Tag Archives: Bob Menendez

Trying To Make Sense Of It All — With ‘Toons!

Posted on by under Bits 'n Pieces, cartoons, Global Issues, Humour, Law and justice, Political commentary, Social commentary

I don’t know about you guys, but there is just SO MUCH happening right now that I feel overwhelmed.  It’s like my brain is bouncing so fast that I cannot even catch it, like a 33 LP being played at 45 RPMs!  Trying to read the in-depth news about what’s happening in the Middle East, the new George Santos charges, Trump’s trials, the efforts of Congress to ensure a government shutdown next month, more schools banning still more books, the continuing efforts of Republicans to take away our voting rights, to take away women’s rights … the list is endless.  And so, to give my brain a bit of a much-needed rest and recharge, I’m sharing my latest collection of political cartoons today that do, in some ways, help us to make sense of the insensible.

Palestinian civilians, Israeli civilians, Oct 9 war, political cartoon

Another “Wrong Person For The Job”

Posted on by under Global Issues, Political commentary, Racism & Bigotry, Trump's Staff Picks

An ambassador is the highest-ranking representative to a specific nation or international organization abroad. An effective ambassador has to be a strong leader—a good manager, a resilient negotiator, and a respected representative of the United States. An ambassador to a foreign nation is to remain completely neutral of the domestic politics in the countries in which they serve.

Germany is the most populous nation in the European Union and has at its head Chancellor Angela Merkel, an astute and effective leader.  Trump’s first ambassador to Germany was Richard Grenell, about whom I’ve written before.  Grenell got off on the wrong foot almost from the moment his feet first touched German soil and he added insult to injury for as long as he remained.

On June 1st, Grenell formally resigned from his post, although since February he had devoted most of his time to being the acting Director of National Intelligence and largely neglected his duties as ambassador, likely much to the relief of Chancellor Merkel and others.  Now, Donald Trump has nominated yet another poor choice to the position of Ambassador to Germany, Retired Army Colonel Douglas Macgregor.

macgregorLet me tell you just a bit about Macgregor. He is a bigot and a xenophobe.  He is a frequent contributor and commentator for both Fox ‘News’ and RT, a Russian state-controlled international television network, where he freely expresses his views.

He often demonized immigrants and refugees. He warned Mexican cartels were “driving millions of Mexicans with no education, no skills and the wrong culture into the United States, placing them essentially as wards of the American people.” He repeatedly advocated to institute martial law at the US-Mexico border and “shoot people” if necessary.

He has claimed that Muslim migrants were coming to Europe “with the goal of eventually turning Europe into an Islamic state.” He criticized Germany for giving “millions of unwanted Muslim invaders” welfare benefits rather than providing more funding for its armed services.

Macgregor’s nomination is already seeing opposition in the Senate, however. Senate Foreign Relations Ranking Member Bob Menendez, whose committee oversees Macgregor’s nomination, has said that Macgregor’s comments disqualify him from any government office and called on his colleagues to reject Macgregor.

“Colonel MacGregor’s public statements over the years on immigration, Muslims, and our relationship with Germany should disqualify him for any government office, much less to represent the United States as an ambassador. Even if his views reflect those of President Trump, it is incumbent on the entire Senate, including Senate Republicans, to reject this nominee.”

I would like to hope that the Senate doesn’t merely rubber-stamp this one as they have done so many others, but with Mitch McConnell calling the shots, it is likely what will happen.

Trump himself has been critical of Angela Merkel and more than a few times has bullied and berated Chancellor Merkel in phone calls, even going so far as to call her stupid.  One must ask, when we consider Trump’s attitude toward Merkel, and his two choices for ambassadors to Germany, what his goal is?  We expect our ambassadors to be respectful toward the leaders and citizens of their host nation, but Grenell never was, and from all indications, Macgregor will not be, either.  Since taking office in January 2017, Trump has shredded long-established relationships with our allies, while cozying up to autocrats such as Putin, Bolsonaro, Erdoğan, Mohammad Bin Salman, and even Rodrigo Duterte.  What, exactly, is the game he is playing?  For certainly it is a game … Trump is a game-player, never a straight-forward and honest ‘man’.

Meanwhile, Trump is planning to withdraw nearly 12,000 troops from bases in Germany, a move that is opposed by both republicans and democrats, as well as former military officials, who say the move will benefit Russia. I’ve long said that the reason Putin was so eager to help Trump win the 2016 election is he saw in Trump an ignorant ‘man’ who would be easily manipulated … a puppet, so to speak, to do his bidding.  Nothing I have seen since has disabused me of that notion.

Frankly, if I were Chancellor Merkel I would be sorely tempted to tell Trump to keep his ambassador on his own side of the Atlantic and I would bring my own ambassador home, let Trump put that one in his pipe and smoke it for a time.  Diplomatic relations require a number of things in order to work, with mutual respect at the top of the list.  Donald Trump respects nobody, and he makes that point with every decision he makes, with every sentence he utters.  In less than four years, he has taken us from a respected friend and ally to a pariah among most every nation.  It is almost as if his goal is to make the U.S. the most hated nation in the western world.  His “America First” policy could very well be the undoing of decades of diplomatic efforts.

Consequences of Greed …

Posted on by under Political commentary
Menendez

Bob Menendez

The trial of democratic Senator Bob Menendez began yesterday.  Menendez is charged with 14 counts of criminal corruption, including bribery, conspiracy, and making false statements. The charges stem from accusations that Menendez used his office as senator to benefit his personal friend, Salomon Melgen.  Melgen is an eye doctor in Florida who, in 2012, donated more than $700,000 to a political action committee (PAC), some $582,000 of which went toward Menendez’ campaign for re-election. As if that weren’t enough, Melgen offered Senator Menendez an array of perks including trips on his private jet, three nights at a five-star Paris hotel, a round of golf at a private club in West Palm Beach and access to an exclusive Dominican resort. Menendez did not report these ‘perks’ on his financial disclosure forms.  In exchange, it is said, Menendez used the power of his office to negotiate for a lucrative port security contract that would have benefitted Melgen.  Oh yes, and Menendez also helped acquire visas for several of Melgen’s girlfriends.

Granted, the trial only started today, and Senator Menendez is entitled to the same rights as any other citizen, meaning that he is innocent until proven guilty.  I strongly suspect, based on what I have read, that there is sufficient evidence for the Department of Justice to obtain a conviction. This is a distraction that Congress, just back from their month-long recess and with many looming issues on their plate, does not need.  It is also a black mark that the Democratic Party does not need just over a year before the crucial mid-term elections.

In addition to the distraction that the trial is certain to provide, it raises the question of whether Senator Menendez should be allowed to keep his Senate seat.  The Republican National Committee has already begun a campaign aimed at pressuring Democratic senators to call on Menendez to step down if he’s convicted. In truth, I cannot argue against that.  One of the biggest problems with Congress today is greed, and if Menendez is guilty of the accusations leveled against him, he acted solely out of greed, rather than in the best interest of the Constitution he swore to uphold.  As such, if he is found guilty, he must be forced to step down.

christie

Chris Christie

However, the results of this will create a terrible situation in the Senate, one which will likely see a significant difference in the outcome of several issues.  Why?  Because if Menendez steps down from his position, the Governor of New Jersey will then appoint a person to finish out Menendez’ term, which is set to expire in January 2019 after the 2018 mid-term elections.  And the Governor of New Jersey just happens to be none other than Chris Christie … a republican and one of Donald Trump’s personal boot-lickers. There is not a snowball’s chance in hell that Governor Christie will appoint a democrat, and it is guaranteed that he will appoint somebody who is certain to do Trump’s bidding.

The Senate is so closely divided with 52 republicans and 48 democrats, that every vote is a close call.  Many votes have been determined by a single vote.  Remember the failed ACA repeal where three republican senators, John McCain, Lisa Murkowski, and Susan Collins caused the bill to die?  If Governor Christi appoints a replacement for Menendez, the Senate then becomes 53 republicans and only 47 democrats.  Under this mix, the abomination of the ACA repeal would have passed, even with the opposition from the three republican senators.

There is one possible way this can have a different outcome.  New Jersey will hold an election to elect a new governor on November 7, 2017.  Governor Christie is not eligible to run, having already served two terms.  The polls are currently showing the democratic candidate, Phil Murphy, to have a substantial lead (23%) over the republican candidate, Kim Guadagno.  If Murphy is elected, and if Menendez is not forced to step down until after Murphy’s inauguration (a huge ‘if’), then it is likely that Murphy would appoint another democrat, and the mix of the Senate would remain as it is.

A report by John Fund in the National Review actually suggests that Governor Christie might appoint himself to fill the vacant senate seat, and Christie left the possibility open when he appeared on MSNBC’s Morning Joe.  I mention this only in passing, for the reality is that it is not that simple.  Christie would have to resign as governor, then the lieutenant governor could make the appointment.  Not out of the realm of possibility, but I think it is highly unlikely.

If elected, Murphy’s inauguration would not be held until January 16, 2018.  Is it possible that a final decision will not be rendered until after that date?  I cannot say.  The courts sometimes move very slowly, however in this case, the Department of Justice is involved, meaning Jeff Sessions, and I suspect that with so much at stake, a concerted push will be on to wrap it up rather quickly.

If Senator Menendez is, in fact, guilty of the charges against him, he has done a tremendous disservice, first of all to his constituents, the people of New Jersey who placed their faith in him and elected him.  But even more, he has done a disservice to this nation and we may all pay a steep price for his greed and dishonesty.