#47. Trump, Donald John

Linda Lou Burton posting from Little Rock, Arkansas –Donald John Trump (b 1946) is the 47th President of the United States as of January 20, 2025. His presidency is being compared to the Grover Cleveland episode back in 1893. You know, “elected AGAIN, after being shoved out once.” The media refers to this go-round as Trump 2.0. Lots to talk about – the swearing in, where he failed to put his hand on a Bible although Melania was holding two –the Bible Lincoln used in 1861 we’re told, and Donald’s personal Bible, a gift from his mother. Surprisingly Melania wasn’t holding the Bible Donald has endorsed that sells for $59.99 and includes the US Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the Declaration of Independence, the Pledge of Allegiance, and the handwritten chorus from Lee Greenwood’s God Bless the USA, as well as all the King James stuff. Two other things happened at the inauguration that fed the buzz; The Kiss – or rather the Missed Kiss underneath Melania’s big black hat, and the Billionaire Posse in attendance, front and center. In order of wealth-worth here are the top three, beginning with the world’s richest person:

• $433.9 billion Elon Musk, Tesla CEO, Twitter, Space X
• $239.4 billion Jeff Bezos, Amazon founder
• $211.8 billion Mark Zuckerberg, Meta

A bunch of Lesser Billionaires was there too; as well as the Old Guard representing those who have followed a career in politics; our former presidents – outgoing Joe Biden, and Jill, George Bush and Laura, Bill Clinton and Hillary, and Barack Obama minus Michelle, whose absence stirred up more gossip than the sight of the pinched faces glaring back and forth across the aisle. The two women who opposed Donald in a bid for the presidency – Hillary and Kamala – had the most guts of anybody there, I’d say. And the strongest reason for showing up.

Just Look At The Numbers

It’s pretty clear that more people wanted Hillary in 2016. She got 48% of the vote to Donald’s 46%. She got 65,853,514 votes! He got 62,984,828. She should have won. But ach! The Electoral College is a sticky wicket. Even though 2,868,686 more people said “I want Her not Him,” the Electoral College, which is designed to protect specific arbitrary groups instead of individual voters, totaled up in Donald’s favor. Somehow we got through those four years, as Donald proved himself to be in the bottom three of “Worst Presidents Ever.”

And then it was 2020, at last! Donald Trump was fired, but even though Joe Biden received 7 million more Popular Votes and 74 more Electoral Votes, Donald refused to go quietly; he had a hissy fit that caused a riot and spent the next four years plotting a return.  What in the world was it that allowed him back in the door? Was it the red baseball cap that made him look like one of the good old boys? Or the disdain of his critics who considered him a joke and not worth paying attention to? Or, was it the boredom of listening to the same-old same-old that turned people off politics entirely? So entirely they chose not to vote for anybody? As Sherlock would say, “the evidence is in the numbers.”

Look at this little spreadsheet showing what happened in 2024.

• 72% of our US population is eligible to vote. Under-18, non-citizens, and convicted felons can’t.
• 32% of US registered voters voted for Donald Trump.
• 31% of US registered voters voted for Kamala Harris.
• 1% of US registered voters voted for various other candidates.
• 37% of US registered voters didn’t bother to vote at all.

You can read various versions of the above on different websites, but the bottom line is clear any way you look at it – a whale of a lot of eligible voters DID NOT VOTE.

To those who love Donald Trump and uphold every decision he makes, the truth remains: his “voter count” represents a mere 23% of all people living in the United States! That is NOT a majority signifying what people in the United States want, or believe.

To those who despise Donald Trump, the same is true. It is highly probable that most people share your view.

Love him or hate him, in 2024 he was NOT an unknown factor. It was clear as crystal what he could do and would do given half a chance.

Yet We Put Him There Again

Who did it?

• the 23% of eligible voters who believed that the world would be better with Donald in office and voted for him
• the 22% of eligible voters who believed that the world would be better with Kamala in office but didn’t work hard enough to see that she got the chance
• the 1% of eligible voters who diddled a vote away for no gain

And, oh yes, the 37% of eligible voters who didn’t do anything.

Start Planning

The next presidential election is coming up in November 2028.

• If you’re a young person who is just now old enough to vote, it’s time to take your part in governing your country. Shoulder up.
• If you’re a woman, and you failed to vote in 2024, remember, it’s just over 100 years that you’ve even been allowed to vote. Honor that.
• If you’re a disadvantaged minority, and you failed to vote in 2024, study your history and step up to change things for the better. Participate.
• If you’re just old and bored, and you failed to vote in 2024, kick yourself in the fanny. Perk up.

Study. Get yourself informed. Vote. We’re all responsible for what happens.

#46 Joe Biden Says: We All Have To Stay Engaged In the Process

Linda Lou Burton posting from Little Rock, Arkansas January 16, 2025 – The word “oligarchy” is the hot potato getting tossed around today. One of Merriam-Webster’s definitions for that word is “a government in which a small group exercises control especially for corrupt and selfish purposes.” And that word was uttered, with a serious warning, by our President #46 Joe Biden in his farewell address from the Oval Office last night. Straight-from-the-hip, straight-in-the-eye, here’s what he said:

I want to warn the country of some things that give me great concern. And this is the dangerous concentration of power in the hands of very few ultra-wealthy people, and the dangerous consequences if their abuse of power is left unchecked. Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power, and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms, and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead.

About power:

• In his farewell address President Eisenhower spoke of the dangers of the military-industrial complex. He warned us then about, and I quote, “the potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power,” end of quote. Six decades later, I’m equally concerned about the potential rise of a tech-industrial complex that could pose real dangers for our country as well.
• Americans are being buried under an avalanche of misinformation and disinformation enabling the abuse of power. The free press is crumbling. Editors are disappearing. Social media is giving up on fact-checking. The truth is smothered by lies told for power and for profit. We must hold the social platforms accountable to protect our children, our families, and our very democracy from the abuse of power.
• Meanwhile, artificial intelligence is the most consequential technology of our time — perhaps of all time. Nothing offers more profound possibilities and risks for our economy and our security, our society, our very humanity.

The challenge:

Unless safeguards are in place, AI could spawn new threats to our rights, our way of life, to our privacy, how we work, and how we protect our nation. We must make sure AI is safe and trustworthy and good for all humankind. In the age of AI, it’s more important than ever that the people must govern. And as the land of liberty, America — not China — must lead the world on the development of AI. You know, in the years ahead, it’s going to be up to the presidency, the Congress, the courts, the free press, and the American people to confront these powerful forces.

• We must reform the tax code — not by giving the biggest tax cuts to billionaires, but by making them begin to pay their fair share.
• We need to get dark money — that’s that hidden funding behind too many campaigns’ contributions — we need to get it out of our politics.
• We need to enact an 18-year time limit — term limit — time and term — for the strongest ethics reforms for our Supreme Court.
• We need to ban members of Congress from trading stock while they’re in the Congress.
• We need to amend the Constitution to make clear that no president — no president — is immune from crimes that he or she commits while in office. The president’s power is not absolute, and it shouldn’t be.

And in a democracy, there’s another danger to the concentration of power and wealth. It erodes a sense of unity and common purpose. It causes distrust and division. Participating in our democracy becomes exhausting and even disillusioning, and people don’t feel like they have a fair shot.

But we have to stay engaged in the process. I know it’s frustrating. A fair shot is what makes America, America. Everyone is entitled to a fair shot — not a guarantee, but just a fair shot, an even playing field — going as far as your hard work and talent can take you. We can never lose that essential truth — remain who we are.

I’ve always believed and I’ve told other world leaders America can be defined by one word: possibilities. After 50 years of public service, I give you my word, I still believe in the idea for which this nation stands, a nation where the strengths of our institutions and the character of our people matter and must endure.

Now it’s your turn to stand guard. May you all be the keeper of the flame. May you keep the faith. I love America. You love it too.

God bless you all. And may God protect our troops. Thank you for this great honor.

January 15, 2025

My added comment: For every person who is disheartened that 77 million Americans voted to bring Donald Trump back again but who refuses to acknowledge what is happening and listen to what is being said and pay attention to different views and try to ascertain the truth, well, that’s monkey business. I encourage you to heed Joe’s warning – no oligarchy allowed on our watch. Speak up!

#39 Jimmy Carter: He Did It!

Linda Lou Burton posting from Little Rock, Arkansas January 10, 2025 – In my post of July 23, 2024, I stated that Jimmy Carter was “the best-loved ‘after-president’ we’ve ever had.” And the proof of that continues. Everybody was pulling for Jimmy to reach his 100^th birthday on October 1. And he did it! Although Jimmy had been in home hospice care since February of last year, birthday greetings came from every direction, with a star-studded bash in Atlanta and a parade in Plains in his honor.

But Jimmy had an even bigger goal than going down in history as the only president to reach 100. He wanted to vote for Vice President Kamala Harris for President in the November 5, 2024 election. And he did it! He sent his early ballot on October 16, with the guarantee that his vote would count even if he died before November 5.

Jimmy died December 29.

It was fitting, I think, that Kamala presented the eulogy at the service held in the Capitol Rotunda on January 8, 2025. Here are a few of her words:

We have heard much today and in recent days about President Carter’s impact in the four decades after he left the White House. Rightly so. Jimmy Carter established a new model for what it means to be a former president and leaves an extraordinary post-presidential legacy, from founding the Carter Center, which has helped advance global human rights and alleviate human suffering, to his public health work in Latin America and Africa, to his tireless advocacy for peace and democracy.

Throughout his life and career, Jimmy Carter retained a fundamental decency and humility. James Earl Carter Jr loved our country. He lived his faith, he served the people, and he left the world better than he found it. And in the end, Jimmy Carter’s works speak for him, louder than any tribute we can offer. May his life be a lesson for the ages and a beacon for the future.

January 9, 2025

Another packed service was held at the National Cathedral in DC at 10 AM on January 9. President Joe Biden delivered the eulogy there; former presidents Bill Clinton, George Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump were on row two; former vice presidents Al Gore and Mike Pence behind them. Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush, Melania Trump were there too; somber dark suits on a day to leave political differences behind for a bit.

Burial took place in Plains, Georgia in the late afternoon. Yes, he is buried beside Rosalynn, by a willow tree in the yard of the only home they ever owned.

Just as the motorcade arrived at the residence, the US Navy conducted a “Missing Man Formation” flyover, which means a single aircraft breaks away from the formation and soars skyward, symbolizing the departure of a life from the ranks.

“Today, Naval Aviators from Strike Fighter Wing Atlantic were honored to salute President Carter with a 21-plane flyover over his home in Plains, Georgia,” said Rear Adm. Doug Verissimo, commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic. “On behalf of the men and women of Naval Air Forces, we are grateful to commemorate the legacy of a leader who lived his life in service to our nation.”

And He Did It!

Wrapping it up, I chose a photo of Jimmy exiting a polling site in October 2005 in Monrovia, Liberia. Jimmy was 81 at the time, and he was out there monitoring an election. It’s just one of those things he did! He and Rosalyn founded the Carter Center in 1982; monitoring elections around the world to promote fair and free voting was just one thing on their agenda.

Read more about the Carter’s work; visit these sites. The Jimmy Carter Library and Museum was opened in 1986. The following year, buildings connected to Carter’s life were granted status as National Historic Sites and in 2021 were collectively renamed the Jimmy Carter National Historic Park.

Jimmy Carter Library https://www.jimmycarterlibrary.gov/

Carter National Historic Site https://www.nps.gov/jica/index.htm

I picked out a few more of his “awards and honors” too:

• Carterpuri, a village in Haryana, India, was renamed in his honor after he visited in 1978.
• In 1998, the U.S. Navy named the third and final Seawolf-class submarine USS Jimmy Carter, honoring Carter and his service as a submarine officer.
• Carter received the United Nations Prize in the Field of Human Rights, given in honor of human rights achievements, and the Hoover Medal, recognizing engineers who have contributed to global causes.
• Carter received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 “for his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.”

And look at this one:

• In November 2024, Carter received his 10th nomination for the Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for audio recordings of his books. He has won three times—for Our Endangered Values: America’s Moral Crisis (2007), A Full Life: Reflections at 90 (2016), and Faith: A Journey For All (2018).

The man just never quit.