Wondering on Wednesday 1/3/24

It's been a minute since I last 'officially' wondered on a Wednesday, but there's no time like a new year to jump back into the fray. 

Perhaps today, maybe even before I finish this post, part or all of Jeffrey Epstein's 'list' will be released.  The list contains names that were included but redacted in court documents. Among the folks whose names are expected? Former President Bill Clinton, Microsoft founder Bill Gates, Britain's Prince Andrew, former president Donald Trump, and one-time Trump lawyer Alan Dershowitz, if media reports are correct. 

To my knowledge, only one of those folks has suggested that he'd date his daughter, if only she weren't his daughter, and was accused of raping a thirteen-year-old child. But he's not the one who's getting the most attention here... I wonder why that is?

Also rumored to be on the list? Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, according to noted conspiracy theorist Aaron Rodgers. I'm not exactly sure where Rodgers got his information, and Kimmel has vigorously denied the accusation. When I think of Rogers and conspiracy theories, the one I've wondered about is how he managed to get hurt on the first play of his first game with the NY Jets, and still collect his full salary. 

Harvard president Claudine Gay has tendered her resignation, making her the shortest-tenured president in the school's history. She's had a tough go of it since Rep. Elise Stefanik (MAGA-NY) attacked Gay and two other female college presidents over allegations that they did not sufficiently protect Jewish students from anti-Semitism in the aftermath of the horrific Hamas terrorist attack in Israel last October. Gay is the second to resign; Penn's Liz Magill did so in December. 

Stefanik, a Harvard alum, seems an odd choice to lead the attack on this issue, given her use of 'replacement theory' rhetoric in campaign ads, and her strong support of Trump, who recently spoke of immigrants poisoning the blood of our country. Both of those themes, of course, can be tied back to Nazi Germany. I have to wonder how she ignores that connection, and then attacks others for not doing enough to protect Jews.

Speaking of ignoring things, there was lots of chatter about Ambassagov Nikki Haley (Running in 5-inch heels -SC) and her 'gaffe' at a town hall in New Hampshire, where she said that the cause of the Civil War

was basically how government was going to run. The freedoms and what people could and couldn't do. 

This was after she took a deep breath and suggested that it wasn't an easy question. But here's the thing many in the media missed, which is what I'm wondering about:  this is not the first time she's given this kind of answer. Back in 2010, when she was running for governor of the first state to secede from the Union, she said one side was fighting for tradition and the other side was fighting for change.  

Folks, that's not a gaffe - it's a mindset. And it's perfectly OK for the media to call a spade a spade, especially when a person's standing in a garden holding one by the handle.

Finally, wonder with me as I meander through some of the reasons states shouldn't be allowed to keep Donald Trump off the ballot. 

• There's the argument that, while an insurrectionist is not qualified to hold office, there's no reason why an insurrectionist can't run and win. Now, I don't know for sure why anyone would want to allow a candidate who's not eligible to serve to participate. I mean, Trump himself went to great lengths to convince Americans that Barack Obama was not eligible to be president due to him having a funny name not being a natural-born American... can you imagine Trump allowing an insurrectionist Obama to be on any ballot? 

• There's the argument that the 14th Amendment's Section 3 - the 'Disqualification Clause' - was put in because we needed to keep secessionists out of office, and it "hasn't been used since then," so why would it apply now since the Civil War has nothing to do with what's happening today?  I'm sure folks would be shocked - shocked, I say - to learn that in 2022, a New Mexico judge removed one of the state's county commissioners for participating in the January 6th attack on the US Capitol. 

• There's the argument that Trump hasn't been charged, tried, or convicted of insurrection, so you can't disqualify him. Except that the disqualification clause doesn't require charges, a trial, or a conviction. We certainly shouldn't be putting words into the mouths of the folks who wrote the Amendment, should we? And, there's the little matter of a Colorado district court judge who determined that Trump incited an insurrection on January 6th. That judge stopped short of banning Trump from the ballot, and the state's Supreme Court overturned that part of his decision. 

• Finally, there's the argument that Trump can't be held accountable because we need to prevent a civil war - what a bunch of hooey! We cannot use the threat of danger - especially when that threat has been suggested by you-know-who and his MAGA minions - to allow the Constitution to be tossed aside. And if you think I'm wrong, ask yourself what Trump would be saying right now if any of his opponents had done what he did and were trying to stay on the ballot. There's no need to wonder about that, at all - he'd be suing to block them from every ballot in the country. 

I'd forgotten how good it felt to get this stuff out of my head... what are you wondering about?

We Have to Respect Each Other

We have to respect each other, and ideally we have to love each other, the president has said recently, in the aftermath of the hatred and racism displayed in Charlottesville.

I've been trying to take his words to heart, as I'm sure he would want me to. He also said we have to rediscover the bonds of love and loyalty that bring us together as Americans.

So today, for no real reason other than to test my ability to show respect, and affection, and love, and loyalty to each other, I decided to read the comments on this article about Malia Obama entering Harvard this week. (You'll may recall she took a 'gap year' after graduation from the Sidwell Friends school last June.)

Here's an unedited sampling of what I read:

Affirmative action at work.  I wish I could go to Harvard but I'm a white conservative.

Do you think she was really brilliant enough to get into Harvard, or was it just that she was Black and the daughter of an ex-President?

I doubt she's smart enough to do well at Harvard - she'll get an honorary degree in something like Tribal Basket Weaving simply because she's the spawn of the worst President in American history. Such a brave, entitled failure she will become.

When a rich white kid gets into Harvard it's called a family connection. When a rich black kid gets in it's called Affirmative Action.

She's kinda dumb. Not Harvard material, but she is black. 

No, what I see is a black daughter of a black ex president being granted admission to one of the most prestigious colleges in the world SUPPOSEDLY on her academic records and abilities. To eliminate any question of impropriety by the admissions office by making public her academic transcripts and the transcripts of say the top 10 applicants to the college that were denied admission. You want to eliminate the questions of racial bias then put up those transcripts and make it totally transparent process that dispels any favoritism due to race or family ties. 

Anyone have her SAT scores? Yeah that's what I thought.

Harvard's standards have dropped so low they really don't count as anything anymore.

She will be just another pregnant crackhead by her junior year.

Wow. Wish I could afford to send my daughters to Harvard but we are white and only make a six figure income. :(

 Was she breakdancing all the way there?

I can remember when going to Harvard meant something, but today anybody can get in with a little political influence.

Hopefully she shaved her mustache first. Most Americans can barely keep their homes, but at least the Obamas can vacation and go to Harvard. They're more deserving I'm sure.

She already has straight A's and a PHD. Ain't being black great?

Has Malia picked her gender out yet for college?

Oh Wow??? AND THIS IS NEW HOW??? AMERICA NOTICE THAT EX-Prez BARRACK HUSSEIN obozo IS SENDING THESE GIRLS TO A VERY EXPENSIVE AND EXCLUSIVE UNIVERSITY???!!! WHILE YOURS AND MINE HAVE TO ATTEND A STATE UNIVERSITY AND GET OVERLOADED WITH CLASSES THAT THEY CAN'T GET AND LOANS THAT THEY CAN'T PAY OFF???!!! WAKE UP AMERICA!!! YOU AND I ARE PAYING FOR THAT???!!! 

No chance for a white conservative with the best grades, talents and work ethic. Only elite trash.

Now she gets to be depressed for 4 years, after she finds out just how unqualified she really is. It happens at all the Ivies to the AA charity cases. Its really kind of mean. But heck, it makes the liberals "feel good" about themselves. And after all - that is all that really matters to them.

 Another happy Affirmative Action black person at a Historically White School! I wonder what will happen to the White or Asian kid who got passed over by Affirmative Action? If her Mother & Father hate Whitey so Bad, what is their daughter going to this school ?

they go to school to be able to take provision from their high paid positions Never enough they dont raise salary because if its for all how will they satisfy their sick ego to be superior

 bullwinkle junior by another name.

and what were her qualifications to get into Harvard? Did she write black lives matter a 100X? 

This girl will be so screwed up and confused after she played the role of daughter to a homosexual man and and a tranny mom.

Ah yes. Respect, and ideally love, and affection and loyalty and baseball and apple pie, all tied up with a pretty little bow, don't you think?

The president also said that jobs will solve the problem we have with not being able to respect and love each other.

We have many companies, I say, pouring back into the country. I think that's going to have a huge, positive impact on race relations. You know why? It is jobs. What people what now, they want jobs. they want great jobs with good pay. And when they have that, you watch how race relations will be.

Please, president Trump -- I beg you -- put these people to work, so you and I can start respecting them and demonstrating our loyalty to them.

Please.