Donald Trump issued his gravest threats to democracy yet last night, giving an appalling rant from the White House deceitfully alleging, without evidence, without detail, and without regard to the fundamental tenet of democracy that we must count all votes, that Joe Biden’s increasing vote totals are the result of fraud.
Some Republicans are willing to criticize Trump’s assault on our election. Pennsylvania Senator Pat Toomey says Trump’s claims are baseless and disturbing:
Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, whose state is a key battleground in the presidential election, said “There’s simply no evidence anyone has shown me of any widespread corruption or fraud” to supported Trump’s claim Thursday of fraud in balloting.
“The president’s speech last night was very disturbing to me because he made very, very serious allegations without any evidence to support it,” Toomey told “CBS This Morning.”
He added: “I voted for President Trump. I endorsed President Trump. I want the next president to be the person who legitimately wins the Electoral College and I will accept whoever that is” [Matthew Daly, “GOP Senator: No Evidence to Support Trump Vote-Fraud Claims,” AP, 2020.11.06].
Maryland Governor Larry Hogan calls Trump’s wild claims indefensible:
Maryland GOP Gov. Larry Hogan, a potential presidential hopeful who has often criticized Trump, said unequivocally: “There is no defense for the President’s comments tonight undermining our Democratic process. America is counting the votes, and we must respect the results as we always have before” [Jonathan Lemire, Zeke Miller, Jill Colvin, and Will Weissert, “Biden Ahead in Georgia, Pennsylvania; Trump Attacks Process,” AP, 2020.11.06].
Alas, no South Dakota Republicans seem capable of showing such simple courage in defense of democracy. Just prior to Trump’s White House rant, Governor Kristi Noem said Trump is fighting “rigged election systems.” In a Tweet this morning, Noem tells states whose “elections aren’t FAIR and TRANSPARENT” to “demand change” and adopt South Dakota’s election laws… as if there is any state where dedicated local clerks, auditors, and registrars aren’t already doing their darndest to provide their neighbors with a free, fair, and transparent election.
Freshly reëlected Senator Mike Rounds has issued no comment on Trump’s claim of a stolen election. Senator John Thune has issued no comment.
Fellow election victor Congressman Dusty Johnson offers a cautious statement in favor of election integrity but declines to take on Trump’s fascism:
Donald Trump’s effort to undermine our faith in the results of this election represent a grave threat to our democracy. Republicans must not let the Trumps bully them into complicity with this public evil. Republicans have the same obligation as all of us: to reject Donald Trump’s effort to use baseless and false accusations to inflame conflict and and overturn the real votes of millions of Americans.
We’re not asking you to impeach, Republicans. We’re not asking you to repudiate four years of Trumpism and grovel in shame before us. We just asking you to defend the election, defend our votes, and defend the truth.
I’m asking them to repudiate four years of Trumpism and grovel in shame before us.
Back in the 80s, I was a house guest with a retired commercial banker from Chicago. We were discussing unscrupulous executives in the business world when he brought up Donald Trump and railed about what a blot he was to humankind. I have never heard a good word about Trump at that time or since.
Speaking of “free and fair” elections, something we don’t have now…
Dems collect more votes and represent more citizens and have less power.
https://www.vox.com/2020/11/6/21550979/senate-malapportionment-20-million-democrats-republicans-supreme-court
What’s the IA political weather report mfi, unless if missed it?
https://www.vox.com/2020/11/6/21534594/joe-biden-wins-2020-presidential-election
Biden is projected winner.
Oh they can’t. They need the tea party trumpie vote. That’s the republican party now. They used to pretend to stand for something but at least trump has gotten rid of that posturing. Now they are the rural state party and that’s about it. The poor rural vote continues to be conned by the party who really doesn’t care about their health or well being at all. Its sad.
Thune speaks “With several races too close to call, we all have the same goal: making sure every legal vote is counted – and counted accurately. All of us have a duty to make our democracy work. Let’s remember how much still unifies us. ONE nation under God. https://t.co/IdmRFm2ATg
— Senator John Thune (@SenJohnThune) November 6, 2020
Do you think he means it?? Vote is out on that.
Noem doesn’t seem to understand that it is Republican legislatures in most of the swing states that created the systems she is hinting are not transparent. Well, yeah, but Democrats suggested ways to make the counts go forward faster and with more transparency and Republicans said “nyet.”
Moscow Mitch, his sidekick Ivan Thune, underlings Moscow Mike, and Nikolai Johnson lost their moral bearings (presuming they once had some). None of them stood up to trumps abuses of law, custom, morals, allies, treaties, etc. None of them showed an once of moral courage. Their progeny will likely disclaim their actions as they relegate themselves to history’s dustbin.
Have not paid any attention, Leslie. Western half of iowa is seriously infected with South Dakota stoopid.
Dusty Johnson has been spotted wearing a mask. News outlets spoke of his “courage” in doing so. What have we come to when a federal legislator is praised for his courage for wearing a %^&#@ mask during an epidemic?
Come on now Mike. Who did western Iowa elect forever as their congressman. You know the guy with the big ankles? Nobody from South Dakota is as stupid as the boys below Sioux City.
Thune must not have heard Donald. Donald called the election, declaring victory.. Where do you stand on that Senator Thune?
“jerry” quotes from a John Thune tweet today:
That reminds me of the famous Bart Simpson quote from 1995:
Maybe President Trump should resign next week and accept an unambiguously legal pardon from President Pence for obstruction of justice during the Mueller investigation.
https://www.politico.com/story/2019/05/18/justin-amash-trump-impeachable-mueller-1332780
In 1845, James Russell Lowell wrote:
Kurt nice note, thanks.
What the republicans needed more than ever over the past 5 years were a “few good Germans” to stand up. Senator (R-PA) Tomey was and is one. Columnist George Will and former governor (OH-R) John Kasich, present governor (MD-R) Larry Hogan were among the too few others.
The misservice and opportunism evidenced by Ivan Thune, Moscow Mike Rounds, Dnieper Johnson, and noem will forever stain their resumes, professional, and personal family infamy. Their next chapter after recklessly spending money like drunken sailors on a first shore leave; they’ll “find religion” in budget frugality for obstruction sake. (Apologies to sailors.)
“All of us have a duty to make our democracy work.”
John Thune / Human Pretzel / R-SD
So, John is “making our democracy work” by delaying Merick Garland’s confirmation? By ramming thru Amy Barrett? By allowing the president to commit blackmail and abuse power? By voting for judges deemed unqualified? Etc, etc, etc… I could go on, but we are space limited here. Besides, I can’t express on this public forum how I feel about these stand-up gents. Kind words escape me. !@#%^&*
Expect nothing from thune, rounds or johnson. Trump has their balls in a jar by his bedside and Melania will pack them up and take them with him as he leaves the people’s house.
I’m imagining how much training Dusty’s staffers would need to be “non-partisan”. More like a thorough de-programming. Anyway, good luck tarnishing your futures by following orders from Rudy Giuliani, if that is the plan. I guess we’ll know Monday.
The “sore losers” noem, thune, rounds, johnson — double down on their fraudulent claims of voting improprieties without offering a shred of evidence.
There is no way to compromise with lying liars, people lacking character, people lacking values.
Republicans can return to a national majority AFTER they change their values, their character, and propose policies that will improve the safety, health, and living standards for voters. But that requires supporting people instead of donors.
https://rapidcityjournal.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/biden-wins-noem-calls-election-rigged/article_8cc4457c-a615-553e-b1a5-da5e671b6a57.html#tracking-source=home-top-story-1
“By STEPHEN GROVES and JAMES MacPHERSON Associated Press
With coronavirus cases running rampant in the Dakotas and elected leaders refusing to forcefully intervene, the burden of pushing people to take the virus seriously has increasingly been put on the families of those killed.”
The only thing republican legislators and their governors want to do is potty bills. That’s it, just raise hell with people who cannot defend themselves. As history has proven over and over, those that protest the gays the loudest are closeted gay themselves.
I’d written:
John writes:
Do you mean the note I’ve quoted, or are you referring to the poem?
I’ve never seen online or anywhere, a Democrat who is urging, hey if we’re going to win in 22 and 24 and 26 and 28 and 30 is if we have a monthly or weekly meeting online and decide how we will increase and thrash the Rs for the next 80 years. The Dem leadership is not doing this. Rank and file Dems are the only way this is going to happen. Weekly meetings better. Any one for 80 years of winning?