Martin Luther King, Jr. influenced my political thinking more than any other individual.  I was fortunate to have worked under him on Vietnam Summer and to have been present on the Washington Mall fifty-six years ago today on August 28, 1963. It’s hard to believe that we are once again fighting the battle to secure the voting rights won as a result of his dream, and to restore them, where racist Republicans are outlawing the right to vote. Will his dream survive?

This is a repost of last year’s article.  I saw no way to improve it.

Never before has there been such a threat that his dream will be destroyed by the Republican Reich!  Will it survive?  That depends on YOU!

RESIST!!

VOTE BLUE!!

This is a repetition of the editorials I published in both 2011 and 2014, with minor alterations to bring it up to date.

Sixteen years ago this morning, the first airliner hit the tower, as I was about to leave for work. When I arrived, I learned about the second hit. My duties that day were to contact top executives of Fortune 500 companies headquartered in New York on behalf of our client, a major developer of computer operating systems, to arrange site visits and one-on-one executive interviews for our client’s research team. What timing! I felt uncomfortable calling, but the account exec’s assistant, an airhead and a Republican, ordered me to go to work. Many of my executive contacts were in the Twin Towers. I got on the telephone. Nobody was answering, and many of the lines were out of order. I did get through and spoke to a man in one of the towers above the fire, who knew he would not survive. He said he couldn’t dial out and gave me his home number. He asked me to call his wife and tell her he loved her. I did. She was pretty hysterical. Who could blame her. That shook me up so much that I went to the account executive’s office, and told him I was done calling New York for the day. He asked me what idiot had told me to call into New York under these circumstances. Because of that experience, I cannot think of 9/11 without my heart going out to the people who lost loved ones that tragic day, and I consider it imperative to do whatever we can, within reason, to prevent a reoccurrence. One failing, in that regard, is that we often ask who and how, but all too seldom, ask why. So as we remember the events of 9/11/2001, perhaps it may help if we consider the other 9/11, 9/11/1973. Twenty eight years earlier, the roles were reversed. Instead of being attacked, the US had arranged and was assisting an attack to overthrow the democratically elected government of Chile, and the installation of one of the most infamous dictators of the twentieth century, Augusto Pinochet. An article by Peter Kornblug from August 2003 describes and explains those events.

On September 14, 1970, a deputy to then-National Security Adviser Henry Kissinger wrote him a memo, classified SECRET/SENSITIVE, arguing against covert operations to block the duly elected Chilean socialist Salvador Allende from assuming the presidency. "What we propose is patently a violation of our own principles and policy tenets," noted Viron Vaky. "If these principles have any meaning, we normally depart from them only to meet the gravest threat to us., e.g. to our survival. Is Allende a mortal threat to the U.S.?" Vaky asked. "It is hard to argue this." Kissinger ignored this advice. The next day he participated in a now-famous meeting where President Nixon instructed CIA Director Richard Helms to "save Chile" by secretly fomenting a coup to prevent Allende’s inauguration. When those covert operations failed, Kissinger goaded Nixon into instructing the entire national security bureaucracy "on opposing Allende" and destabilizing his government. "Election of Allende as president of Chile poses one of [the] most serious challenges ever faced in this hemisphere," says a newly declassified briefing paper Kissinger gave to Nixon two days after Allende’s inauguration. "Your decision as to what to do may be most historic and difficult foreign affairs decision you will have to make this year…. If all concerned do not understand that you want Allende opposed as strongly as we can, result will be steady draft toward modus vivendi approach." Had Washington adopted a "modus vivendi approach," it is possible that Chileans, indeed citizens around the world, would not be solemnly commemorating the thirtieth anniversary of the coup that brought Gen. Augusto Pinochet to power. In the United States, the meaning of this anniversary is, understandably, overshadowed by the shock and tragedy of our own 9/11. But Chile reminds us that the topics of debate on US foreign policy today–pre-emptive strikes, regime change, the arrogance of unilateral intervention, unchecked covert action and secrecy and dishonesty in government–are not new. From the thousands of formerly classified US documents released over the past several years, the picture that emerges strikes some haunting parallels with the news of the day. Chile, it must be recalled, constitutes a classic example of a pre-emptive strike–a set of operations launched well before Salvador Allende set foot in office. Nixon ordered the CIA on September 15, 1970, to "make the economy scream" and to foment a military move to block Allende from being inaugurated six weeks later, in November; the Chilean leader had yet to formulate or authorize a single policy detrimental to US interests. "What happens over [the] next 6-10 months will have ramifications far beyond US-Ch[ilean] relations," Kissinger predicted in a dire warning to Nixon only forty-eight hours after Allende actually took office. "Will have effect on what happens in rest of LA and developing world; our future position in hemisphere; on larger world picture…even effect our own conception of what our role in the world is." As in the distorted threat assessment on Iraq, this was sheer speculation–unsupported, indeed contradicted, by US intelligence. In August 1970 CIA, State and Defense Department analysts had determined that "the US has no vital national interests within Chile," and that the world "military balance of power would not be significantly altered" if Allende came to power… [emphasis added]

Inserted from <The Nation>

For many years, the United States has treated the rest of the world, particularly third world nations, as the private reserve of an American economic empire, repeatedly using force, usually covertly, any time a nation had the audacity to suggest that their resources should benefit their own people, not US corporations. Neither party is blameless, but the vast majority and most heinous of such actions occurred during Republican administrations. In the twentieth century, the United States overthrew more democratically elected governments and installed more dictators than any other nation ever has. No nation can stand toe-to-toe against the US on the battlefield, so guerilla tactics are the only option available to nations who would oppose us. We should also remember that there would be no such thing as Al Qaeda, had not Republicans under Reagan financed it’s formation to perform terrorist attacks against the USSR. I do not hate this country. I love the USA enough to insist that we actually practice the principles we claim to profess. These are the lessons we need to learn to prevent future terrorists attacks against the US. If we practice oppression, we guarantee resistance. If we practice partnership, we will get cooperation. We need to stop trying to control other countries by force, To forestall terrorism, we must stop participating in and supporting terrorism ourselves. We will be seen as hypocrites if we oppose ethnic cleansing by ISIL, but continue to support ethnic cleansing by Zionists. For the last lesson, let’s return to the story with which I began. Shortly after the account executive agreed that I was done for the day, the company shut down for the rest of the day too. Several of us gathered around the TV in the lunch room. Knowing that I am politically involved, coworkers asked me what I thought was going to happen. I told them that I thought Bush would use the attack as an excuse to do two things: to invade Iraq and to curtail civil liberates guaranteed under our Constitution. The last lesson is this. If we adopt the tactics of evil to oppose evil, we become no different than the evil we oppose. Even if we do all that, we must still be vigilant. Sadly there are forces in pseudo-Islam that pursue hatred against America, just as there are forces in pseudo-Christianity that pursue hatred against all who fail to obey their dogma, both for their own respective right-wing political agendas. The latter are the more dangerous, both at home and abroad.  Now they have Trump adding force to their violations of our rights.

RESIST THE REPUBLICAN REICH!!

In 2008, I accurately predicted the winner in every state except Florida.  In 2012, I accurately predicted the winner in every state.  In 2016, I accurately predict that pigs will fly before I can do that well this year, in spite of several years experience as an opinion research professional at a market research firm.

There has never been an election like this before, so instead, I've painted what I consider to be a worst-case scenario.  I put every state in Trump's column, unless I was confident of a Clinton win there.  There are several such states in which I think Clinton will win, such as NV, and NC.  The main reason I didn't give her Ohio is that Republican State governments there have a long history of counting more Republican votes in some districts than there are eligible voters.

The reason I did not strive for greater accuracy, is to show you that my worst case scenario is so close that complacency is not an option.  Your vote is too important to waste.  If I'm right about every state except FL and PA, the United States of America will die.

Before I begin, I want you to know that I made a supreme sacrifice.  I had purchased  a dozen PIGnocchio brand, big mouth, extra-wide, extra-chunky barf bags for the occasion, and they were insufficient to the task.  I knew these Republicans were vile, but who would have thought that they could motivate me to produce barf in excess of my own body weight.  Only the debate itself was a bigger mess.  Humor aside, I did watch the spectacle, took notes, and have a report for you.

There were actually two debates.  To be truthful, I overslept and missed a few minutes of the bottom group, but it became immediately apparent to me that the Republican Reichsministry of Propaganda, Faux Noise, was intentionally trying to crucify this group, based on camera angles, audio and video quality, and insults from the moderators.  I’m not the only one who thought so.  Rachel Maddow did too.

In the main debate there were no winners.  Here are my notes:

Donald “Hairball” Trump:
He refused to promise to support the Republican nominee and not to run as a third party candidature.   On immigration, he proposed a wall and said border patrol officers were his proof that the Mexican government is sending criminals here.  He would repeal and replace the ACA with insurance company deregulation.  He said he is pro life and would defund Planned Parenthood.  He admitted to misogynist tweets.  He called Obama incompetent.  He said the Iran deal is a disgrace.

Jeb “Strike Three” Bush:
On undocumented immigrants, he supported a path to legal status, but not citizenship.  He stated that ISIS [his brother’s creation], would not exist if Obama had not abandoned Iraq [on his brother’s timetable].  He favored state control of education and vouchers.  He promised 4% growth by getting rid of Obamacare and cutting taxes.  He supported defunding Planned Parenthood.  He denied calling Hairball a buffoon.

Scott “Fartfuhrer” Walker:
He demanded banning abortion with no exception to save the life of the mother.  He supported no amnesty of any kind for undocumented immigrants.  Hew promised to attack ISIS.  He said failed to meet his economic promised because had aimed high.  He would introduce tougher sanctions against Iran and have our international partners do the same.  On racial disparity, he would provide better training to law enforcement on the use of force.

Marco “Deport Them All” Rubio:
He supported a wall to keep undocumented immigrants out and no amnesty of any kind.  He supports state control of education.  He would help small businesses by lowering taxes, repealing Obamacare, and repealing Dodd Frank.  He supports “personhood”.

Mike “Upchuck Huck” Huckabee:
He supported “personhood”.  He supported state control of education.  He would save social security and the economy with the FAIR Tax.  He would cancel the Iran agreement.  He would not allow transgender people in the military.

Ben “Uncle Token” Carson:
He said we should keep harsh interrogation methods [torture] secret.  He suggested a tithe tax.  He said Hillary counts on useful idiots.

Rand “Idiot, Son of Idiot, Named after Idiot” Paul:
He attacked Hairball.  He said NSA should spy on terrorists only.  He supports allowing discrimination against gay people.  He said he would cut foreign aid.

Ted “Uranus Inspector” Cruz:
He said he would repeal all of Obama’s executive orders, defund sanctuary cities and allow no amnesty if any kind for undocumented immigrants.  He would destroy ISIS by calling it “Radical Islamic Terrorism”.  He would stand-up against Russia and China for committing cyber war.

Chris “PIGnocchio” Christie:
He supports no amnesty of any kind for undocumented immigrants.  He supports NSA spying al all Americans.  He would raise the retirement age.  He would restore the military to cold war levels.

John “KKK” Kasich:
He supports the wall to keep undocumented immigrants out.  He would defeat Hillary by promising to balance the budget.  He opposed same sex marriage, but he accepts the courts ruling and would love his own gay child.

All promised obeisance to Republican Supply-Side Jesus (the opposite of the real Jesus).

On the 50th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, it was not even mentioned.

In my opinion, there was no winner.  However the debate may have a serious impact on the rest of the campaign season.  Faux Noise employs a bunch of blondes, who usually display lots of leg and cleavage to keep Bubba Bagger titillated just enough to keep his TV tuned to Faux Noise.  Without the blondes  Bubba would surely turn to NASCAR, Better Outhouses and Gardens, or Ga Ga for Guns.  Well, one of the Faux Noise blondes, Megyn Kelly, attacked Hairball over his misogynist tweets, and he responded by threatening her.  OOPS!  I have seen this woman in action enough times to know that she has a vicious streak a mile wide, so I would be very surprised if Hairball does not occupy the top of her feces list for a long time.  Now if the rest of Faux Noise goes along with her and tries to sabotage Hairball, he could be in trouble, as a Republican.

In conclusion, the very best thing about the Criminal Clowns Debate is this.  It’s over.