REPUBLICAN PARTY IN DISARRAY – TRUMP FOR SPEAKER?

by Vijaya Chandrasoma

The threat of a federal government shutdown was avoided in the last hour on Saturday, September 30, when Republican Speaker Kevin McCarthy found a few of the vertebrae and discs in his spine, which, at least temporarily, allowed him to stand and act upright. He defied the demands of The Donald and the Freedom Caucus, the lunatic fringe of the Republican cult led by Congressman Matt Gaetz, when he made a deal with the Democratic Party to keep the government going till November 17. When there will be yet another attempt at brinkmanship by the Trump owned Freedom Caucus, whose sole aim is to cripple President Biden’s administration.

The stopgap funding bill denied all the spending cuts demanded by the Gaetz and his fellow travelers, bar aid to Ukraine. The bill cleared the House and Senate with big bipartisan majorities before the scheduled shutdown at midnight on Saturday. It was immediately signed into law by President Biden.

There was a significant and encouraging takeaway from the avoidance of the shutdown, which would have thrown the country into chaos. The temporary funding was achieved by the efforts of bipartisan members of the Republican center and Democrats. A hopeful sign that moderate conservatives may finally be seeing the light of Trump’s treachery; the influence of the radical right, violent, white supremacist movement on the Republican Party may be waning.

McCarthy’s deal with the Democrats marked a new chapter in his political life, resulting in the vacation of his post as the Speaker, the first time a Speaker has been so removed in US history. McCarthy has decided not run for the vacancy caused by his ouster. His political future seems to be in the balance.

McCarthy had the support of 210 members of his conference to retain his position as Speaker. It took only eight dissenters, led by Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz, to remove him. The resultant recriminations and backstabbing indicate the dysfunction within the Republican Party. Still, it was nice to see alleged pedophile, Matt Gaetz screwing someone over 18 years of age, for a change.

North Carolina Congressman, Patrick McHenry has been appointed Speaker Pro Tempore, until a leader to replace McCarthy is chosen. Many names are being bandied around, Steve Scalise, Jim Jordan, and a few others, but the most startling name to emerge was that of Donald Trump. According to the constitution, the Speaker does not have to be a member of the House.

Fox News host and Trump confidante, Sean Hannity and Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene (the radical red, racist Congresswoman who claimed that “Jews shooting lasers from outer space started wildfires in California”) said that they had broached the subject of accepting the Speaker’s job with Trump. Trump appeared to be amenable to the suggestion, saying, “My first job is to win the presidency, but I will do it if it’s necessary.

I’ll consider helping you guys out in the short term”, especially if the offer comes with immunity from imprisonment. These morons appear to be blind to the delicious irony of offering the job of Speaker to a man who is currently under a gag order. They also ignore the House rule that a Speaker has to be free from indictment – Trump has four. Of course, in these weird times, rules can be changed. Anything is possible.

Until a Speaker is chosen, the business of the House will remain paralyzed. If Trump takes the job, the paralysis will be permanent.

President Biden has assured that the funding of Ukraine will continue, even though it was denied by the temporary spending bill. As many as 75% of all Americans favor the Ukrainian stance against the naked aggression of Putin. Ukraine and America’s allies in NATO and numerous other countries depend on the continuation of US assistance.

A stoppage of funding to Ukraine would be catastrophic not only because it would inevitably result in Ukraine’s capitulation to Russia. Such an illegal annexation of an independent nation will only encourage Putin to invade other sovereign nations, which were once part of the dismantled Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). Also, Chinese President Xi may be encouraged to annex Taiwan and finally achieve the successful outcome of the One China doctrine.

The illegal annexation of Ukraine could also result in the dismantling of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the most durable democratic association of the United States and its allies since World War II.

President Biden assured President Zelensky, the European Union, NATO and other allies that US funding will continue seamlessly, that, “a drop in support would only embolden Russia and cause wider conflict”. He emphasized that the success of Putin’s illegal invasion will undermine the future of democracy throughout the world. “We cannot under any circumstances allow American funding for Ukraine to be interrupted”, said Biden.

Biden urged Congress to negotiate a new aid package as soon as possible, saying, “The vast majority of both parties – Democrats and Republicans, the Senate and the House – support helping Ukraine and are against the brutal aggression that is being thrust upon them by Russia. Stop playing games, and get this done”.

TRUMP IN NEW YORK COURT FOR CIVIL FRAUD CASE

Trump was in attendance every day of the civil fraud case against him and members of his family, which commenced on Monday, October 2. Trump was not required to appear in person at the Manhattan courtroom. He used these appearances as a part of his election campaign, performing for the media swarming outside the courthouse. He labeled the case as the “greatest witch hunt” in history. An extension of the same greatest witch hunt that has been haunting him over the years.

A continuing feature of Trump’s attendance at court was the almost complete lack of protesters in the environs of the Manhattan court. Earlier, both Trump and Senator Lindsay Graham had predicted that there would be “death and destruction” (Trump) and “blood in the streets” (Graham) if Trump was arrested. He has now been arrested and released on bail on numerous occasions and venues, New York, Miami, Washington DC and Atlanta. The media and law enforcement have outnumbered protesters at all these events, and there has been a singular absence of death, destruction, nary a drop of blood.

A summary judgment was issued by Judge Arthur Engoron on Tuesday, September 26, that Trump and his sons, Donald Jr and Eric had run a systematic fraudulent organization in New York by overvaluing corporate assets over a period of years.

As part of his summary judgment, Engoron cancelled certificates that permit many of Trump’s companies to operate under New York state law. The currently ongoing case in Manhattan court will establish whether Trump and his associates violated other New York state laws, and determine the extent of the fines to be imposed for fraudulent behavior. Trump’s highly vaunted New York “empire”, including the Trump Tower, the jewel in his crown, will soon be in bankruptcy court.

Trump said, “This (case) has to do with election interference, plain and simple”, lying that the case had kept him from his campaign trail, even though his presence was not mandatory. In fact, he used his voluntary presence at the court as the centerpiece of his election campaign, and as a means of fundraising, by ranting and raving about the endless persecution he has suffered, ever the victim.

A performance entirely for the benefit of the media. He also used his appearances to hurl racist and personal insults at New York Attorney General Letitia James and presiding Judge Engoron, an independent jurist who has served the New York Supreme Court for over 20 years.

Judge Engoron warned Trump: “Personal attacks on members of my court are unacceptable, inappropriate, and I will not tolerate them under any circumstances. Consider this a gag order”, warning that “there will be serious consequences if you violate or disobey this order”.

During the lunch recess on Wednesday, Trump lied, “I could be in Iowa, or New Hampshire, or North Carolina, where I could be talking with my supporters and carrying on my election campaign. Instead, I am stuck here”. Immediately thereafter, he took off on his private jet to Florida.

After he left, Attorney General Letitia James addressed the crowd outside the courthouse, where Trump had railed against her for three days. Calling Trump’s voluntary attendance at the court a race-baiting political stunt, she shot back, “I will not be bullied. The Donald Trump Show is over”.

In defiance of another gag order imposed on Trump by Washington DC Judge Tanya Chutkan, who presides over the federal sedition case on his role in the January 6 insurrection. Trump recently insulted Four-Star General Mark Millie, a witness in that case. He accused him (Millie) of treason, saying he should have been executed. The General’s treasonous crime: In his capacity as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during the Lame Duck period of Trump’s administration, he had received information from US intelligence sources that China had been fed false information that Trump was going to attack China, after his election defeat in November 2020.

Having received approval of the then Defense Secretary, Mark Esper, Millie contacted Chinese military authorities to warn them that this information was false, that the United States had no intention of attacking China, a timely act that may have preempted a nuclear war. Trump, smarting after his election defeat, went ballistic when he heard of the General’s independent action. Like the moron he is, accused Millie of treason, deserving of execution. Classic projection that is Trump’s trademark.

Short of imprisonment, there is no gag order or legal instrument that will prevent Trump from keeping his lying mouth shut and insulting and threatening anyone and everyone connected with the numerous cases against him. He will hide behind the First Amendment to justify the filth he spews.

General Millie retired last Saturday after 43 years of service. In his farewell address, he took a swipe at Trump, when he said, “We don’t take an oath to a king or a queen or to a tyrant or a dictator. And we don’t take an oath to a wannabe dictator. We take an oath to the Constitution, and we take an oath to the idea that is America, and we’re willing to die to protect it”.

Patriotic sentiments completely lost on a treasonous wannabe dictator.