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lees1975
lees1975's Journal
lees1975's Journal
December 14, 2024
The parade of incompetent, corrupt, sexually promiscuous buffoons and druggies that Trump is nominating for positions in his administration reminded me of someone from the recent past who, while he may not fall in exactly the same category as the assorted deplorables Trump is choosing, is one of those extremists on the far right who, regardless of the incredible lack of integrity and ethics in public comments that they make, manage not only to escape criticism or accountability, but somehow get rewarded for their insanity.
Let me introduce you to Wiley Drake. Drake is pastor of the First Southern Baptist Church of Buena Park, California, or, at least, he was a decade ago when some of these events happened. Originally from Arkansas, Drake is an activist of sorts who turned his church recreational building into a makeshift homeless shelter without consultation with the neighbors or the city of Buena Park. Then, when city officials tried to enforce ordinances that were, in effect, the will of the people, he played the role of the poor, persecuted guy who was being harassed by liberal government officials for just trying to do some good.
The church also houses a radio station, hosting Drake's own program which is a combination of ultra conservative religious mish-mash and social issue advocacy, particularly raging against the usual targets of abortion rights activists, and the LGBTQ community. But he made a name for himself among his Southern Baptist brethren by calling for "imprecatory prayer" against President Barack Obama. For those who may not recognize that term, an imprecatory prayer is a prayer for someone to die as punishment for disobedience to God. It's mentioned in the Old Testament, most frequently in the Psalms, associated with King David who prayed for God to deliver him from his enemies and there are occasional, less subtle prayers asking God to deliver the death of an enemy.
But imprecatory prayers are not part of the Christian gospel. In fact, Jesus turns this idea completely upside down early on, instructing his followers not to resist an "evildoer," but to turn the other cheek, to love their enemies, and pray for their persecutors, not against them. Noting that in the context of Christianity, one of its essential core doctrines is the belief that Jesus is divine, is the son of God and was sent to reveal God to humanity, these words of Jesus take precedence over everything in the Old Testament, imprecatory prayer would be an act of disobedience to Christ.
Progressive liberals, Democrats, even political moderates, would never be able to get away with that. But among the conservative religious element that has allowed an ungodly, licentious intruder (See Jude v.4) into the various fundamentalists, Baptists, Pentecostals, Charismatics and non-denominational conservative, right-wing Christian churches in the form of right wing political extremism, it's become the brand.
Why do they always get away with things no Democrat or Progressive Liberal could ever get away with?
https://signalpress.blogspot.com/2024/12/why-do-they-get-away-with-it-and-we-dont.htmlThe parade of incompetent, corrupt, sexually promiscuous buffoons and druggies that Trump is nominating for positions in his administration reminded me of someone from the recent past who, while he may not fall in exactly the same category as the assorted deplorables Trump is choosing, is one of those extremists on the far right who, regardless of the incredible lack of integrity and ethics in public comments that they make, manage not only to escape criticism or accountability, but somehow get rewarded for their insanity.
Let me introduce you to Wiley Drake. Drake is pastor of the First Southern Baptist Church of Buena Park, California, or, at least, he was a decade ago when some of these events happened. Originally from Arkansas, Drake is an activist of sorts who turned his church recreational building into a makeshift homeless shelter without consultation with the neighbors or the city of Buena Park. Then, when city officials tried to enforce ordinances that were, in effect, the will of the people, he played the role of the poor, persecuted guy who was being harassed by liberal government officials for just trying to do some good.
The church also houses a radio station, hosting Drake's own program which is a combination of ultra conservative religious mish-mash and social issue advocacy, particularly raging against the usual targets of abortion rights activists, and the LGBTQ community. But he made a name for himself among his Southern Baptist brethren by calling for "imprecatory prayer" against President Barack Obama. For those who may not recognize that term, an imprecatory prayer is a prayer for someone to die as punishment for disobedience to God. It's mentioned in the Old Testament, most frequently in the Psalms, associated with King David who prayed for God to deliver him from his enemies and there are occasional, less subtle prayers asking God to deliver the death of an enemy.
But imprecatory prayers are not part of the Christian gospel. In fact, Jesus turns this idea completely upside down early on, instructing his followers not to resist an "evildoer," but to turn the other cheek, to love their enemies, and pray for their persecutors, not against them. Noting that in the context of Christianity, one of its essential core doctrines is the belief that Jesus is divine, is the son of God and was sent to reveal God to humanity, these words of Jesus take precedence over everything in the Old Testament, imprecatory prayer would be an act of disobedience to Christ.
Progressive liberals, Democrats, even political moderates, would never be able to get away with that. But among the conservative religious element that has allowed an ungodly, licentious intruder (See Jude v.4) into the various fundamentalists, Baptists, Pentecostals, Charismatics and non-denominational conservative, right-wing Christian churches in the form of right wing political extremism, it's become the brand.
December 12, 2024
So, when your church betrays your conscience...
https://signalpress.blogspot.com/2024/12/my-church-has-betrayed-my-conscience.htmlTo be honest, I'm not really surprised or shocked that, over the past nine years or so, the merger of right wing extremism in politics with the conservative, right wing Evangelical branch of Christianity has solidified itself, turning the bigger part of the churches and denominations which follow that line of theology, doctrine and politics, into what can only be described as a cult, by definition. Among those conservative Evangelicals who support Trump, complete abandonment of most of the core principles of the Christian gospel was a necessity to achieve the acquisition of political power. They are in a "deal with the devil," aligning with a politician who not only doesn't share their values, but lives and acts in a way that indicated he abhors and defiantly disrespects them. They campaign for him, raise money for him and help him get elected, he, allegedly, helps them achieve their ends.
They've given up on claiming what they call the "power of God" to lead them to their goals, which includes turning the United States into a Christian nationalist theocracy. What they are claiming is that God's power, and will, in bringing this about, is Trump. It's not possible, in any context of the Christian gospel, for this to be the case. There's no principle of the Christian gospel that supports this contention.
They've given up on claiming what they call the "power of God" to lead them to their goals, which includes turning the United States into a Christian nationalist theocracy. What they are claiming is that God's power, and will, in bringing this about, is Trump. It's not possible, in any context of the Christian gospel, for this to be the case. There's no principle of the Christian gospel that supports this contention.
So if Trump's conservative, Evangelical supporters have been deceitful, and they've distorted the Christian gospel and the scripture text to do something like this, how is it that we can trust anything preached from the pulpit of someone who is a Trump supporter? The answer is simple. It is not possible to trust any preacher who believes in and supports Trump, whether openly or secretly. They are, like him, liars and deceivers.
It is possible for church leadership to be deceived by imposters. It's happened throughout the 2000 year history of the church. Even as the New Testament was being written, around 50-55 A.D., there were prophetic warnings about deceivers and intruders whose intention was to deceive for the benefit of their own cause.
It is possible for church leadership to be deceived by imposters. It's happened throughout the 2000 year history of the church. Even as the New Testament was being written, around 50-55 A.D., there were prophetic warnings about deceivers and intruders whose intention was to deceive for the benefit of their own cause.
December 7, 2024
An Introduction to American political propaganda and the fall of our free press.
https://signalpress.blogspot.com/2024/12/an-introduction-to-american-political.htmlThere are times when I am reluctant to link an article, an editorial that drops in a few facts among the fiction to take a backhanded slap at President Biden, as an example of what we can expect from the corporate-owned and controlled American media. But this piece, by Liz Peek (doesn't ring any bells for me) in The Hill, which isn't really a widely distributed publication, as far as print media goes (24,000 circulation), is what we've seen for four years, and what we can expect for the next four. The Hill is owned by Nexstar Media Group. And why is that important to note?
Nexstar is the largest corporate owner of television stations in the United States. That includes local network affiliates in larger markets, and independent stations, like WGN in Chicago, as well as stations in smaller markets, places like San Angelo, Texas. And that does indeed have an impact on the perspective with which The Hill, along with those other network affiliates, delivers the news.
And here's the perspective. Trump, Trump, Trump.
From just personal observation, it was pretty clear that the American media engaged in a four year campaign, during the Biden Administration, to report everything Trump was saying or doing in response. I haven't seen any specific studies that have analyzed the news reports from the past four years in each category of media, but I wouldn't argue with a conclusion that found Trump was mentioned on every media outlet that has news coverage on a daily basis, since leaving the White House, and that the amount of time he got in terms of coverage was at least twice the amount given to the Biden administration.
And yes, I'd be willing to bet on that conservative estimate.
Nexstar is the largest corporate owner of television stations in the United States. That includes local network affiliates in larger markets, and independent stations, like WGN in Chicago, as well as stations in smaller markets, places like San Angelo, Texas. And that does indeed have an impact on the perspective with which The Hill, along with those other network affiliates, delivers the news.
And here's the perspective. Trump, Trump, Trump.
From just personal observation, it was pretty clear that the American media engaged in a four year campaign, during the Biden Administration, to report everything Trump was saying or doing in response. I haven't seen any specific studies that have analyzed the news reports from the past four years in each category of media, but I wouldn't argue with a conclusion that found Trump was mentioned on every media outlet that has news coverage on a daily basis, since leaving the White House, and that the amount of time he got in terms of coverage was at least twice the amount given to the Biden administration.
And yes, I'd be willing to bet on that conservative estimate.
December 3, 2024
When Trump called the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers to Washington to lead the insurrection and then told the crowd at the
ellipse to march down to the Capitol and stop what was going on, he deserved to be convicted of inciting insurrection and kept out of public office from that point on. Failing to prosecute this, while the same justice department investigated Hunter Biden and rammed that through in a matter of weeks, made the pardon of his son not only justifiable, but a necessary act to level the playing field in a country where justice is now a fading illusion.
And every Democratic politician who aspires to re-election needs to think about this long, hard, and carefully before they approach me and ask me for money ever again. If you can't wrap you mind around this, and understand the rage and the disillusionment we are experiencing outside of your marble walls, you can't ask me for my support for your campaign. And I'll just be one in several million of those.
December 3, 2024
The whining among Democrats over the Hunter Biden pardon is a symptom of what is wrong with the party.
If that couldn't be seen for what it was, then it's no wonder the inconsistency between claiming that Trump was an existential threat to democracy and then abjectly and absolutely failing to bring him to justice, and defending the incompetent attorney general who was the major cause of the failure is also something very wrong among Democrats.
I just wonder if we will ever get it. There are some Democrats who need to take some advice from constituents out here where we can't hide from reality in a government building office all day and sit down and keep their mouths shut, and avoid looking and sounding stupid.
December 2, 2024
An early Christmas present from President Joe Biden to MAGA voters
https://signalpress.blogspot.com/2024/12/why-presidents-pardon-of-his-son-hunter.htmlThe Pardon is an Expression of the Desires of the American Electorate
This is what the voters wanted. Maybe they didn't specifically mean Hunter Biden should get off, but they did vote against the rule of law, at least half of them did, in affirming Trump for a second term. So Hunter being pardoned by his father is exactly the same thing, it is right up that very same alley. Important, prominent people should be immune to prosecution for their crimes, that's the message. There is no respect for the rule of law, powerful, wealthy people should be able to do as they please without limits. So no limits, here, the President pardoned his son and that is perfectly consistent with the voters wishes.
It would have been patently unfair for Hunter Biden to spend any time at all in prison, while Trump spends no time in prison for committing crimes much worse in their offense to the American people, considering that so many voters don't give a damn about it. So if they don't care, why should anyone else? I sure don't.
So President Biden presented those voters who supported Trump with an early Christmas present. Someone getting away with a crime simply because of their money, power and influence. Merry Christmas, MAGAts.
This is what the voters wanted. Maybe they didn't specifically mean Hunter Biden should get off, but they did vote against the rule of law, at least half of them did, in affirming Trump for a second term. So Hunter being pardoned by his father is exactly the same thing, it is right up that very same alley. Important, prominent people should be immune to prosecution for their crimes, that's the message. There is no respect for the rule of law, powerful, wealthy people should be able to do as they please without limits. So no limits, here, the President pardoned his son and that is perfectly consistent with the voters wishes.
It would have been patently unfair for Hunter Biden to spend any time at all in prison, while Trump spends no time in prison for committing crimes much worse in their offense to the American people, considering that so many voters don't give a damn about it. So if they don't care, why should anyone else? I sure don't.
So President Biden presented those voters who supported Trump with an early Christmas present. Someone getting away with a crime simply because of their money, power and influence. Merry Christmas, MAGAts.
November 29, 2024
Democrats must learn to use the media and control the narrative to simply explain, not change, effective policies.
https://signalpress.blogspot.com/2024/11/democrats-must-learn-to-control.htmlRecovery came in the form of the Biden Administration. Steps were taken to resolve supply chain issues, distribute vaccines, and provide resources to businesses, saving literally millions of jobs that would have been lost otherwise. More jobs were lost under Trump than any previous Presidential administration since Hoover. The recovery, something which required, and got, leadership from Joe Biden, saved most of those jobs, and his economic expansion, including the infrastructure bill, added even more.
On top of that, when global inflation affected the American economy, we had a leader who stepped up and took action against that as well. As a result, the effects of inflation were not nearly as bad in the United States as they were in most other places.
And as another result, few Americans are aware of any of this. They are either self-isolated in their own information bubble, or they are bored with politics, economics and "all that stuff," and pay little attention. And even if they really had wanted to find out what was going on, their limited attention span wouldn't have allowed them to stay tuned in long enough to get past all the Trump news they were hearing and seeing every day.
If an honest survey could be conducted and reported, it would find that Trump, as an ex-President, got ten times the coverage that the sitting President of the United States got in the mainstream media. I counted, one night, back in 2021, during the Congressional investigation into Trump's incitement of the insurrection against the Capitol and against Congress and the American people, during the one hour broadcast of one of my favorite commentators, Lawrence O'Donnell. He's not Trump-friendly by any means. The name "Trump" or "Donald Trump" came out of his lips 34 times in that one hour broadcast, about once every two minutes.
On top of that, when global inflation affected the American economy, we had a leader who stepped up and took action against that as well. As a result, the effects of inflation were not nearly as bad in the United States as they were in most other places.
And as another result, few Americans are aware of any of this. They are either self-isolated in their own information bubble, or they are bored with politics, economics and "all that stuff," and pay little attention. And even if they really had wanted to find out what was going on, their limited attention span wouldn't have allowed them to stay tuned in long enough to get past all the Trump news they were hearing and seeing every day.
If an honest survey could be conducted and reported, it would find that Trump, as an ex-President, got ten times the coverage that the sitting President of the United States got in the mainstream media. I counted, one night, back in 2021, during the Congressional investigation into Trump's incitement of the insurrection against the Capitol and against Congress and the American people, during the one hour broadcast of one of my favorite commentators, Lawrence O'Donnell. He's not Trump-friendly by any means. The name "Trump" or "Donald Trump" came out of his lips 34 times in that one hour broadcast, about once every two minutes.
In resigning ourselves to the fact that we have lost our free press, Democrats must figure out not only how to simplify the narrative so people actually understand how it works for them, but they must do things to get enough attention to make media outlets turn their cameras off the orange headed buffoon onto Democratic party candidates. I know it's not in our nature, but the only way we're going to be able to do any kind of mass saturation of the media with a clear, easy to understand message, is to do things to get the kind of attention Trump gets.
We must consider the mainstream media propaganda, not journalism, and use it that way and not feel guilty about it. Only then will we be able to explain, in the simplest of terms, how much more we have to offer the American people by making government work well, than they do, by destroying it.
We must consider the mainstream media propaganda, not journalism, and use it that way and not feel guilty about it. Only then will we be able to explain, in the simplest of terms, how much more we have to offer the American people by making government work well, than they do, by destroying it.
November 26, 2024
Did I hear correctly, that Schumer negotiated away four appellate court judgeships in some kind of "deal" with the GOP?
Why are we doing this? We have a majority, why aren't we filling up those appointments as fast as we can go?
Stop playing nice and by the old line political rules, that's dead in the water. Is Trump an existential threat to Democracy, or isn't he? If he is, then act like it.
November 26, 2024
The day we lost Justice in America.
https://signalpress.blogspot.com/2024/11/so-just-exactly-what-are-we-supposed-to.htmlOne of the most high profile criminals in all of American history is not just walking away scot-free, he is headed for a second term as President of the United States. If I were writing a novel and I wanted to create the most incredibly unbelieveable problem for the characters to resolve, I could not have come up with a theme as crazy, and as incredible as this.
He attempted to overturn the results of a state's election by intimidating election workers and threatening state officials, corruptly asking to "find me 11,000 more votes." He took classified documents from the White House, an openly illegal crime, and then attempted to hide them from the FBI. He tried to cover up an illicit affair with a porn star by putting the payoffs into his business budget. And worst of all, he attempted to overthrown the results of a legitimate election, and thus overthrow the government of the United States, by inciting a violent riot that intended to commit murder to do so, and in fact, did just that.
And he walks away from all of it. This isn't something hidden in some corner, it's something the whole world can see, and it is an utter embarrassment to the United States. It is a message to the rest of the world that there is no rule of law in America, and that we have, by default, become an oligarchy of the rich, even as our form of government goes through the motions. The constitution has failed in one of its core objectives to protect the American people.
He attempted to overturn the results of a state's election by intimidating election workers and threatening state officials, corruptly asking to "find me 11,000 more votes." He took classified documents from the White House, an openly illegal crime, and then attempted to hide them from the FBI. He tried to cover up an illicit affair with a porn star by putting the payoffs into his business budget. And worst of all, he attempted to overthrown the results of a legitimate election, and thus overthrow the government of the United States, by inciting a violent riot that intended to commit murder to do so, and in fact, did just that.
And he walks away from all of it. This isn't something hidden in some corner, it's something the whole world can see, and it is an utter embarrassment to the United States. It is a message to the rest of the world that there is no rule of law in America, and that we have, by default, become an oligarchy of the rich, even as our form of government goes through the motions. The constitution has failed in one of its core objectives to protect the American people.
I still fail to understand how it could be that a mob could attack the Capitol, at the instigation of the President, and he was not arrested, charged and taken into custody the day after the insurrection, when it was clear he incited it. That's what should have happened, and why it did not happen is something generations of Americans will pay for with their individual rights and freedoms. I've heard all of the Justice department apologists and they can keep their defensive rhetoric. This was a monumental failure of justice, of the legal system, the courts and of the Department of Justice.
November 22, 2024
You're Damn Right I'm Angry!
https://signalpress.blogspot.com/2024/11/youre-damn-right-im-angry.htmlWhat's happened during, and since the January 6th Trump Insurrection has been nothing short of appalling. I have no vocabulary strong enough or condemning enough to express my utter disgust and disappointment with that group of Americans, displaying their appalling and obtuse ignorance and their total abandonment of reason and critical thinking in attacking the Congress while in a dual session for the purpose of certifying an election in which none of the alleged "fraud" could be proven. Those who showed up demonstrated total lack of respect for the constitution's provisions for the separation of powers, operation of the federal government and the peaceful transfer of power.
This was the most heinous attack on American government since the Civil War. In all honesty, those who participated in it should have had their citizenship revoked, and required to go through the process of learning about the constitution, like foreigners who want to become citizens, before being allowed back into American society.
This was the most heinous attack on American government since the Civil War. In all honesty, those who participated in it should have had their citizenship revoked, and required to go through the process of learning about the constitution, like foreigners who want to become citizens, before being allowed back into American society.
The congressional investigation was impeccable. Evidence was laid out in front of anyone who cared to take a look at it. The committee was virtually flawless in their presentation and remarkably unified in their conclusions. I was quite baffled at the fact that four members of the House were able to defy subpoenas, and allowed to get away with it. This is a clear indication Republicans no longer have any respect for the rule of law, or the constitution, and that is something that we, the people, need to correct by making them suffer the consequence of not being allowed to participate in government if they won't cooperate. I don't know how it was that members of Congress didn't get that message when we had a majority in both Houses.
The inability of the justice department to take that evidence, make a case with it and get it moving in a timely fashion is simply inexcusable incompetence. I'm angry at the foot-dragging, delaying obfuscation that went on at the DOJ for a couple of reasons. One is because we were left with the impression that they were moving as quickly as they could, given the deliberate and cumbersome nature of a legal system slanted to favor the rich who can afford good legal representation that slows down the process and makes a strategy out of interminable delays and legal minutia. The other is because they were lying about it, and they weren't actually doing anything at all, and had it not been for this being discovered, almost a year later in the process, and there having been a public outcry over it, no charges might ever have been filed against Trump for leading an insurrection.
And this is where my anger burns a bit hotter. The prime narrative of the Biden campaign, and his administration, along with his aims for re-election, emphasized that Trump was an existential threat to American democracy, and that the coming elections were crucial to the preservation of our democracy and the most consequential of our lifetime. Yet, they had the power, and the evidence, to have Trump permanently declared ineligible for public office by charging him with insurrection and making that verdict stick, because that's all it would have taken and it would have been the easiest case to prove.
The inability of the justice department to take that evidence, make a case with it and get it moving in a timely fashion is simply inexcusable incompetence. I'm angry at the foot-dragging, delaying obfuscation that went on at the DOJ for a couple of reasons. One is because we were left with the impression that they were moving as quickly as they could, given the deliberate and cumbersome nature of a legal system slanted to favor the rich who can afford good legal representation that slows down the process and makes a strategy out of interminable delays and legal minutia. The other is because they were lying about it, and they weren't actually doing anything at all, and had it not been for this being discovered, almost a year later in the process, and there having been a public outcry over it, no charges might ever have been filed against Trump for leading an insurrection.
And this is where my anger burns a bit hotter. The prime narrative of the Biden campaign, and his administration, along with his aims for re-election, emphasized that Trump was an existential threat to American democracy, and that the coming elections were crucial to the preservation of our democracy and the most consequential of our lifetime. Yet, they had the power, and the evidence, to have Trump permanently declared ineligible for public office by charging him with insurrection and making that verdict stick, because that's all it would have taken and it would have been the easiest case to prove.
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