The Story of Lori, Chapter 2

[ChrissyRyan]

If you go to Town Hall meetings, now often disrupted by extremists of various political affiliations, you may even be able to talk face to face with a representative instead of leaving a message with a staffer.

Unfortunately, jerks at these town halls have scared many politicians away from personally attending except via a remote feed.  Having tomatoes or mystery liquids thrown at them and having threats against them and their families have run many of them away unless there is a lot of security.

So sad. 

This nonsense has and will keep many good people out of politics.

Do call your politician.  Many promise whatever to get elected then do what they want, defying promises.  Many try to do what the voters want.  Sometimes they change their minds though for good reasons, like learning applicable and relevant facts.  One wonders if their primary goal after getting elected is to get re-elected.  Perhaps for many.  But there are many good people in these jobs.  I hope you have one.

[Lori Dee ✅]

My ballot has been cast, so now we wait to see what happens in the midterms.

🤞

[Stottie Girl]

If you go to Town Hall meetings, now often disrupted by extremists of various political affiliations, you may even be able to talk face to face with a representative instead of leaving a message with a staffer.

Unfortunately, jerks at these town halls have scared many politicians away from personally attending except via a remote feed.  Having tomatoes or mystery liquids thrown at them and having threats against them and their families have run many of them away unless there is a lot of security.

So sad. 

This nonsense has and will keep many good people out of politics.

Do call your politician.  Many promise whatever to get elected then do what they want, defying promises.  Many try to do what the voters want.  Sometimes they change their minds though for good reasons, like learning applicable and relevant facts.  One wonders if their primary goal after getting elected is to get re-elected.  Perhaps for many.  But there are many good people in these jobs.  I hope you have one.

AS I mentioned previously,our pollicicians do have to hold surgeries where they are face to face with their constituents. There are rarely protests outside their offices (I have never heard of one happening) Most of our protests usually gather in city or town centres and usually hava a London Focus.

The surgeries thing backfired one year when a politician (Davis Ames MP - a nice guy by all accounts) was stabbed to death by an Islamic State sympathiser posing as one of his constiuents. It was genuinely quite shocking.

On your midterms Lori - Surely HE is going to get his butt handed to him? The world will loose faith in average American's sanity if the Republicans aren't roundly trounced.

[KristaFairchild]

Legally it's not a two party system but the election system favors two parties.  There are local elections where a political party is not stated and in that level there are more elected official from other parties 

But I'll just offer this. 

525 seats in Congress. 522 are Democrats or Republicans. 

If we look at our 50 states there are 7,300 seats and about 21 that are are in other parties. 

Voters often see a vote for a third party candidate as a wasted vote or protest vote. Bernie was an independent for most of his career but ran for the Democratic nomination in 2016 and 2020. He did well for an independent but did not receive either nomination. 

[Stottie Girl]

It is mad that we have more representatives in government 650 vs 525

Ours break down as following for this parliment:-

Labour: 402 MPs
Conservative 116 MPs
Liberal Democrats 72 MPs
Independents 12 MPs
Reform UK 8 MPs
Scottish National Party (SNP) 7 MPs
Sinn Féin 7 MPs
Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) 5 MPs
Green Party 5 MPs
Plaid Cymru 4 MPs
Your Party 2 MPs
Social Democratic & Labour Party (SDLP) 2 MPs
Alliance Party 1 MP
Restore Britain 1 MP
Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) 1
MP Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) 1
MP Speaker of the house 1MP (not afiliated)

We then have the House of Lords which are unelected but are alfiliated with political parties.

Confusing or what!

[Lori Dee ✅]

On your midterms Lori - Surely HE is going to get his butt handed to him? The world will loose faith in average American's sanity if the Republicans aren't roundly trounced.

He is not eligible for re-election due to term limits. The pendulum is swinging the other way now, or so it appears. He is constantly accusing everyone of cheating and saying elections are rigged, even though there have been hundreds of investigations and many court cases that found no evidence. He doesn't do it because he believes it. He does it to throw all future elections into question.

https://www.susans.org/index.php?topic=250087.msg2292663#msg2292663

[Stottie Girl]

He can't be re-elected as things stand but it wouldn't be unsurprising if he tried to change that rule.

[Lori Dee ✅]

He can't be re-elected as things stand but it wouldn't be unsurprising if he tried to change that rule.

He and his minions have discussed it. The Constitution forbids it, so it would take an act of Congress to change.

However, there is one loophole that he could use. He could run for Vice President alongside JD Vance for President. If Vance won, he could then resign, which would move Trump back into the Presidency for the remainder of the term.

This is a highly unlikely scenario, though. 1) The GOP is losing popularity by leaps and bounds, 2) many candidates endorsed by Trump are losing elections, 3) he is on his way to becoming a pariah in politics. He has the lowest approval rating of any president since Kennedy.

In a discussion with Putin, he said that during times of war, he can suspend elections. Trump found that interesting. However, our Constitution has no provision to suspend elections for any reason. Each state has the authority to determine the time and manner of elections, not the federal government. So even declaring Martial Law does not suspend elections.

He could try to declare Martial Law, then impose a curfew to threaten anyone attempting to cast a ballot in person. Maybe that's why he is trying to revoke mail-in ballots? It is already illegal to intimidate voters at polling places, and some states have outlawed the presence of law enforcement as well.

We will see what happens. People around the world are increasingly disliking him, or at least distrusting him. At some point, there will be a reckoning.

[Stottie Girl]

Kennedy had low approval ratings? really? I find that surprising. What was it the people disliked about him?

People around the world do not dislike Trump they flat out hate the guy and all his minions. Not one of them is merely disliked. I've just had to delete the long tirade I just launched into there for fear of another reprimand!

He has wrecked Americas reputation across the whole world. America is no longer the leader of the free world. Nobody is looking to the Americans to lead anymore. As you can see with this Iran debacle, none of the traditional US allies have stepped up, none of them. I think that tells you what Trump's standing is in the world. I feel sorry for your next president trying to repair the damage. Let's hope it isn't Vance or Rubio as they will just pour oil onto the fire.

I know these morons in power are not representative of decent Americans and I would imagine many of those who did vote for him are a bit shocked at what he has been doing. It has been gratifying to see how ordinary Americans have behaved towards the worlds football fans at this world cup, even the police have been on a charm offensive. We love the American people for what it is worth, always have, always will.

[Lori Dee ✅]

Kennedy had low approval ratings? really? I find that surprising. What was it the people disliked about him?

Kennedy was loved. He and his brother were considered to be good, honest people. That ticked off a lot of people who would be stopped from making a lot of money through their criminal enterprises, and they conspired to have them assassinated.

After him, it went downhill fast (strictly my opinion).

Lyndon B. Johnson - there is evidence to suggest that he, Nixon, Ford, and George W. Bush were in on Kennedy's assassination and coup.

Richard Nixon - resigned to avoid conviction after impeachment.

Gerald Ford - see above. Pardoned Nixon for his crimes. Nixon's VP Agnew resigned amid bribery and tax-evasion allegations, elevating Ford to the VP position. Quid pro quo?

Jimmy Carter - Peanut farmer. Was good for Human Rights, but slashed the Defense budget so much that military promotions and pay raises were frozen. Our tanks sat useless in the motorpool for almost a year because we couldn't budget for repair parts, fuel, or training ammunition.

Ronald Reagan - a Hollywood actor, had an awful economic plan. Anyone remember the Iran-Contra scandal?

George H.W. Bush - Oil billionaire family. Reagan's Vice President during the Iran-Contra scandal.

Bill Clinton - impeached but not convicted. Numerous corruption investigations into his and Hillary's Clinton Foundation. Not to mention Hillary's corruption as Secretary of State.

George W. Bush - see above. Oil billionaire family. Also went to war in Iraq looking for WMD and never found any. Sound ->-bleeped-<- Obama[/b] - big on Human and Civil Rights. His corruption is evident, going back to his entry into politics in Illinois. Anyone remember the ACORN scandal? Michelle was their attorney. Many believe he was a Manchurian Candidate for the Clinton Foundation.

Donald Trump - Real estate billionaire. Impeached twice, but not convicted. Started a war in Iran without Congressional approval, to get uranium from them, but didn't. Went to open the Straight of Hormuz, which wasn't closed until the war. Not to mention extrajudicial killings and violations of International Law.

Joe Biden - Did so much for Human Rights, but also loads of corruption is evident in his overseas business dealings.

Each of these people did some good things for the country. Some did some exceptionally good things. But every one of them was corrupt. They exploit loopholes in the law for their own enrichment. They all pledged to serve their country and walked away so much wealthier than when they entered office. None of them went to prison for their crimes.

Serving your country should never be about the money. And yet, here we are.

[ChrissyRyan]

Gold rush on BLM land

Lone Pine, CA

Inyo Mountains

See The Guardian article, "Showdown in the Desert..."

[Lori Dee ✅]

I used to go camping at Lone Pine back when I was a kid.

California and Australia are two places that have a lot of gold. I'll look for the article.

Thanks!

[Lori Dee ✅]

From the article:

Mojave Precious Metals, a subsidiary of the Canadian gold exploration company K2 Gold, has set its sights on Conglomerate Mesa as its next venture. The company says that the area is home to a massive quantity of high-quality gold and mineral deposits zigzagging through the mountains, and has spent more than seven years trying to unearth them.

The company K2 Gold is a horrible company. In South Dakota, they filed hundreds or thousands of mining claims on land they have no intention of mining. This effectively locks out any local miners or recreational prospectors like me.

The controversy is that a Canadian company is claiming U.S. land for mineral exploration. According to the Mining Law of 1872, land can be claimed by U.S. citizens. They get around that by having citizen employees and affiliates file the claims on their behalf.

The law also says that you must "locate a mineral" (find it first) before filing the claim. I have been to many, many of their claims, read the documents posted at the claim location marker, and looked carefully at the ground. There was no, or very little indication there is gold at that location.

Several of us local prospectors filed a challenge against their claims. The company claims to have "new technology" that allows a better analysis of underground deposits. The problem here is that they are using placer claims (placers are gold on the ground) to claim lode (underground) deposits. Underground claims are restricted to the actual vein location and must be substantiated by a mineral assay report. They didn't do that. They filed a placer claim, which claims 20 acres of surface ground.

They are not the only company doing this. There is a company out of Minnesota doing the same thing, except they have no intention of mining. They stake the claims, then try to sell them. I found several of their claims staked on historic landmarks and found those claims for sale on their website. We challenged their claims, and they removed them from their website and transferred them to an "assets holding company."

Their greed makes it very difficult for local prospectors to just go out and have fun. Local prospectors take good care of the land, so that others can enjoy it too. Large mining companies don't care, scar the land, use dangerous chemicals, and rarely give anything back to the community.

[Emma1017]

US presidents have had regular scandals going back Andrew Jackson. Political greed is part of human nature. The question is whether the style of government can keep it under control.

I have hope for the midterm elections and I have confidence in the US Constitution.

[davina61]

The Devil will come and claim his prize soon!!!

[Sephirah]

The trouble is... your president is akin to a sovereign. Which is.. like you literally went to war with the UK to remove that whole thing. Hundreds of years ago. But then made your highest office basically the same thing. It's hard to find a difference. They go on state visits like royalty. You removed one king only to replace it with another. It's basically how the Roman Empire destroyed themselves.

[Lori Dee ✅]

The trouble is... your president is akin to a sovereign. Which is.. like you literally went to war with the UK to remove that whole thing. Hundreds of years ago. But then made your highest office basically the same thing. It's hard to find a difference. They go on state visits like royalty. You removed one king only to replace it with another. It's basically how the Roman Empire destroyed themselves.

Well, all heads of state do state visits to build friendships and allies.

The Founding Fathers intended to escape religious persecution and tyranny. They were very mindful of the absolute power of a sovereign. So their design was to have three equal branches of government. Each was to keep a check on the other two's power.

The Legislature can enact laws but cannot enforce them or interpret how they will be applied in any given situation. The Executive enforces laws as written by the legislature. They cannot make laws, nor determine how they will be applied. The Judicial branch determines the applicability and legality, but cannot make laws, nor enforce them.

Over many decades of government corruption, we have blurred the lines. Executive Orders have no effect of law, yet they are assumed to be just that. The courts have been rigged to favor anything the Executive branch wants, whether legal or not. The Legislature has the power to impeach, but the process is lengthy and requires a majority vote, making it nearly impossible.

I find the words of the Declaration of Independence quite inspiring and applicable today, yet there are not enough people with a spine to actually do something.

In Congress, July 4, 1776

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America:

... We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,

--That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King ... is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States.

Something has got to change.

[EllenW]

The trouble is... your president is akin to a sovereign. Which is.. like you literally went to war with the UK to remove that whole thing. Hundreds of years ago. But then made your highest office basically the same thing. It's hard to find a difference. They go on state visits like royalty. You removed one king only to replace it with another. It's basically how the Roman Empire destroyed themselves.

Unfortunately that has become somewhat true since FDR. The Supreme Court held a number of his Executive Orders unconstitutional and some even some of the laws. That stopped when he tried to "pack" the court by enlarging it to 13 members. Since then the courts have by and large given the executive branch to much difference. Especially when Congress writes a law that gave the executive branch instructions to write rules and regulations. Thereby giving the Executive branch the power that congress should be using.

Ellen

[Sephirah]

Didn't your courts decide that Trump was immune to any sort of prosecution while he was President? Which is about as shady as you can get. The guy is a grade A shyster but has done everything he can to dodge being held accountable for anything.

The constitution, as laid down, is grossly misinterpreted and misrepresented these days, in my opinion. It's people seeing what they want to see, rather than the intent it was written up with. From an outsider's perspective.

[Lori Dee ✅]

Didn't your courts decide that Trump was immune to any sort of prosecution while he was President?

It wasn't decided in court, that I know of. The Department of Justice has long had a policy against investigating a sitting President. That is because they are part of the Executive Branch, and the President is their boss. In the past, that has not been a major issue. But now, the DOJ is being used to investigate and prosecute anyone who Trump feels wronged him in the past.

That has run afoul of the courts because some courts have openly questioned their motivation. It was clearly animus and not evidence of criminal conduct. Case after case has been thrown out for various reasons. Actions have been ruled as illegal, unconstitutional, or without proper authority. And yet, no one seems to be going to prison.