of course, he determines the 22nd amendment that establishes presidential term limits does not apply to him.)  As Trump puts it: “They have done something that allows the next party … if I happen to be president and I see somebody who is doing well and beating me very badly, I say, ‘Go down and indict them.’ They’d be out of business. They’d be out of the election.”

As my fellow writer for the Spy, Maria Grant, wrote, “Be Afraid of Trump—He’s Coming for You.”

Trump’s plans are wholly reprehensible and more consistent with the Third Reich than any American precedent. If implemented, the ability of the American people to choose their leaders would be undermined if not eliminated as Trump plans to put his political opponents “out of business.”  Confidence in our system of justice would be weakened because judges and prosecutors would be seen as political agents with no loyalty to the law or the Constitution. 

And perhaps even more destructive, an atmosphere of fear would be pervasive. Once opposition to Trump or Trumpism is seen as triggering retribution, the First Amendment would be effectively repealed. Many writers would be afraid to write, and politicians would think twice before speaking out against Trump.

Nixon’s “enemies list” contributed to his eventual resignation from office. Once the list of hundreds of political opponents, journalists, businesspeople, and even celebrities was published, the public was shocked. The belief that American presidents did not engage in that type of behavior was shattered.

Trump makes Nixon seem like a saint, but fortunately Trump, a man never able to fully control himself, has let us know his plan. We still have time to keep him out of the White House. We still have time to fight for decency, justice under the law, and democracy.

J.E. Dean, no relation to John W. Dean, III, did not serve in the Nixon administration. He is a retired attorney and public affairs consultant writing on politics, government, and other subjects. 

 

How did Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear win reelection yesterday in a state that Trump won in 2020 by eight percent? The immediate answer is abortion. As Republicans nationally have taken credit for overturning Roe v. Wade, women, many of them Republicans, have said “not so fast.”  Yesterday’s Democratic wins, which include approval of a referendum in Ohio protecting the right to choose and Virginia Governor and once-presidential hopeful Glenn Youngkin being denied Republican control of the Virginia House of Delegates and loss of control of the state’s Senate, means more. Proof is not yet available, but some votes that Republicans lost yesterday were 2020 Trump voters rejecting Trump and Trumpism.

Abortion has proven to be the potent issue for Democrats that many predicted when the Supreme Court overturned Roe in June 2022. Women are not keen on the likes of Donald Trump and his hand-picked Supreme Court justices telling them what they can and cannot do with their bodies. But I also sense a turning point on Trump himself. Even election-denying Trumpers are shaking their head as Trump’s business empire crumbles in a New York courtroom. Even Republicans that want to believe that Trump and his family did not engage in rampant fraud are disgusted by Trump calling prosecutors racists, lunatics, and deranged.

The New York civil case is likely to strip Trump of a key component of his psyche—that he is better and smarter than everybody because he is a self-calculated billionaire. Trump without his money and power is nothing more than a narcissistic loser. My guess is that will not play well among the Trump flock.

It is too early to reach conclusions about the 2023 Democratic election wins other than abortion is a losing issue for the GOP. But it is not too early to hope that yesterday’s GOP defeats will embolden Joe Biden and Trump’s Republican challengers to become bolder in attacking Trump.

Tonight, five Republicans, Haley, DeSantis, Christie, Scott, and uber-MAGA blowhard Vivek Ramaswamy, are debating in Miami. Don’t expect Ramaswamy to do anything other than to defend Trump, who Ramaswamy has promised to pardon if elected president. But will anyone other than Christie call out Trump for what he is—a would-be despot running on a platform of lies, hate, and fear?

If Biden persists in running for reelection, which appears increasingly likely, he needs to take on Trump more directly. It will not be easy. Trump has led himself into a corner where he now resembles a cornered rat. He will spit, kick, show his teeth, and yell in the hopes that Biden will cower, and Republicans will believe that he can still win. We should watch Biden closely to see if his campaign posture changes in light of yesterday’s elections.

The GOP itself is close to hopeless despite polls showing Biden to be unpopular because of his age. Until recently, Republicans have not spent much time thinking about who they support for president:  A man facing 91 felony counts, including trying to retain the presidency through violence. If Trump continues to stumble, both legally and psychologically, Republicans may wake up and realize that they supported the wrong guy for too long. Unfortunately for the GOP but fortunately for the rest of us, it will be too late.

J.E. Dean is a retired attorney and public affairs consultant writing on politics, government, birds, and other subjects.

In 1967, the Beatles released a song about our troubled times. It began, “I saw the news today, oh boy.”  I remembered that song Sunday morning while reading the news, especially reports on Israel’s launch of ground attack on Hamas in Gaza, 18 people killed in Maine by a mentally ill sniper shooter, Mike Pence dropping out of the 2024 presidential race, at least 39 reported deaths from the category five hurricane, Otis, that hit Mexico last week, and the death of Friends actor, Matthew Perry. My reaction, “Oh, boy.” 

We live in deeply troubled times. Trouble is everywhere. The world seems to be inching towards a world war. The possibility of a third world war was reiterated with the news on Sunday that Israel launched its ground attack on Hamas. I understand why Israel seeks to destroy Hamas after more than 1,300 Israelis were murdered in Hamas’ surprise attack. But I worry that the war will spread. And while I support U.S. assistance to Israel, some Palestinians see that assistance as the U.S. attacking them. 

While we can hope that the Israel-Hamas war will be brief, the same cannot be said about climate change, the consequences of which were evidenced again last week in Mexico. We are lucky the hurricane did not hit the Eastern Shore or the United States. But we were saved this time by nothing other than luck. The radical actions needed to decrease the risk of extreme weather have not yet been taken and will not be addressed as long as we have political gridlock.

Last Saturday brought the news of Mike Pence “suspending” his presidential campaign. No surprise here other than that it took him until October 28 to read the writing on the wall: “We don’t want you.”  Pence deserves our national thanks for rebuffing Trump’s efforts to use him as a tool to overturn the 2020 presidential race, but that is it. Before his act of courage, he was a mediocre vice president, best known for standing like a manikin behind Trump at public events. Pence was a failure as vice-president, but I forgive him for that because of Trump. I do not forgive Pence for accepting the vice-presidential nomination in the first place. He knew who Trump was and the type of “Christian values” Trump stands for before he agreed to join the ticket. What was his thinking?

Pence’s announcement brought another non-surprise. Donald Trump, complicit in the January 6 riot that featured calls for Pence to be hanged, suggested that Pence endorse his nomination. That will not happen, but the fact that Trump asked tells us a lot about how delusional the ex-president is. And is Trump really one step closer to returning to the White House? Oh, boy.

I was also saddened by the news that Friends actor Matthew Perry is dead. At the time of this writing, the cause is not known, but Perry himself told us that he suffered decades of drug and alcohol abuse. In his 2022 memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, he wrote that he relapsed 40 or 50 times as he struggled for sobriety. It is likely that Perry’s death was related, if not caused by, his substance abuse. That is sad and reminds us that substance abuse these days is everywhere, including on the Eastern Shore. It is also sad that more is not being done to help those facing addiction here and everywhere else. 

Finally, the news of another death was reported. The alleged Lewiston, Maine mass shooter was found dead. Maine residents were freed to resume their lives and the entire country was relieved. The murder of 18 people is reopening, for the thousandth time, the debate on guns. Maine has lax gun laws and, despite the laxity, was not known for its gun violence. And the alleged shooter purchased his gun legally despite documented mental health issues. Dare I say it, had his guns been taken away, 18 people would still be alive.

Although another compelling case for better regulation of guns has been made, it is unlikely anything will happen. Guns don’t kill people, people do. The new Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, said that the problem was not guns, but rather the human heart. He recommended prayer. That suggestion reminded me of another classic rock song, “The Soft Parade” by the Doors. The song, released in 1969, begins:

When I was back there in seminary school
There was a person there who put forth the proposition
That you can petition the Lord with prayer
Petition the lord with prayer
Petition the lord with prayer
You cannot petition the lord with prayer

I am crossing my fingers that lightning does not strike me dead, but petitioning the lord with prayer will not end mass shootings. I have tried, as have many others, most likely including the new House Speaker. Something more is needed and, ironically, if House Speaker Johnson is right that God ordained him to be House Speaker, it will be God’s choice for Speaker that will stand in the way of gun safety legislation getting enacted. 

That reminds me of a third (and thankfully final) rock song, in this case “Ironic” by Alanis Morrisette. You can guess where I am going here. Oh, boy. 

J.E. Dean is a retired attorney and public affairs consultant writing on politics, government, birds, and other subjects.

 

After watching several hours of the Republican scramble to find a Speaker of the House of Representatives after a handful of reckless right-wingers ousted Kevin McCarthy, I turned off my TV. I reflected on the fact that Congress, especially the House of Representatives, is a mess. Not only is Congress not doing the people’s business, but the functionality of the other two branches of government, the executive and the judiciary, is being undermined. This has to stop.

The public, not knowing how to fix the mess, is losing faith in Congress. That puts our representative democracy at risk. It is no wonder that some misguided voters are gravitating towards authoritarianism. Or why Washington is described in pejorative terms, including circus, clown show, or “the swamp.”

Examples of Congress’ dysfunction are plentiful. Complaints come from Democrats and Republicans, and especially from citizens who do not follow politics closely. People want a Congress that is honest, works hard, and inspires American youth to believe in and promote democracy. They are not getting it.

Recent examples of Congressional dysfunction paint a picture of a Congress more interested in self-preservation, or something more nefarious, than in anything that makes government work.

Congress is unable to consider and pass appropriations bills on time. As a result, Continuing Resolutions or omnibus bills, sometimes thousands of pages long, are substituted. The bills are passed without hearings that could surface wasteful spending or bad policies. Most members don’t read them before voting. Not surprisingly, these bills create opportunities for “stealth amendments” that would never pass Congress if considered separately or scrutinized closely.

Congressional oversight hearings have become political stunts, motivated by partisan politics and frequently used as the foundation for fundraising. Jim Jordan, Matt Gaetz, and Marjorie Taylor Green come to mind, but Democrats also use hearings for grandstanding, as best exemplified by Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).

Both parties have elected legislators who have lied about their backgrounds. The most recent example is George Santos (R-NY). Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal misled voters about serving in the Vietnam War. He was never deployed there.

Members of Congress spend more time raising campaign funds than researching and working on legislation. One House member estimated that the typical member spends between 20 and 30 hours per week fundraising.

Because Congressional leadership sometimes pushes Committee Chairpersons to use their committees to generate campaign contributions, important legislation is sometimes delayed to maximize contributions from lobbyists (Committee members create additional weeks, months, and, in some cases, years to solicit funds from lobbyists with interests in particular bills.)

Members attempt to manipulate the executive branch or judicial actions inappropriately. For example, Republicans sought to eliminate funding for Jack Smith’s prosecution of Donald Trump. Members also sometimes pressure federal agencies in support of or against actions that benefit specific corporations in their state or district. New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez (D) is facing felony charges relating to such an action.

Is the case hopeless? Is Congress so broken that it is time to look at alternatives? No. Because any “alternative” to a representative democracy would involve diluting or restricting democracy. We have no choice but to try to address the issues that are handicapping Congress.

Here are a few suggestions:

Both parties should require any candidate running for office under their label to submit to a full background check, similar to the one required for federal executive branch employees. Such a check would have caught George Santos — and others.

Congress needs to fix the Congressional budget process, possibly by prohibiting omnibus legislation or by requiring any Continuing Resolution to include a five percent decrease in appropriations for all agencies except for the Department of Defense or other “emergency” funding. Congress may need to adopt a two-year budget cycle to make consideration of all individual appropriation bills possible.

Standards for the conduct of Congressional oversight hearings should be established by both parties to require civil treatment of witnesses and to censure members who are accused of grandstanding or abusing witnesses or other members.

Both parties should enact campaign finance reform to voluntarily limit the amount of fundraising permitted for each House or Senate seat. The limits would vary by the population of the state or district. Alternatively, party leadership could limit fundraisers in Washington to one day per week. Ideally, much more aggressive measures would be enacted to reduce the influence of lobbyist money in politics.

Congressional leadership needs to require authorizing committees to complete work on legislation requiring reauthorization by the year during which an authorization expires. One-year reauthorizations would be restricted to emergencies. (The effectiveness of this “fix” would depend on the integrity of the Congressional leadership.)

The Department of Justice should step up oversight of Congress and encourage whistleblowers to report perceived inappropriate actions by legislators involving the attempt to influence executive branch action. Funding for the Department of Justice would be made permanent to avoid efforts like those recently made by House Republicans to delay the prosecution of Donald Trump by “defunding” prosecutor Jack Smith.

And can we ignore the ouster of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy? Party caucuses of both parties urgently need to adopt rules to prevent small groups of radicals from removing a speaker and bringing the business of the House to a standstill.

These and other reforms are needed. Is there any chance of action on any of them? Yes, but only if voters demand it. Citizens get the government they deserve. Congress is rotten today because not enough of us are demanding reform.

J.E. Dean is a retired attorney and public affairs consultant writing on politics, government, birds, and other subjects.

The other day I was thinking about how Barack Obama won the presidency in 2008. The first thing that came to mind was his iconic poster with his image and the word “HOPE.”  That is what differentiated Obama from his Democratic party competitors, including the presumed 2008 nominee, Hillary Clinton, and a host of others, including Joe Biden. Obama may have scared the daylights out of some voters, but to the rest of us, he stood for the idea that America’s best days were ahead and that if we worked together, we could get there. “Yes, we can,” Obama told us. (Ironically, Bill Clinton’s campaign also featured “A Town Called Hope”…..)

Today we can argue about Obama’s record as president, but not about whether the theme of his campaign—hope—is different from anything today’s candidates* are running on. That is sad. and some people attribute the generally negative themes being offered by candidates of both parties, and of anti-vaxxer conspiracy theorist Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., to the fact that today’s world is a troubled place these days. 

Many of today’s candidates play the blame game. Trump and his ilk have developed an extensive list of people and things to blame for ruining America. They want to “take America back,” a phrase that I hear as “take America back from the Blacks, Gays, Democratic Socialists, Liberals, Undocumented Immigrants, Jews, and the rich, especially villains like George Soros. They claim their opponents’ actions as the reason for America’s decline. They offer nothing in the way of solutions other than fighting their opponents. Why has Donald Trump endorsed Jim Jordan (R-OH) for Speaker of the House of Representatives? “He’s a fighter.”  I would have rather heard “problem solver” or “unifier.”  

Some Democrats also play the blame game.  Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), for example, frequently vilifies corporations (sometimes with justification) for harming consumers.  

The challenges facing America today are huge. At the top of the list—and something of paramount importance to those of us living on the Eastern Shore—is solving climate change. I want a candidate who, when asked if we can address climate change and reduce the existential risk that climate change represents answers “Yes, we can.”

Also of concern to America today are two wars that, a growing list of Republicans would like to just disappear. Those wars, of course, are Ukraine and Israel. The solution for most candidates is to sit the wars out. Let the chips fall where they may. Use the money to seal the southern border. Such an approach does not reflect hope, but hopelessness. Imagine if the U.S. had not aided Britain when Germany attacked it in World War II.  Today, you might be reading this piece in German.

But the issue of U.S. engagement in Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, and other places is not what our economic self-interest “requires,” but about keeping the candle of hope alive in the world. Putin and Hamas are engaging in war crimes and atrocities. They need to be stopped if freedom and democracy are going to have a chance. Can Putin be defeated in Ukraine? Yes, he can, but only if the U.S. has the vision to help.

The other day I made the mistake of talking politics with a Trump supporter. I wisely did more listening than talking. Knowing that I was going to write this column about hope, I wondered what the Trumper would tell me. Among other things, here is what I heard:

Shooting shoplifters is the only way to end the current epidemic that is forcing stores like Target to close stores.

The drug epidemic is the direct result of southern border immigrants smuggling in drugs. Like shoplifters, they need to be shot.

We need to “put gays back in their box,” which I understood to mean deny them basic civil rights.

Black people want to take over everything. That is why you cannot watch a TV commercial without seeing at least one Black person. Even worse, commercials are starting to include same-sex couples.

Public schools need to be closed to “stop the brainwashing.”

The FBI and Antifa planned and conducted the January 6 insurrection.

Socialists are pulling out all stops to “stop Trump” by prosecuting him. 

Trump did nothing wrong and the four indictments, 91 felony charges, adverse judgment in the E. Jean Carroll case (which included the judge commenting that Trump raped Ms. Carroll in the 1970’s), and a determination that The Trump Organization engaged in rampant and brazen fraud are all lies. 

He did nothing wrong and, incidentally, if Trump did anything wrong, his status as an ex-president or current presidential candidate gives him immunity from prosecution.

In listening to the Trumper’s Apostles Creed of hate, blame and despair, I noted that I did not hear a single word of hope. The Trumpers’ idea of hope is to eliminate Trump’s perceived enemies. Unfortunately, that includes about half the country.

I remain hopeful that hope is not dead. Can the American people give up the current orgy of hate and blame and start working for a brighter future? Yes, we can.

*President Biden offers an optimistic tone about the future by telling us that “We’re the United States of America, we can do anything.”  I like his optimism, but it isn’t, at least to me, a campaign theme similar to that of Presidents Obama or Clinton. 

J.E. Dean is a retired attorney and public affairs consultant writing on politics, government, and other subjects. 

 

Last week Spy Contributor Maria Grant warned us, “Be Very Afraid. He’s Coming After You.” The “he” is Donald Trump. The piece offered a rich sampling of nasty nicknames Trump bestowed on former members of his cabinet, political opponents, and others. Grant’s message was that somebody as nasty as Trump knows no loyalty to anyone but himself. She also implied that anyone who thinks Trump is their friend or is watching out for them, is mistaken.

Grant is right about Trump, but not everyone agreed and told her so in their comments. I read the comments and was surprised to read something that I hear and read more often these days:  Trump defenders explaining why Trump was an excellent president.

Maybe I wasn’t listening, but I do not recall many Trumpers making the effort to explain their admiration for the Trump presidency until recently. The change, I think, results from the fact that Trump himself has shrunken in stature because of his four indictments, 91 felony charges, being accused of rape by a federal judge in the E. Jean Carrol case and being found guilty of fraud in the New York business case. Add to that Trump’s increasingly violent rhetoric and sometimes bizarre behavior. 

There is not much of Trump the man left to respect. That was confirmed for me two weeks ago when a hard-core Trump supporter, the type of person with whom you avoid all political discussions, told me he had lost respect for Trump. He may still vote for him, but there will no longer be a Trump flag flying in front of his house.

So, what about the defenses of the Trump presidency we now hear? They are interesting, both in what they include and what they don’t. They are a problem for Democrats because parts of the Trump record weren’t all bad. They are not entirely honest because Trumpers do not want to address the January 6 insurrection, Trump’s embrace of racism and anti-LGBQT+ rhetoric, and his relentless quest to divide America.

Let’s look at a few of the claims Trump supporters say Trump accomplished during his four years in the White House:

Trump built the wall and reduced illegal immigration. 

The U.S. was not at war during Trump’s presidency.

Trump cut taxes. 

The U.S. became energy independent.

The economy boomed.

Gas prices were low.

The stock market flourished.

Through “Operation Warp Speed,” which hastened the availability of a vaccine for COVID, Trump ended the pandemic.

Trump cut federal regulations to create a more favorable business environment.

Unemployment hit record lows during Trump’s presidency, including for people of color.

The U.S. military was rebuilt.

Inflation was low under Trump.

Trump brought peace to the Middle East through the Abraham Accords.

Russia did not invade Ukraine until Trump left office and would not have done so had Trump been re-elected. (Trump also says if he is elected in 2024, he will end the Ukraine war within 24 hours.)

Trumpers usually follow their litany of Trump accomplishments with disparaging remarks about Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, with the implication that anything good that has happened during the Biden presidency—things like continued low unemployment—is something Biden has not gotten around to screwing up or it is because of Trump laying the groundwork.

As is often the case with self-congratulatory lists of accomplishments, the Trump list includes exaggerations and, in some cases, lies. (Not a surprise given who we are writing about.)

Just a few comments on the Trump list:

Trump did not build that “big, beautiful wall” that he promised. He built a mere fraction of what he claimed he would build. Mexico did not pay for any of the wall, despite Trump’s 2016 campaign promise that he would force Mexico to do so. He also reduced illegal immigration by embracing inhumane border policies. 

It is impossible to “rebuild the military” in four years. Military procurement is a multi-year process. Increases in appropriations for the military under Trump included increased personnel costs. Trump also takes credit for “enhancements” that were originally funded under Bush or Obama. 

Gas prices were lower during the Trump administration because of the pandemic. Demand for gas dropped precipitously because people stopped going to work and other places and generally avoided contact with others. 

Trump’s tax cuts favored the rich. Lower income taxpayers did not benefit. And the cost of the tax cut contributed to an increase in the national debt by 7.8 trillion. That increase, as well as other “unpaid-for” spending, contributed to today’s inflation. 

Yes, “Operation Warp Speed” hastened the availability of a COVID vaccine. But Trump’s handling of the pandemic included denying that a pandemic was starting (he said it would soon simply disappear), disseminating misinformation about medicines to combat the virus, and he participated in a presidential debate with Joe Biden three days after testing positive for COVID. Plus, his accusations regarding Dr. Fauci were unconscionable and resulted in Fauci requiring security even to this day. 

The claim that Russia would not have invaded Ukraine if Trump were president, is speculation. The claim that he could end the war in one day is ludicrous. 

I could comment on each of the claims, but you get the idea—even if Trump deserves credit for some claims, Trumpers overstate the case.

What about what is not on the list:

The January 6 insurrection.

Praising racists (Charlottesville).

Trump’s appointments of anti-LGBQT judges and supported discrimination against LGBQT people.

Trump’s serious weakening of U.S. relationships with our allies, jeopardizing U.S. world leadership.

Trump’s administration characterized by high turnover among political appointees and ethical lapses on the part of appointees.

Trump’s disrespect for the military, calling troops “suckers” and refusing to appear at events with wounded warriors due to fear it would make him look bad.

Trump withdrawal  from the Paris Climate Agreement, making the U.S. the only country to walk away from its promises to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

I could go on, but you get the idea. The Trump presidency was not the triumph that Trumpers now claim. The record, at best, is mixed. And if you consider the harm done to America’s future by the January 6, 2021, insurrection, you cannot say that Trump’s presidency was a success. It was not.

Occasionally, history repeats itself. Despite many of Trump’s “accomplishments” having been proven false, he continues to make ridiculous claims. Just last Sunday, Trump posted this on his social media site: “THE HORRIBLE ATTACK ON ISRAEL, MUCH LIKE THE ATTACK ON UKRAINE, WOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED IF I WERE PRESIDENT – ZERO CHANCE!” 

If you believe this nonsense, please contact me. I am selling the Bay Bridge and will make you an extremely attractive, beautiful offer.

 

J.E. Dean is a retired attorney and public affairs consultant writing on politics, government, and other subjects. (Disclosure: Maria Grant is the wife of J.E. Dean)