More Important Things To Worry About

Posted on by under Free Press Issues, Law and justice, Political commentary, Social commentary

I refuse to waste either my time or energy on the game of false equivalencies, on Republicans’ efforts to play the ‘whaddabout’ game, and thus I have little to say about the handful of documents found by President Biden’s own lawyers that were promptly returned to the National Archives.  The fact is that it wouldn’t surprise me one bit to find they were planted there, but I’m not going to dive into the world of conspiracy theories … eventually the truth will out.  Meanwhile, this nation has more important things to focus on, such as the ongoing attempts to destroy our democratic foundations, the ever-growing effects of climate change, a looming debt ceiling fight, a recent surge in Covid cases/deaths, voting rights, women’s rights, Putin’s war against the world, and much more.  So, I will share Robert Reich’s words about the false equivalencies between the fewer than 20 documents found among the President’s possessions and the truckloads of documents that Trump stole upon leaving office.  Beyond this, I can only say that the mainstream media is playing into the hands of the radical right and I shall not write on this topic again unless there is a valid reason to do so.

False equivalence

Biden’s documents

Robert Reich

For years, Trump and his enablers in Congress and on Fox News have accused Hillary Clinton and then Joe Biden of doing exactly what Trump has done, or worse, and the mainstream media has usually played along by making false equivalences. But of course there’s never been any valid comparison. Trump repudiated the Constitution and staged an attempted coup, which he’s still mounting, among other things.

And now we have the specter of Biden being accused of having done exactly what Trump did when Trump brazenly stole top-secret documents from the United States.

But let’s be clear: The Biden documents were discovered by Biden’s own lawyers, who then reported the discovery to the Justice Department. The Trump documents were requested repeatedly by the National Archives. Trump repeatedly refused to produce them. They were then found by the FBI over the objections of Trump and his lawyers.

Democrats have an old-fashioned belief that democracy requires truth, facts, and logic. So when mistakes are made, they usually try to explain them to the public, as the White House is now doing with regard to the documents found in Biden’s possession.

Unfortunately, the White House did not disclose the discovery to the public for two months, apparently waiting until after the November midterm elections before which the disclosure could have been damaging to Democrats.

Yesterday, Attorney General Merrick Garland, citing what he called “extraordinary circumstances,” appointed a special counsel to investigate the handling of the documents — inviting more false equivalence between two investigations: Biden’s unknowing possession of such documents and Trump’s knowing possession.

Republicans have no such qualms about democracy, facts, and logic. A Republican House hellbent on investigating Hunter Biden, the FBI, and anything they can find to embarrass Biden and the Democrats is already making as much political hay as possible out of the discovery of the documents in Biden’s possession, as are their mouthpieces on Fox News.

The task for Biden and the White House will be to keep an even keel by not getting distracted by this commotion, and continuing the important business of governing the nation. Over the long term (meaning during the next two years of run-up to the 2024 election), the contrast between the House Republicans’ zany partisan escapades and Biden’s seriousness of public purpose will offer the most potent means of avoiding all false equivalences.

32 thoughts on “More Important Things To Worry About”

  1. This is the most concise post I’ve read yet on the state of things in America. I am with you on the ‘questionable’ document thing. Suddenly now? Planted? And you know what, I’m astounded at the way democrats have to always, as Michelle Obama likes to say, “When they go low, we go high” ‘do the right heroic thing’ like Al Franken stepping down for a joking around with a friend photo when the Rs are breaking up America with hatred and lies and fraudulent congressional members. Making Biden look like a criminal to take the spotlight off Conald, when the real orange criminal has sold out America. Yes, I agree, what the hell with the mainstream media acting like they are Fox Faux news keep harping on it like Joe is a criminal. And don’t even get me started about the debt ceiling blackmail tactics going on. They are playing with lives globally. And this Canadian is petrified of their power and my financial future. So, if anyone wants to know why I care so much about American politics, it’s because with those power hungry crazies, I feel like the one living here in Canada above the meth lab. Thanks for letting me vent. ❤

    Liked by 1 person

    • Thank you, Debby!!! And you are right … the Al Franken is a case in point. What he did was minimal as compared to what many in the Republican Party have done and continue to do, however he made the right decision and resigned, whereas the Republicans continue to make elaborate excuses and lies to cover their posteriors. There is so much hypocrisy on the part of congressional Republicans that I don’t know where to begin … so I just keep shaking my head and wondering what that rattle I hear coming from inside could be. And you are right … if the U.S. defaults on our debt, it will affect people in every nation, including your own. It will be worse than the 2008 financial crisis … and all so easily avoidable if only the Republicans wise up and do the job we hired them to do! Sigh. Thanks for your very clear views … I always like to hear how people in other countries view our little fiasco! ❤

      Liked by 1 person

  2. Biden screwed up by letting his lawyers give the GOP the ammo they needed to use against him. His lawyers are idiots IMHO. My very first paralegal class, taught by a fabulous lawyer, his first words to us were “The first rule of law is COVER YOUR ASS”. Obviously, these lawyers never learned this rule. If you are covering your ass, you are not giving the other side ammo to use against you.

    Honestly, I don’t understand any of this, Biden is the Fng president, shouldn’t he have the right to have sensitive documents? But I’m so tired of all of this sht. I just want to read a good novel or a history of the Renaissance or Reformation or something that isn’t about trump or the GOP or both-siderism yadda yadda yadda … I’m tired! Like the song in Blazing Saddles.

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    • Returning the docs to the National Archives was the right thing to do. How the press, and thereby the GOP and the public, got hold of the info, I don’t know, but I really wish they hadn’t, for it muddies the waters and will be a national headache for a few weeks. After that, I suspect the frenzy will end, replaced by some other “major scandal”, real or imagined.

      Yes, Biden has access to any and all documents, but in the proper place. These hailed back to when he left the vice presidency and some were in his garage … not exactly a secure location. But again, it isn’t anywhere near comparable to Trump’s document theft. Apples to basketballs, as Jonathan Capehart said.

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  3. Not American, not interested.
    Yesterday our illustrious new leader, the Premuer of Alberta, strongly suggested the courts not prosecute some people charged during Covid for not following the rules. She is not allowed to influence our court system, but she tried. What a bitch!
    Then today, the Leader of the Opposition in Canaduan government spoke to a conservative think tank, where he declared that people are exaggetating the effect of Residential Schools on the lives of those who attended the schools, or the families whose children were forced to attend.
    Then he tried to say he doesn’t believe what he said, he was just tailoring his speech for his conservative audience.
    So, he can lie to his audience to tell them what they want to hear? No, Mr. Poliev (Spelling?)! If you speak the words, you believe them. Either way, you are not fit to be the leader of any political party, no matter how conservative they are!

    Liked by 1 person

    • I was tempted to just say, “Not Canadian, not interested”, but as it happens, I am interested. So, Kenney finally left, eh? And the replacement is no better? And how can anyone say that the horror of the Residential Schools did not have a profound effect on the children sent there??? That’s B.S.!!! Sounds like some of our politicians who talk out of both sides of their mouths, depending on who their immediate audience is.

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      • Pretty much.
        Danielle Smith is worse than Kenney. She wants to create a provincial police force and kick out the RCMP. She wants us to have our own senior’s benefit plan separate from the federal plan. She wants Alberta to be part of Canada but we make our own rules for everything.
        She hates Trudeau and wants nothing to do with him, but she will take any federal money she can get. Total bitch!

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          • She got elected by the UCP as their new leader, and inherited the premiership. But she is acting like she was elected by We the People of Alberta.
            Luckily, I hope, she faces We the People in May, and I hope We the People will soundly kick her ass. But even with the election 5 months away, she is busy trying to buy votes by cutting the gasoline tax for 6 months, raising the benefits for people unable to work because of developmental handicaps (their last raise was 10 years ago), giving about 30% of Albertans what she is calling an Affordibilty benefit for 6 months to help cover inflation BUT PEOPLE HAVE TO APPLY ONLINE (there are lots of poor people who are not online because of the high price of the Internet in Alberta!) and new tax breaks which will probably not be permanent.
            I can see right through her, so hopefully everyone 3lse ca too.

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            • Interesting that she cut the gas tax just long enough to get through the May election. Sounds like she’s planning to buy her way into office, but she sounds like a real asshole to me. I’ll definitely keep my fingers crossed for you guys come May!

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    • Indeed so! I saw on the news tonight that this happens far more often than we would think. The Republicans will try to make a mountain out of a molehill, try to turn it into a major offense, but they can only do that if the media plays along and if We the People are stupid enough to give it our attention. Sigh. I think that by the end of this decade, the United States will be an autocracy. I won’t likely be around to see it, but that’s my prediction. Hugs, my friend.

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  5. Jill, as I have written before, I detest “what-about-ism,” as it is almost used to rationalize another person’s misdeeds by contrasting them to someone’s else. What is also not factored in to what-about-isms the frequency and severity of various infringements.

    What Biden did looks wrong, but so is what Trump did. But, from what I gather Trump made an effort to not disclose and hide information. I am glad the DOJ is looking at both. What is also needed to be factored in is the abundance of actual and alleged crimes of the former president. Just today, the Trump Organization was penalized for tax fraud to the tune of $1.6 million. Ironically, that is the same number that Trump was ordered to repay the Trump Foundation for using its money for his own purposes a few years ago. After he repaid the Foundation for his fraudulent action, the Foundation was terminated and monies given to charity. He will likely be charged for election tampering in Georgia and for seditious actions and obstruction of Justice with the insurrection.

    Biden screwed up and should be investigated, but make no mistake, there remains a very illicit acting person who has the temerity to want to be president again. Sadly, we have enough foolish acting people in our country to give this criminally minded person consideration. Keith

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    • Well … thus far, we don’t know enough to make a call on the documents in Biden’s possession. There are fewer than 20, I’m told, and it’s unclear if he or an assistant packed them inappropriately. In Trump’s case, there were hundreds, perhaps more, and it is very clear that while assistants helped him, they did so at his bidding. Too many differences … as Jonathan Capehart said on PBS, “we’re talking apples to basketballs”.

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  6. And so, that makes, Biden’s position, even harder as the, president, because, the opposing political party kept, pulling on his legs, and, he can’t, keep his own party, cohesive enough either. These distractions will, only divert the president, and the Democrats from, more effective, ruling over the country, thus, ensuring that the Republicans will win out in the next election coming up.

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    • You’re right … it will divert the president, but it is also largely intended to divert our attention away from the crimes and antics of the Republican Party. We must not let it. We must stay focused and continue to defend such things as voting rights, environmental regulations, women’s rights, education, and more that they are targeting.

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  7. I realize that my opinion isn’t going to change a single mind or give any of you even a second to consider the validity of what I say so why do I bother? Because the one giant difference, which you all refuse to see and acknowledge is that, as president, trump had the authority to declassify anything he wanted as per article 2 of the constitution. Bumbling biden took those documents when he was vice-president ande had no authority to do so by any stretch of the imagination. Like I say, it doesn’t matter what I say, you’re going to believe what you want anyway.

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    • Actually, Scott, if you were factually correct, we would listen to you, but no, Trump never had the right to de-classify documents willy-nilly, and he did not de-classify those documents he stole simply by thinking it.

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      • I admit my prejudice, but from my perspective, Biden did take the documents (which were undoubtedly related to his position as VP) most likely to read/study them in a more relaxed atmosphere … and then forgot about them when the election was over. On the other hand, Trump being who he is, I’m far more inclined to believe he took the documents for nefarious reasons. And the fact he denied even having them adds fuel to this fire.

        Scott, Trump simply is not an honest man. This has been proven time and again. So it’s difficult to let him off the hook in this instance any more than the many other times he’s been caught in outright lies.

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    • Classified documents Joe Biden held were known about before the mid terms but only revealed and reported on once the election was done and dusted.The sort of hypocrisy to be expected from the Democrats and their minions.

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