In response to those who use Kirk's assassination as an excuse for more violence in revenge

 On another social media site to which I belong, I was shocked by some whose response to the assassination of Charlie Kirk was revenge against those they hated...Obama, Pelosi, Soros, and a whole list of political adversaries...and said it was time for a CIVIL WAR (yes, in caps). I hear there are those on the lib side" who also vowed violence, though none on the social media sites I follow.. The lunatics on both sides are the enemies to our ability to pursue a goal and rights "granted by our Creator" we all should share, in the words of the Declaration of Independence, of life, liberty, and happiness. I was heartened by those who said political violence was a blow against democracy. Democracy is still the best way to achieve such lofty and universal aspirations.

I realize some do not give a twit about democracy. They are so bound up by either ignorance of what the alternatives are or those who feel the only way that counts is their way and seek a government that only rules on their behalf, the rest of the country and world be damned. Those who do not march in lock step with them should be beaten down and suppressed using whatever means they have, including violence.. To those who think that, all I can say is what goes around comes around, and the circle of violence only expands and accelerates until there are more and more victims in the grave on both sides. There are no happy endings in history, as even the victors or the governments they espoused based on hate, violence, and suppression eventually fall victim to themselves, either in suicide in a bunker or hanged by those they once suppressed. That should be the lesson we learned from the last century of world wars and revolutions, from the rise of totalitarianism (dictatorial control over governmental power, everyday life, thought, and culture) to Bosnia's war of ethnic cleansing. It may take years for this to unfold, but the old adage "those who live with the sword, die with the sword" has some truth.  So few of us have lived or experienced this. Too few of us know the history of what we have not seen with our own eyes. We are condemned to repeat it. Democracy's greatest asset is that it provides a plan and way for humans to pursue life, liberty, and happiness without violent conflict, instead.

The leader of in chief of revenge on political adversaries is our own president, Donald Trump, who was quick to beat the drums of hate and retribution, and there were some on "the other side" who did likewise. Or, as one opinion writer, David French, noted:" there are monsters in your midst, too".

Trump Escalates Attacks on Political Opponents After Charlie Kirk’s Killing - The New York Times   

   MUFTIC FORUM BLOG: Trump fans the flames of violence, yet calls himself the law and order president updated

"To get past this dreadful moment, more and more Americans are going to have to face a painful fact. Evil isn’t confined to one side of the American divide. There are monsters in your midst, too. Opinion | There Are Monsters in Your Midst, Too - The New York Times

Trump Puts Democrat Senator in His Place for Rejecting God-Given Rights. The pertinent question in the USA is not who gives the rights, but what rights our nation should support. Cain is right in one regard: if you do not have a government that supports those rights given by God, you do not have those rights. The government plays a role in supporting or subverting those rights, whether in the USA or abroad, as do the theologians in power in their respective countries. Trump is correct in one respect: our founders saw rights as those granted by God, but on the other hand, he seeks to oppress those upholding those rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness as listed in the Declaration. He uses or supports violence, military force, and all the power of the federal executive, which he can abuse to punish and suppress those who write, advocate, and support his political enemies. Our founders protected rights from being taken away in the Bill of Rights. 

The founders also viewed government as an instrument for granting rights they had identified as inalienable. That was their unique contribution used to offset a too powerful federal government, as well as the separation and balance of powers. I draw heavily on this conclusion from https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/first-principles-what-americas-founders-learned-from-the-greeks-and-romans-and-how-that-shaped-our-country_thomas-e-ricks/

Trump drags his feet on Ukraine again and deceptively invents an excuse

 Trump is inventing another excuse to drag his feet in support of Ukraine....he'll impose more sanctions if Europeans stop importing oil from Russia. There are already sanctions in place, as Biden imposed them, but the Trump administration has stopped enforcing them, according to Ann Applebaum of the Atlantic on MSNBC this morning. Trump's holding further sanctions against Russia hostage to extract pledges from Europe for what they are already doing is deceptive. European imports of oil from Russia have been cut drastically since Russia invaded Ukraine. All but three European countries have already agreed to stop importing oil from Russia and are already doing so...But oil is not the main problem, and the three holdouts are situated along a Russian oil pipeline. The real challenge is finding and affording alternative energy sources, from wind to natural gas to heat homes and generate electricity. Where does the EU’s gas come from? - Consilium . Over 47% of European electric energy comes from wind, water, and solar. Electricity from renewable sources reaches 47% in 2024 - News articles - Eurostat

reuters.com

How much oil does the European Union import from Russia?

PROJECT 2025'S plan to replace employees with Trump loyalists sort of worked

Project 2025, the Heritage Foundation's plan to replace the "deep state" with loyalists to Trump and their cause, sort of worked, though not in the way they planned. Elon Musk was tasked with finding "waste, fraud, and abuse," and thousands of federal workers were fired en masse, particularly those on probation. Some agencies were closed altogether. Originally, Project 2025 called for reclassifying key positions and turning them into political appointments, once protected by career service non-partisanship, using a mechanism called Schedule F. Musk and the Trump administration effectively bypassed much of that with the mass firings. However, the Heritage Foundation's plan to have cadres of replacements screened for ideological purity to fill vacant positions began to be implemented when one of its plan authors was appointed to head the Office of Management and Budget by Trump. The Trump administration has had six months to implement this scheme. How far they have gone toward their goal is not clear, but what has been done so far will stay in place.  A judge has just made it harder to do much more in the future, other than filling vacancies, putting a halt to mass firings... Those unlawfully fired, per the Supreme Court, will not be reinstated. The Heritage Plan is now faced with filling vacancies, but they cannot do any unlawful mass firings to cause the vacancies as they once did. Trump administration unlawfully directed mass US worker terminations, judge rules

AFGE | New Trump Administration Packed with Project 2025 Architects

Project 2025: The Plan To Seize Power by Gutting America’s System of Checks and Balances - Center for American Progress

What is behind the current wave of political and school violence?

What is behind the current wave of political and school violence? Is it a societal problem or a political one? Does society in the US condone political violence? From some learned estimates, about 20% of Americans, depending on how the question is asked. According to a PBS NewsHour/NPR/Marist poll published in April of this year, approximately 20% of Americans believe that political violence can be justified at times.  Demagogues and aspiring influencers have appealed to that segment to rise to power and the emergence of social media has provided the newest vehicle for promotion. There is certainly a political element, but is it more?

To take a deep dive into what is causing this, I found this illuminating article:  What’s Driving Political Violence in America.  Emerging from the events of the past few days, the assassination of Charlie Kirk and a Evergreen High School shooter had in common: political extremism on social media.

The Everngreen shooter (now deceased) had spent much time on a neo Nazi website. Online footprint of Evergreen High School shooter reveals a troubling past | Watch   The Kirk killer's motivation is yet to be revealed, other than he came from a very conservative family who placed great value on gun ownership and 2nd amendment freedoms. Reported conversations with others leading up to the shooting indicated political disagreement with Charlie Kirk's positions. The accused's social media postings and often-visited websites have not been revealed, except for Discord.    Neither shooter used an "assault" weapon, but lethal weapons were nonetheless legally and easily available. These shooters would have had many more victims if these weapons or war had been used. The problem was not the type of weapons used in these two events; the problem was something else.  

The promotion of such violence by political leaders to resolve problems, no matter what media is used or by whom or what group is involved, also gives some sort of green light to the deranged to seek glory and even death.   

While the two young men involved, one 18 and the other 22,  may not have been aware of any of Trump's record, there are those on social media and in political leadership who have laid the groundwork for any degree of general societal approval of the use of violence in politics is legitimate. They reflect  this view in social media and postings by influencers that inspire wannabe political killers 

My own view:

Let us start with the top promoter of violence to achieve a political goal, the permission slip giver, the president of the United States, himself. Do not expect Trump to become the champion against political violence or take any moral leadership on this issue. He has a long record in exhorting such violence.  The record is clear and documented. Here is my tracking of Trump's dog whistles to those who commit violence on his behalf and his own exhortations of violence in public statements:  MUFTIC FORUM BLOG: Documented history of Trump's call to violence 2020-June 2024

MUFTIC FORUM BLOG: Trump fans the flames of violence, yet calls himself the law and order president updated 

Charlie Kirk assassination: Suspect allegedly used Discord before shooting - YouTube

The damage assassinations do to the cause of saving democracy from dictators and autocrats is profound: Political violence is what the founders of our democracy wanted to prevent. There are some sane voices rising and one deserves special recognition.Utah Governor Spencer Cox emerges as voice of reason in wake of Charlie Kirk killing - Newsweek

From my September 11 Facebook posting: The killing of Charlie Kirk was also an assassination attempt on democracy. Our country was founded during the Age of Reason, where citizens were considered capable of using their brains and reason to do what would be in the best interest of the country as a whole. Instead of violence and bloody revolution, which had plagued Europe and England to pit self-interested and religious fanatics against each other, Madison and others crafted a way to permit political discourse and debate to bring reason to political governance instead of violence and to protect even the voice of dissidents. There are always _those in any society who only see violence and hate as the way to get their way, but democracy was to formed to let the voice of rational people to be heard and the majority to be elected. Some are also deranged and so angry that they have lost reason. For those who see assassination as a tool to gain power, they are not protecting democracy, but destroying it.

Further thoughts on my Facebook posting on September 11. I realize some do not give a twit about democracy. They are so bound up by either ignorance of what the alternatives are or who feel the only way that counts is their way and seek a government who only rules on their behalf, the rest of the country and world be damned That who do not march in lock step with them and should be beaten down and suppressed using what ever means they have, including violence.. To those who think that, all I can say is what goes around comes around, and the circle of violence only expands and accelerates until there are more and more victims in the grave on both sides. There are no happy endings in history as even the victors or the governments they espoused based on hate, violence, and suppression eventually fall victim to themselves, either in suicide in a bunker or hanged by those they once suppressed. That should be the lesson we learned from the last century of world wars and revolutions, from the rise of totalitarianism (dictatorial control over governmental power and culture) to Bosnia. It may take years for this to play out, but the old saw of "those who live with the sword, die with the sword" has some truth. Democracy's greatest asset is that it provides a plan and way for humans to pursue life, liberty, and happiness without violent conflict, instead.

Racial profiling in immigration stops and detention greenlighted by the Supreme Cort

The 6-3 Supreme Court just gave the green light to ICE to snatch people off the street because they look Hispanic and sound Hispanic. It is racial profiling, pure and simple. I am disgusted. The voice of dissent, Justice Sotomayor, wrote:"We should not have to live in a country where the Government can seize anyone who looks Latino, speaks Spanish, and appears to work a low-wage job," she wrote. "Rather than stand idly by while our constitutional freedoms are lost, I dissent." Trump's Supreme Court is chipping away at civil rights with no explanation other than "it's not our job to set immigration enforcement policy," and we need to call them out. That should send a chill through anyone who does not look white for the precedent this sets. Supreme Court gives no explanation as it hands Trump another win

The old warning to anyone who looks Hispanic (or even native Americans), carry your papers ready to show them on the spot, is no real protection as even green card holders and those born here have birth certificates, get detained by ICE. ICE is putting many in holding pens while they "sort it out", and even then, whether the detainee can afford an attorney or even speaks English is a question. Their chance for a "due process" hearing after waiting days in a slammer is a roll of the dice and the hope that some non-profit comes to their rescue.

This is sheer terror, as told to me by my Hispanic friends. Even showing an ICE agent your papers is not always helpful. There are no figures released by the Trump regime that report numbers of those wrongfully detained and even deported, but there are past studies that detail that there were plenty of wrongful detentions dating years before ICE was given a quota ot snatch anyone to make their daily tally. Anecdotal evidence that it is happening now is plentiful if you do a Google search.

La Corte Suprema, con 6 votos a favor y 3 en contra, acaba de dar luz verde al Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas (ICE) para que secuestre a personas en la calle por su apariencia y sonido hispanos. Es discriminación racial, pura y simplemente. Estoy indignada. La voz disidente, la jueza Sotomayor, escribió: "No deberíamos tener que vivir en un país donde el gobierno pueda detener a cualquiera que parezca latino, hable español y parezca tener un trabajo mal pagado". "En lugar de quedarnos de brazos cruzados mientras se pierden nuestras libertades constitucionales, disiento". La Corte Suprema de Trump está socavando los derechos civiles sin más explicación que "no es nuestra responsabilidad establecer políticas de control migratorio", y debemos denunciarlos. Esto debería estremecer a cualquiera que no parezca blanco por el precedente que esto sienta. La vieja advertencia para cualquiera que parezca hispano (o incluso nativo americano): llevar sus documentos listos para mostrarlos en el acto no es una protección real, ya que incluso los titulares de tarjetas de residencia y los nacidos aquí con certificados de nacimiento son detenidos por el ICE, que simplemente los pone en celdas mientras "resuelven sus problemas". Aun así, si el detenido puede pagar un abogado o si habla inglés, tiene la oportunidad de una audiencia de "debido proceso" después de esperar días en una cárcel es una cuestión de suerte, y la esperanza de que alguna organización sin fines de lucro venga a rescatarlo es un juego de azar. Esto es puro terror, como me contaron mis amigos hispanos. Ni siquiera mostrarle los documentos a un agente del ICE sirve de nada. El régimen de Trump no ha publicado cifras que informen sobre el número de detenidos injustamente e incluso deportados, pero sí hay estudios anteriores que detallan que hubo muchas detenciones injustas años antes de que el ICE tuviera una cuota para capturar a cualquiera por día. Hay abundante evidencia anecdótica de que esto está sucediendo ahora si se busca en Google.

Messaging again, Democrats: loser: I'm not Trump. Winner: here's how I will fix your pain

Democrats will lose if they just say," Vote for me because I am not Trump.' Instead, Democrats need to tell what they would do in the future and actions they support instead of vague theories and worn platitudes...Here are examples of what I mean:

I am hearing moe and more voices saying that Democratic candidates will lose if they just say," Vote for me because I am not Trump.' Their platform seems to be that Biden was right by inference. That is no winner, and it was the reason Trump won in 2024. Instead, Democrats need to tell what they would do in the future to fix what's wrong, though the issues are the same as in 2024, and Trump has failed to deliver on some key ones, like the economy, which impacts both red and blue states and individuals regardless of political affiliation, race, or religion. Keep it brief, steer clear of the wonky weeds, and focus on specific actions. Avoid worn platitudes and vague theories.

Mamdani in New York did two things:" I feel your pain, and your pain is you cannot afford to live here, and here is exactly how I will help"...all in one sentence. He dwelt and focused on what actions he would take that would help those who are not rich. Avoid poli sci theories or cultural issues terms, which can devolve to divisive name-calling. The exception to using poli sci terms could be branding Democrats as pro democracy, not pro-dictatorship. Put it in terms of fairness or American values of all to pursue life, liberty, and happiness.. As an obvious issue, independents and even some Trump voters will get why Trump is a wannabe dictator because others will be making that issue on behalf of Democrats. Others will use terms of class warfare, but as a candidate, many elections will hinge on swing voters.

The other issues not addressed by Mamdani on crime and immigration cannot be ignored, either. Admit there is a crime problem in red and blue cities; i.e., put a cop on every block in high crime areas; good, the border is closed but let us treasure the good migrants who contribute to our economy and are our neighbors.

For the affordability issues, restore the health care cuts to Medicaid and ACA and make Medicare sounder, but reduce the costs to consumers by competitive bidding of prescription drugs and charges for participating in these popular programs.

..support early childhood education and give financial support to those. providing childcare to make it affordable.

.. support making groceries more affordable by supporting market competition and opposing monopolies, stopping tariffs on imported food, and providing enduring work permits for migrant farm workers (the old bracero method?).

.. support the building of more affordable housing and housing for the homeless. including tax breaks and some funding, etc.

...To the question of how we should pay for all of this? Reverse the outrageous tax breaks to the very rich. ...(this is one way to address class warfare by emphasizing the result of Trump's actions without talking about it that would be a turnoff to moderates needed to win)

'''reverse Trump's tariffs to what they were before and use tariffs in the future to support national security interests, not as a government fundraising project,

...Under the topic of fairness to everyone, not just to billionaires and those who pledge and show loyalty to one president:

.. will not govern by using the iron fist of the military against our own citizens or threaten criminal accusations against opponents without any evidence

..improve our free and fair elections, and make sure your vote will be counted, no matter who you vote for (if needed: this is why I support democracy, not dictatorship)

... end political and racial gerrymandering, end untraceable

campaign money,

... work to keep the federal government and a single man from controlling state-run elections, limiting ballot access, and managing the tabulations of votes.

(Note the lack of reference to the damage done by MAGA in cultural and racial issues; those victimized by such, we hear plenty of that from other organizations, but in a federal election campaign, fairness is a value all can subscribe to.)

The false pretext: President loses a power grab strategy with Harvard, California, migrant due process rulings

The President is losing a power grab strategy with his action on Harvard, the deployment of military in California, and migrant due process ICE policies. The courts are not buying his use of pretexts to justify his actions.   Is Trump using false pretexts to justify military actions to seek regime change and revisit denied court actions, as he kills 11 Venezuelan drug sailors and floods the Caribbean with US military assets in a Wag the Dog scenario and reclassifies drug smugglers as "terrorists"? His most flagrant example of a false pretext is the misuse of revenge on Colorado's mail-in ballot system as a pretext for moving the space command center to Alabama. Trump has been trying to move the center since 2016, but had never tied it to mail-in ballots until now.

  One of the tools of terror to force institutions, private and public, to bend to Trump's power grabs is to use unrelated issues in order to get compliance with his policies and to justify anti-constitutional acts of withholding funding.  The pretext is false, and courts are not being fooled in recent lower court decisions. Most of these rulings will end up in the Supreme Court. (Oxford dictionary:Pretext: a reason given in justification of a course of action that is not the real reason.)  I would add that even the pretext itself can be used and abused and distorted, and it can be just as false as the issue and facts to which they are referring are false, as well.("False Pretense"is the word used in common language, but it also has a meaning  in the law closely associated with criminal real estate transactions so I am using "pretext" to avoid any confusion.)

Trump's attempt to force Harvard to change their curriculum and admissions polices, contrary to Trump's interests, by using the issue of anti-Semitism, just hit the fan.  A judge ruled that Trump's withholding of $2 billion in federal research grants unless Harvard complied with demands that were unrelated to anti-Semitism actions on campus was illegal. Judge says Trump administration unlawfully blocked $2 billion from Harvard | CNN Politics This ruling will be appealed, but in the meantime, the Trump strategy to scare all, including private institutions, engaged in higher ed that dare teach a liberal viewpoint, and the intellectual debate of multiple views, to change curriculum and staff to support his one-sided view, is being stopped.  Trump's attempt to control the ability of all Americans at any level of education to hear or learn views other than Trump is also obvious from attempts to force the Smithsonian to remove or reduce references to the ills of slavery in American history and the resulting civil rights movement. 

The grand daddy of false pretexts: to deploy military, national guard, or active duty contrary to the Posse Comitatus Act as applied to states' rights, is that there is a "national emergency", a loophole that would give him the power to do it. That one also was shot down in flames regarding the deployment of troops to California, and my also echo in other incidents, including his attempt to hype up the crime issue in blue states, when ignoring the even worse rate of crime in red states. After ruling against LA Guard use, Trump vows more deployments : NPR   Next on  Trump's plans: send troops into Chicago.  The use of federal troops in DC is a different situation, since Washington, DC, is not a state, but is subject to degrees of federal control and home rule.. It is obvious that such a declaration of national emergency serves his political ambitions to pull a trick out of the magic political hat." Democrats are always soft on crime, so fear them, and Republicans are hard-nosed." Watch that controversy to be on the top burner if Trump continues with plans in Chicago and Baltimore.

 So far, lower courts have ruled against the pretext of a "national emergency" as a means to circumvent the Constitutional provisions that Trump sees as standing in the way of his power grabs. Many of these rulings will likely be appealed to the Supreme Court.  The terms "abuse of power " and"overreach" are too kind. Recent cases are examples of power grabs by strong leaders who seek to wield the same powers as a dictator, ruling by one person who declares what the law is, rather than being established through a democratic process, subject to compliance and interpretations to justify Trump's real power grab attempts.

 As a recent example, Trump's order to move the space command from Colorado Springs to Alabama because Colorado defied his newest anti-voter access to the ballot box by mail. Trump says he's moving Space Command HQ to Alabama because of Colorado's mail-in voting system. This is purely a matter of revenge (against a blue state) to favor a supporter (red Alabama). In reality, the location of the space command has always been a matter of politics, since his first term, regardless of any financial or military considerations, and mail-in ballots were never linked to the move until now. The false pretext  Trump made in his announcement was not even disguised: He was moving it because of Colorado's mail-in system as retaliation.

 In fact, the anti-mail-in ballots argument rests on a false pretext itself.  There was widespread fraud, ballot harvesting, etc in 2020, caused by mail-in ballots, when nearly every opportunity in courts (at least a minimum of 60 court rulings), or for John Q Public to provide evidence in the past five years has failed.  Conservative group finds ‘absolutely no evidence of widespread fraud’ in 2020 election

Is he now planning military action against Venezuela (yes, we are at war now) to justify defying the Constitution clauses regarding due process and/or breaking international maritime laws and/or force regime change in that country?   Trump announced our military attacked a drug smuggling boat, and now he wants to get Venezuela's drug smugglers classified as terrorists, though, why? I suspect it is either to give legal cover to the US violating territorial waters, or to justify his illegal attempt to violate Venezuelan migrants' due process rights by zealous ICE action, already claiming Venezuela was at war with the US.  under the Alien Enemies Act.  An appeals court rejected the abuse of that act. US appeals court rejects Trump's use of Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelans | Reuters  For those engaged in conspiracy theories, it would not be put past Trump to declare the US was at war against Venezuela in order to take even more action against migrant mass deportation, regardless of whether they had committed any crimes. Secretary of State Marco Rubio from Florida has also had a long held desire to end the Maduro dictatorship. Wag the dog, the use of a false pretext for war can even itself be a false pretext. Inventing and provoking an incident is not just a strategy found in literature and movies.

Sometimes, the pretext to justify an action is not due to a scheme or grand plan, but sheer ignorance or perceived opportunity to make a point without knowing the facts. Within the same 24 hours, Trump confused 5-year-old videos with current facts, and AG Pam Bondi tried to cherry-pick examples of dangerous migrants in big blue cities, when the incidents did not happen in the city she claimed they did. It may also happen because Trump has only yes people advising him, who could intervene and correct him before he opens his mouth and sticks his foot in it. Here is an example of that: Trump, watching FOX, did not realize he was watching a 5-year-old video of George Floyd protests and claimed "last night" he saw Portland being destroyed, so it was time to threaten to send the military into the city and put that city on his list to try to oppress. I wonder how many in MAGAland thought that Portland, Oregon, was being destroyed last night?    https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-threatens-to-send-troops-to-city-he-says-he-saw-being-destroyed-last-night-but-it-wasn-t/  In the same24 hour span, AG Pam Bondi claimed migrants committed horrific crimes to justify military action on blue cities when the examples she used took place miles from the city of Boston.  https://www.thedailybeast.com/pam-bondi-takes-aim-at-boston-citing-crimes-from-elsewhere/

Will the Supreme Court's legacy be they killed off democracy?

Will the Supreme Court's legacy be" they killed off democracy'?"Trump's "I can do anything I want" attitude had at first been fed by the friendly Supreme Court ruling that he cannot be prosecuted for a crime while in office, and recent 6-3 Court decisions. Those are now on full display and a matter of public record. Trump is now consolidating power and seeking more, acting and ruling as if he is already a dictator, with little in sight to stop him. Over the years, during and since Trump's first term, the GOP Senate leadership has managed to install a Court dominated by ideologues of various extreme think tanks, such as those favored by the Heritage Foundation and screened by other think tanks for ideological purity. With this kind of control by ideologues who want a unitary or much stronger executive branch, no wonderTrump feels comfortable he can gamble by letting "his' Supreme Court decide whether his power grabs have gone too far. In the upcoming session, the Supreme Court will decide whether its 6-0 majority, with a recent track record of usually granting the power he desires whenever the issue is before it, will continue to do so. Three major decisions will be looming, if not more, that will decide if the Court caves to his power grab or not. The Supreme Court's heritage could be known as the enabler of the end of democracy, of, by, and for the people, and instead gives the permission slip to a power-hungry president, allowing it to become a government of, by, and for Trump. There are some crucial tipping point decisions soon before the Supreme Court this fall. With such power in his hands, Trump has the luxury of being able to ignore the economic needs of those who voted for him and other campaign promises made in 2024, especially those thinking that he would reduce their cost of living. 

This is a Supreme Court, comprising those with a 6-3 Trump-favoring majority, packed over recent years with ideologues who are presumed to be loyal to the concept of a more powerful executive branch, a unitary system that undermines checks on executive power. They were screened by "conservative" think tanks like the Federalist Society for their tilt before they were nominated, and their Senate approval process was strategized by GOP leadership to prevent even other nominees from being considered. 

Those who have advocated for years for the extremist goal of turning the executive branch into a "unitary" government, which is another term for eliminating the checks and balances that Congress and the Judiciary once had, is a goal of the Heritage Foundation. Until the emergence of Trumpism and Trump himself, who seeks to accumulate more power and wealth for himself (no secret at all), the inclination of the Court was to prevent a wannabe from becoming a full-blown dictator. They are now in control of the appointments to keep power positions, and fellow traveler Trump is using the hammer of a totally politicized justice department to threaten and control past and present "enemies".

 The goals of the Heritage Foundation in the 2024 elections were also no secret. It was in print and online, available for all to read.  The irony is that the name of this foundation is not a reflection of the democratic heritage of the republic founded by our forefathers, but rather the opposite. It has been the promotion of the executive branch's power, aiming to turn it into a form of dictatorship, while maintaining the form of checks and balances, yet subverting the judiciary's and legislature's ability to effectively check the executive branch's power. The founders of our Republic warned us against exactly what Trump is trying to do and set up a form of government that kept the executive branch in check, giving the power of the purse to Congress, and an executive branch that was concerned about whether laws or governmental actions were in keeping with the intent of the Constitution. The Supreme Court and the independent judiciary were tasked with ruling on whether laws conformed to the Constitution. The duties of the executive branch were outlined in the "take care" clauses throughout the document.

 It was the rule of law, not the rule of a king, a tyrant, foreign or domestic, that shaped the founders in devising the Constitution in 1789. Kings and tyrants were to be feared and prevented. That is the heritage we have, not the one the Heritage Foundation's deceptively named think tank supports and now dominates the Trump administration, in tune with their leader, who also wants to be an autocrat, too. (Autocrat: another name for a dictator, as "autocrat" sounds to a degree to be less all-powerful or threatening). 

  Trump is now consolidating his power in various ways that resemble those of a dictator, testing the limits of his authority until the Supreme Court intervenes.  He has indicated he will stand by what the Supreme Court rules, but on that promise, we should not trust, as he has a history of breaking promises to get elected. (i.e., I will reduce your cost of living, end the Ukraine war on day one). Instead he has been obsessed and consumed by getting revenge and frightening with threats into keeping mouths shut or into actual verbal compliance with his purposes

.Now Trump is hell bent by tariffs, labor shortages due to mass deportation, and making sure everyone in government or receiving federal funds, top to bottem is loyal to him but not to the empty pledges of loyalty oaths to the constitution, his attempt to put the federal governent in control of tabulation and methods of voting instead of the states, his attempted firing of officials of once hands off independent agencies, his trampling of civil rights and due process, his attempt to frighten so many into subservience to him by using his department of justice to launch investigations without probable cauise except for the crime of being disloyal to him. and his ordering state governors to rediscrt to give him continued control of the House..  

Update: 9 9 2025. The 6-3 Supreme Court just gave the green light to ICE to snatch people off the street because they look Hispanic and sound Hispanic. It is racial profiling, pure and simple. I am disgusted. The voice of dissent, Justice Sotomayor, wrote:"We should not have to live in a country where the Government can seize anyone who looks Latino, speaks Spanish, and appears to work a low-wage job," she wrote. "Rather than stand idly by while our constitutional freedoms are lost, I dissent." Trump's Supreme Court is chipping away at civil rights with no explanation other than "it's not our job to set immigration enforcement policy," and we need to call them out. That should send a chill through anyone who does not look white.

MUFTIC FORUM BLOG: So is Trump now appealing for the pro dictator vote while he says he is not one?

 The Supreme Court has expanded Trump’s power. He’s seeking much more.

Full List as Supreme Court Rules for Donald Trump 15 Times in a Row - Newsweek

Supreme Court Keeps Ruling in Trump’s Favor, but Doesn’t Say Why - The New York Times

Project 2025 Tracker | 

Meet the powerful group behind Trump’s judicial nominations   about the Federalist Society

McConnell went 'nuclear' to confirm Gorsuch. But Democrats changed Senate filibuster rules first.

Congratulations, MAGA, you have now turned America into the nightmare our founders warned us about

 Congratulations, MAGA, you have now turned America into the very nightmare our founders warned us about. In modern terms, per this opinion piece, we have turned into a fascist state (no ovens yet, just concentration camps and military occupation). Horrors, you say, how dare you call this fascism. If it isn't, what is it? Give me a better word. Then tell me how this benefits your daily life with a president obsessed with amassing power to the extent he can ignore your needs, whether it is affordable and effective modern health care, groceries, shelter, and the ability to object and be heard or to get him to change course. The more power he gets, the less he has to listen to us and how we live our daily lives. We once had a form of government of, by, and for the people. Now we have a government that has become the government of, by, and for, an all-powerful individual. He is taking away ordinary people's ability to cope and the right to object, complain, without fear or favor, or fairness, and affect what he does. He's got his agenda and if it is not yours, or in the future it turns out not to be yours, you are SOL. Did you vote for this?

 What kind of dictator, this wannabe (per Gov. Pritzker) aspires to be: a fascist one?  From, a prior post: MUFTIC FORUM BLOG: What is fascism and does Trump meet the definition rev.8/13/2025 updated 8/14- 15/2025 Trump is acting like a dictator and, in many respects, like a fascist one, depending on the definition or criteria. An Australian political scientist in 2013 published a study of 1930s fascist dictators and identified some common characteristics.  In any case, you do not have to have Nazi extermination ovens to still be called a fascist. Are those who support Trump fascists, too? Take the Britt test below. Dr. Lawrence Britt, an Australian political scientist, wrote "14 Defining Characteristics of Fascism" after studying the fascists of the 1930s.

For those who wonder where they fit in, take the Britt test

In bold print are Britt's defining characteristics of fascism. In Italics, my reason for contending Trump is meeting or not meeting those characteristics.

Nationalism: saying one's own country is better than other countries. Not exactly: Trump contends the US is failing and other countries are taking advantage of us.

Disdain for human rights: The core issues are around due process, and cruelty in imprisonment and snatching off the street because a person looks like a "Mexican". Trump would welcome those from Norway, however, to migrate to the US. Obviously, white people are not targeted.

Scapegoating: blaming someone else for the country's problems: Trump is constantly whining about migrants from south of the border who are rapists and murderers and criminals; now he and his supporters are hinting they want to stop birthright citizenship and revoke refugee status, as well as revoke already granted citizenships.

Putting the military first: Only if it pledges loyalty to Trump, passes his test for that, or is not led by women, non white people, gays, etc. The assumption is that black and brown people and women are inherently not as competent as men. More faith is put in paramilitary ICE, masked, not in uniform, pardoning militias, unregulated, from violent acts that were found guilty by juries for insurrection. Insurrection is fine if it is done in support of Trump, is the message. His use of the national guard on streets does not address underlying problems of homelessness and crime, but is only for show, a temporary drama, and an attempt to see if he can get away with declaring a bogus emergency, nationally or locally as a way to assert his willingness to use the military against their own fellow citizens as his campaign of fear and suppression of demonstrations of opposition. (His use of the military to get us used to armed occupation to put down any demonstrations and the pretension and show that he cares about crime, as he grants pardons to criminals who supported him.)

Sexism: saying men are better than women: End DEI, equal rights for genders, and a mantra incompetent in military (as above) and tolerates Hegseth's religion that women shouldn't even be able to vote; found in civil suit Trump was liable for rape, has: boasted of p grabbing and now his relationship with Epstein, his attempt to sidestep and hide evidence. is causing suspicion as he is hiding something and apparently fears exposure.

Control of mass media: telling newspapers and other sources of news what they can and cannot tell the people: Threatens to yank broadcast licenses, forces broadcast media mergers until they fire objectionable comedians; cuts funding the public broadcasting; stops access to White House briefings if he does not like the reporter.

Focus on national security: Crickets on this one. Trump undermines cybersecurity funding, trusts Russia's CRU more than the US CIA,... Uses bogus claims of national emergency to bring in active military and national guard; once, Trump tried to get the military to shoot black lives matter protestors in the legs. Ok if Russia interferes in elections or land-grabbing aggression, undermines NATO. Hints would not honor article 5, does not care if Europe feels threatened if Russia takes all of Ukraine, advocates peace at any price, even if it endangers world or regional peace. Thinks appeasement works.

Close ties between religion and government: Follows and achieves white nationalist Christian plan (Project 2025) to replace the personnel in the various branches and agencies with their ideologues..

Protection of businesses and corporations: Destroys or subverts consumer and environmental protection agencies; gives special tax breaks to corporations; tells lies that tariff costs are not passed on to customers in higher prices

Suppression of labor power: preventing labor unions from becoming powerful: against right-to-work laws; promotes non-union auto assembly shops, puts flunkies in charge of the NLRB

Disdain for intellectuals and the arts: telling people not to listen to scientists, scholars, and artists, took over the Kennedy Center; trashes White House historical decor with gold gilt; anti-science in control of scientific agencies like Robert Kennedy Jr.; calls any evidence of global warming a fraud; disbands key climate and weather forecasting agencies. Dictates to Harvard and Columbia what curriculum should be, or lose government contracts, and then uses them to cow every other research institute associated with a private university with similar threats

Focus on crime and crimefighting: Ignores crimes that are committed by supporters or pardons those convicted of crimes who he likes, January 6 rioters, and even criminals and murderers imprisoned in foreign prisons. Using "national security" bogus excuses to crack down on local enforcement agencies in DC and LA, while threatening other major cities that have black mayors.

Corruption: conducted in plain sight with his cryptocurrency, with sales and investments based on his name and position, selling access to foreign interests to him for dinners, etc, hiding campaign contributions in crypto; accepts gifts (747) from princes;

.Fraudulent elections: Claims any vote where the tally goes against him is always because the election was stolen or there was fraud, always without evidence. Tried to get loyalists to get control of voting machines; claimed over 60 state elections were fraudulent in 2020, and no court found evidence of it; Still claims the 2020 election was stolen but never coughed up evidence after 5 years of trying.. Instructed Texas to start gerrymandering districts to get 5 more House seats and in order to misrepresent voters' will, deprive racial minorities of Congressional representation, and fix the 2026 elections. They want to federalize elections and take the administrative power away from states, giving Trump the power to more easily control the outcome to benefit him. Trump wants to control the vote count by federal control of voting machines and banning mail in ballots. He got his advice from Putin, per the New York Times. MUFTIC FORUM BLOG: Trump's newest attack democracy's rule by people via a vote. ban mail in ballots and voting machines