THE REVERSAL OF ROE v WADE - THE DEMOCRAT PARTY FAILED ITSELF THROUGH POLITICAL NAÏVETÉ AND BICKERING

 The Perched Eye blog is 12+ years old,  from 2009 with President Obama's first term. Our focus has been eclectic ...  the ways and directions of American politics and culture, and occasionally summarizing the potential impact of new technologies. Pericles21's observations sometimes attract a critical eye, but the 'pen' remains unblunted.                 ____

This post responds to 'Jamess's June 25, 2022, article in the DailyKos  (Simply Amazing! The "Common-law experts" that Alito relies on -- Weren't Even Americans). 

Yes, we know that Alito's twisted-history argument leading to the reversal of Row v Wade is bogus. But the Jamess title implicitly carries two lessons for Democrats  -  become grownups, both politically and sometimes personally, and stop the Democrat Party's inclination to drown itself with ego-centered bickering?’  

The lessons from the Trump debacle are: 

POLITE DISSENT, viz., A SPLINTERED BALLOT LOSES EVERYTHING; and 

STOP INTERNAL BICKERING - UNIFY ON BASIC RIGHTS (COMMON GOOD) 

To repeat: the new reality of American politics for Democrats and progressives is that loyal dissent by ballot-splintering factionalism or by abstaining from voting is just 'patio chest-pounding' and the Dem intra-Party bickering is a self-destructive privilege, so 1950s', of a less complex past when we did not lose sleep over Republican or Democrat election winners. (Dems also have their MAGA aspects, too.) 

The Dems lost the 2016 presidential election, IMO, because of their 'naive' internal splintering. 

Democrat Party Loyal Dissent as expressed in do-or-die factionalism and abstaining from voting weakened the progressive vote and helped bring on a regression in America's cultural tone. Within weeks after his inauguration, Trump veered America from Obama's mid-road tone to a hard right wing direction. 

The sudden sharpness of Trump's  right-hand turn ofAmerican governance stunned and demoralized Democrats. More stunning was the barely hidden grift and greed behind Trump's foreign policy and his regressive use of America's national resources. Under Trump, government operations were hidden behind a personal, transactional style that created and favored policies that yielded financial gains for Trump, his family members, and for his corporate supporters. 

As Trump's government operations became more personally transactional, they also became less transparent, And our foreign policy was made a shambles.

Major examples illustrating Trump's radical shifting of America's foreign policy alliances were his November 2017, approval of Phillipine dictator Rodrigo Duterte's bloody campaign to rid the Phillipines of homosexuals and criminal suspects by murdering them on-site by roving right-wing para-military execution squads . 

Then came Trump's September 2018, declaration of "love" for Kim Jong Un, dictator-for-life of North Korea, a rogue nuclear state. 

This was followed by Trump's 2018 expressing that America should withdraw from NATO ... because NATO is a concept outside America's direct interest (which we now strongly suspect really meant that America's NATO membership offended Russian dictator, Vladimir Putin, thus interfering with Trump's negotiations with Putin to construct a Moscow Trump Tower... with huge financial gains for Trump and his family.

This was the cess-pit where Trump had quickly, with a near-savant's nose for money, had lowered America.

America's regression under the Trump presidency could have been avoided if Hillary Clinton had won the Electoral College. Hillary won the popular vote, but lost the election because of Democratic Party vote-splitting factionalism .... and additionally, as is now known, because of Russian intelligence's proxy operations that exploited America's addiction and vulnerability to its world of extremely profitable internet social media platforms. Facebook was front and center among Russian intelligence's social media targets leading up to the 2016 election.  (Russian interference in the 2016 election was known perhaps shortly before and then after the election...but this knowledge quickly was buried under Trump's threats and misinformation  programming.)

Dems must grow up from naive 'do-or-die' idealism ....look around at the pitchfork regressionism that followed Hillary's  2026 'loss' to the Trumpists.  

America's fall into regressionism has been recently capped by the American Supreme Court's June 24, 2022, anti-abortion reversal of its 1973 Roe v Wade decision that had legalized abortion for the past half-century.  

DEMS MUST LEAVE THEIR HIGH SCHOOLISH DREAM STATE AND BECOME ADULTS ABOUT AMERICAN POLITICS  (Yes, Dems feel outraged and disbelief about the Trump camp’s lies and disinformation...and their control of major parts of American governance, e.g., the Supreme Court, which Trump reshaped with the hypocritical support of the Mitch McConnell-led Senate and which is steadily eroding American life.  

But Dem reactions must be within Constitutional (legal) boundaries... because that is a core Dem message.  

Also, Dems can’t do a ‘progressive version of ‘Jan 6’  without becoming what is detested ..along with bloodshed. (MAGA supporters must be ‘itching’ for an excuse to use their automatic weapons on a destructive Dem protest… that is today’s reality). 

A solution to the Democratic Party's current stasis - Dems must first define what lessons have been learned from the 6+ years of the ‘Trump Era’ (his campaign years until Jan 20, 2021 … and in the future).  

LESSON #1: DEMS MUST STOP NAIVE INTERNAL BICKERING...while sustaining their major strengths which are INCLUSIVENESS and PROMOTING THE COMMON GOOD.  

The Dems lost sight of this in the 2016 election which they lost through their own egotistic, (childlike), internal-splintering of Dem voting power by offshoot, dissenting yet liberal Dem candidates who insisted on having their place on the November 2016 election ballot ...regardless of consequences.  

And we saw the consequence: HILLARY CLINTON’S 2016 ELECTION LOSS WAS THE RESULT OF THE DEMS’ OWN FACTIONAL CONTRARINESS ...that splintered the anti-Trump ballot from within the Dem party. 

The era of idealist sincere (but naive) LOYAL DISSENT VOTE, ‘I’ll show them, I just won’t vote’ or ‘I’ll vote for a splinter group, Ha!', ended on the morning after the 2016 national election.

A unified Dem voting bloc would have boosted Hillary’s Electoral College count beyond what was needed to win, but Dem self-centeredness prevented that.

LESSON #2: The Electoral College must be central to the DEM's future political calculus.  The Electoral College is a reality even if it is poisonous and a dinosaur CREATED FROM and sustained by entrenched structures that originate from America’s slavery past.  It seems the Electoral College will live on for a good while under America's two party system.

As stated above, Hillary’s substantial 2016 popular vote win meant nothing because Dems still lived in their own version of the MAGA dream that ‘proper’ America was or should still be life as it was in the 1950’s. 

In summary - ‘when are the Dems going to be adults about American politics and stop the Democratic Party's inclination to internal self-destruction?’ There is so much more to lose by bickering within the Dem bloc. 

Election 2016: "Deplorable": Hillary Clinton Tags Trump with a Word from the Heartland (Trump as 'Old Scratch')

“Deplorable". Hillary Clinton called out DTrump as "Deplorable". And it is a righteous thing.

With this seemingly simple word spoken as from an Iowa front porch, though now claimed as cleverly chosen, Hillary Clinton tagged Donald Trump as a "Deplorable' (SOB). And DT will wear it like the Devil, whom Dan’l Webster debated in the classic American short story, wears "Scratch" The Devil and Daniel Webster, (1936, Stephen Vincent Benet),. Indeed, DTrump is deplorable and DTrump should, as well, wear the tag, "Scratch". Besides, Keith Olbermann calls Trump, a "Demonic Messiah"!

Why has 'deplorable' emerged from the cloud-mass of seemingly-ordinary American vocabulary to cause such consternation in the DT camp (no longer properly referable to as 'Republican' because DT chased the bulk of Republicans, as we've known them since Nixon, out and away from their cozy, pork barrel (and lobbyist-golden parachute) 'public service' nests and to Hell where they stand in trembling fear and confusion.

And why is there in Hillary's camp a growing nodding among her doubters and cheering among her constant supporters? (Read Murfster35's piece in the DailyKos webzine.)

For starters, look at the symptoms resulting from tagging DT with "Deplorable" - the confused running in circles of her opponents. Even Mike Pence, Trump's choice for running-mate and knee-jerk to the alt-right, can't seem to find a comeback to 'Deplorable'...and this blogger has a theory 'why' - truth (Hillary's use of 'Deplorable') can't be rebutted by DT-Pence's blatant falsity or anything from anyone else in the bastardized, neo-Repub party.

And, BTW, who is Mike Pence? And, what is the 'Alt-right'?

Here are Trump and Pence in a recent but classic and appropriate 'Abbott and Costello' pose where the question is, as was with Abbot and Costello in their 1940s comedy films, 'Who's the real dummy?'):

And here is Abbot and Costello from the 1940s, (What a resemblance!):

Again,'Who's the real dummy?


Some features of Mike Pence the Indiana governor, probably chosen for the gleam on his eye shutters that he robbed from an Indiana mule, 'Mike Pence slowly learning his political future is dead':

And what is 'alt-right? It is, in an abbreviated list:

alt-right is a segment of right-wing ideologies presented as an alternative to mainstream conservatism in the United States.[1][2] It has been described as a movement unified by support for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump,[3][4] as well as by opposition to multiculturalism and immigration.[2][5]

The alt-right has no official ideology, although various sources have said that it is associated with white nationalism,[1][2][6] white supremacism,[3][7][8] antisemitism,[1][2][9] right-wing populism,[6] nativism,[10] and the neoreactionary movement.[7][11]

And this is the 'APB" on the Trump-highjacked Republican Party...where 'Scratch'(DT) runs the show.

So, let's start to refer to DTrump as, "Scratch', the bald-liar One that Dan'l Webster successfully argued against.

But now to the point of all this.

As a top achieving Yale Law grad (after a Wellesley BA, for god’s sake) and wife of a two term President and a two term Secretary of State under another two term President, Hillary Clinton surely had a vast vocabulary at her command to use to pin DTrump ('Scratch') like a fly to a wall.

Instead Hillary used, in the first hour or so after hearing it, what sounded like a harmless sounding descriptor, “Deplorable’.

What? Was that the best Hillary could come up with...and what exactly was Hillary about, "Deplorable" seems so out of place in today’s charged media atmosphere? But after a few more hours, ‘deplorable’ still hung around one’s brain and it’s power began to take shape...and indeed, ‘deplorable’ continues to grow in force.

What is it about ‘Deplorable’ that makes it hang and swell in the air?

It is that ‘Deplorable’ speaks from the ‘Heartland’ of America, as from a current Dan’l Webster or in the manner of Joseph Welch who called out Joe McCarthy, “have you no sense of decency...” in the McCarthy-Army hearings of 1954 — McCarthy Hearings, 1954).

"Deplorable' speaks from the language base which the 'Trumpists', and all of America, knows and responds to. 'Scratch' could, and can never use words of that kind of truth because he and his minions are through and through False, fake surface dross.

“Deplorable’ strips Trump to nakedness and renders with a finality him and his behavior as unworthy to stand among responsible adults. No wonder Pence tries awkwardly, but unsuccessfully, to dance away and around that seemingly simple term because ’Deplorable’ rings as authentically American, and Scratch is not authentic — at best Scratch is a clown, a fool, even.

DTrump was called out in the olde language of America’s regions - East, West, South and North...and has been named as 'Scratach' who merits no place among responsible adults and all Americans. Hillary Clinton tagged the Devil.

Election 2016: Trump and Our Post-McLuhan Madness..That the Democrats Can't Handle...But Must to Save Our Asses

The Democrats' stubborn hubris about proper English and 'good behavior' might win the election for Trump. Maybe if Trump successfully dodges a debate with Hillary Clinton, the Dems might hold an 'in absentia' mock debate paid for entirely by Democrat money - Trump's responses would come from his actual public statements on pertinent subjects, his statements presented in full context, of course.

This post responds to a recent commenting article in the Dailykos website regarding Donald Trump's apparent dread of a prime-time TV-debate with Hillary Clinton, 'Trump Announces His Debate Escape Plan'(Dailykos, july 29, 2016, by 'Brainwap').

Point: Making sense ‘makes no sense’ nowadays. Catch the clue — we’re in a post-McLuhanist age of personal tube projection that transcends Marshall’s “medium is the message” to now where mere media presence, especially when accompanied by extreme emoting, outweighs words.

Mr. Trump has figured out, or it comes naturally (as with many historical demagogues/psychopaths), his rants contain emotional messages and codes that swamp his opponents' nicely phrased logic and Websterian correctness.

Trump's words don’t matter, his words are the new medium serving only as carrier waves for Trump’s emotional displays that win with their ‘’Shock and Awe-some Impact’. 'INCOHERENCE, NON-SEQUITORS, GARBLED NON-SENSE'? So what!

Sadly, the Democrats squint and wince at Trump (’Trump-don’t-buy-ins) and keep parsing Trump’s words, trying to convince him into self-deprecating acceptance of our use of superior word-knowledge that (we feel)sets us apart from the 'masses'….while he skips along unchallenged in another stratum where his blue collar and many, just plain dissatisfied (Bernie followers) audiences resonate to his emotions and non-literal messages. Holding on to the Democrats' stubborn hubris might win the election for Trump.

Election 2016: The Next American President - America Badly Needs A Woman POTUS (And The Warren Factor)

This post responds to Leslie Salzillo's article on May 3, 2016 in the Dailykos website: "Elizabeth Warren on Donald Trump's Republican win: 'Here's what else is real...'.

First, let's cut right to the core - there has been a lot of proposing various candidate 'tickets' for both parties. As of May8, it appears Donal Trump will be the Republican nominee for President unless, by some expected but not really likely drama from Trump's rivals-proved-Wimps, the Republican Party succeeds in wrestling itself to the mat and excises Trump.

On the other hand, the Democratic Party seems to have a problem of another kind,..but still odd in its way: who perhaps is best to run as Presidential nominee along with Senator Elizabeth Warren as Vice President?

The election picture is kind of upside-down. We first start with Senator Warren, the real deal - genuine, 'you-get-what-you-see', articulate, really pissed off and communicates that without histrionics, deadly on point all the time, un-questionned integrity and believable. Then with that out of the way, we next ponder who will best complement Warren - will it be Bernie Sanders or Hillary Clinton? My point is 'what does this 'logic' tell us?'WHo really are we all agreed on is the best candidate for President?

Second, as for POTUS, there is an 'American Crisis' at hand that needs a new leadership paradigm different from past war-focused, testosterone-driven presidents and chaos. Don't agree? Then just think about the 'why and what' is going on about Donald Trump who is ultimate example of 'out-of-control' testosterone strangeness and threat to darken America's young political history. Trump's 'solutions' are ..'what'...other than loud 'woofing'? Should Trump get into the White House, expect anything but solutions to America's problems.

What is current America? America appears currently almost terminally lost, drifting and dis-functionional. And too many Americans of both political parties share that opinion ...which is why we have the curious phenomenon where Trump and Sanders supporters are seen to be mutually exchangeable should either one drop out (sanders) or be forced out (Trump).

Our oligarchist, facist-capialisteconomy has raped, plundered and ruined the planet and almost completed the same horror on the home front. War-making testosterone, ala Trump, has no real solutions. American needs to lick its self-inflicted wounds and heal. Trump can't do that...but maybe Trump is the bad-tasting medicine America needs to hold its nose from and swallow.


Obama's election was a moment of 'now its your turn', American minorities. (Even tho, imho, Obama doesn't really qualify as an 'American' minority...he just coincidentally shares the same color of many home-grown African-Americans but his social upbringing is not that of an African-American raised in the straight-jacket of American prejudice and discrimination towards African-Americans. Obama's african-american affiliation is more a choice.)

America now, desperately, NEEDS a female POTUS, an intelligent individual with a female sense of 'making things right' and restoring America's social health and confidence. Warren appears to have these qualities, and more ... in Aces.

Bernie Sanders is a kind of 'Alice in Wonderland' furry creature - well-intentioned and harmless but of what real effectiveness?

Hillary, on the other hand, appears to be un-furry but is she real or a retro Margaret Thatcher act about 40 years out of tune both politically and gender-wise. If Hillary is elected, she is urged to study the Thatcher years to avoid that model.

In this writer's mind, Senator Warren is the class of the Democratic Party's current two contenders despite her never having entered a primary. And she is just as qualified, if not more, than President Obama was when he ran, successfully, for President. The country has benefitted by Obama's steady hand at the tiller. Senator Warren can do that and she has the fire that was banked in Obama's style. Warren has shown she will not face away from Republicans and will call 'BS' on the Republicans whenever they roll out their blocking and do-nothingness. And Warren will slipthe knife in with style and grace. America has work to do and needs to get moving...America needs a Warren, not a Trump who has figured out how to 'game' the working (now unemployed/underemployed) class, white American, lost-and-drifting, male.

The Democratic Party has high regard and respect for Hillary Clinton. The Democrat Party appears to have reserved for Hillary the woman whom the Party would like to reward as the first woman President of the United States. And Hillary appears to be much more qualified (experience-wise and by intelligence measure) than the apparent Republican Party candidate, Donald Trump. Still,among Democrats, there is a 'But factor' that is surfacing in the minds and discussion about this very critical and important 2016 election - Senator Elizabeth Warren, who is smoother than Mrs Clinton and appears to be more than Trump can handle, TV debate-wise and in the sticky, twisty corners of the social web, i.e., 'Twitter', etc..

'We' (the nation and especially Democrats) know Elizabeth Warren. We have witnessed her consistently high level of work in Washington as a new Senator and after the 2008 economic collapse as a special resource 'loan' from academia (Harvard). We know where she stands on national priorities, especially the economy and the interests of the 'lesser 99%'- the 'Common Good' interests of education, healthcare and especially equitable taxes on the rich and corporations to resolve the current vast and scandalous economic inequality between the upper 1% and the rest of the '99%' of Americans.

Elizabeth Warren appears to be custom-made for this challenge. The post by Pericles21:

Senator Elizabeth Warren seems to be the common, ‘wingman’ denominator in maybe everyone’s ideal presidential ticket — whether ‘Hillary-Warren’ or ‘Sanders-Warren’. Aren’t these associations messages of another reality about our assessment of Warren as a quality person, and when will it come to our minds that ‘President Warren’ makes sense?

However, in the thinking of Pericles21 (myself), there is another perspective to the Democratic Party's options regarding Senator Warren, and that is how best to utilize Senator Warren... if the Party chooses not to run her as the candidate for the Presidency. That is a challenge of choice. To my thinking, Senator Warren is not a resource to be wasted on the Vice Presidency who seems, with all highest regard and appreciation for Joe Biden's knightly service as Vice President (America should have this honorary title), to traditionally reside in the background of most things going on in every administration. (Probably the result of every President's alpha-male proclivity to 'rule the roost'.) Senator Warren should not be lost to America as anyone's closeted Vice President. (And likewise, I would not rest easy with Bernie Sanders experience, wisdom and skills lost to America in the choke-cloak of 'Vice President Sanders'.)

The resolution? Personally speaking, Warren must be 'run' (by the Party 'deciders', who decide all things at that level) as the Presidential candidate or be reserved, with continued stellar service, as a 'senior-qualified' Senator to 'ripen-on-the-vine' for a future presidential campaign...if the country survives because it appears, from the wild but not-completely-a-surprise popularity of faux-populist Trump, America is caught in an ice-flow towards a 'Niagra Falls' collapse of any remaining faith in the ability of the system to balance the scales and pay attention to long-overlooked, taken-for-granted needs of the 'common' citizen, that is to say, 99% of America and that's too high a percentage of Americans who are nearing terminal hurt.