Here’s a quick summary of the things that Biden has accomplished (with a little help from Democrats in Congress) in his first two-and-a-half years in office...
Thank you Thom for this eye opening list of accomplishments by President Biden and our fellow Democrats. Even though I pay attention to current events and follow legislation progress, I really didn’t have a full appreciation until your article. I fully expect tonight’s Republican debate will be a Biden bashing fest with statements about something something “socialism”, wokism, blah blah blah. The right has no plan for this nation other than cruel and divisive policies. They are a regressive and repressive mess of old and dead ideas that drag down the poor and middle class. It’s sad and scary that the Republican cult can’t leave their destructive ideology.
You just earned yourself a paid subscription! Hell must have frozen over. for the first time, I have read an article written by someone who is Not pro-Trump/MAGA who has not focused on Trump/MAGA!
Yes I want to keep tabs on the indictments, but I think it's important that Biden's accomplishments are seen by voters. Memes are awesome, hope you can post a few over time, a couple a month, until about Tuesday, November 5, 2024
"He’s restored independence to the Department of Justice...."
I agree.
Given some of the most vicious continued attacks on many aspects of the rule of law, the enormous importance of garland / smiths work, and the near-complete failure of mainstream media to adequately inform about legal developments, the above is an understatement. In the background we must keep in mind that whatever political, governmental and foreign policy progress is being attempted or made, success or failure depends upon the rule of law as it always has in this country.
"(T) he due administration of Justice is the firmest pillar of good government...
Hence the selection of the fittest characters to expound the laws, and dispense Justice, has been an invariable object of my anxious concern...."
- George Washington letter to Edmund Randolph sept 28, 1789
I sgree about Smith, disagree ab out Garland, given his track record of being a moderator for the Federalist Society, and vetted to Obama by the, then, most extreme right winger in the Senate: Orrin Hatch R-UT, and his failure to even investigate Trump and the J6 insurrectionists until embarrassed by the j6 Committee, and his peers. He still hasn't appointed, nor willhe, a special counsel to investigate and indict the treasonous scum in Congress, nor has he even considered indicting Matt Gaetz, who violated the Mann Act, at least.
I have to agree that Merrick Garland has been about the biggest disappointment in appointed individuals at this time in this administration.
But i also have to say that the Biden presidency has been responsible for anything positive thats changed in this country. And. Face it. This has got to be one of the toughest times for Democrats. Maga has tried to overrun any positive change with their lying charges against Biden.
He’s managed in spite of these inept republicans who would , given the chance investigate the number s on their watches.
They cant stand to know that the efforts they made on behalf of the Donald have not only failed but ended up with serious charges against their would be King.
The Media is fascinated with the blatant lunacy of trumps attacks on America, the Justice System, the real president, the prosecutors, the Democrats, the mail , elections personnel
And they embellish over and over again his crazed attacks. On anyone that is not his new best friend and doesn’t support his ramblings .
Biden has received very little coverage of his presidential accomplishments .
Trump is a terrorist . As are his supporters.
All because his lies didn’t
work except for the people who insisted on being lied to.
Trump is threatening people with violence if we continue to ignore his unhinged lies.
The Congress is being run by his accomplices in the attempted coup
Of Jan 6 2021.
They are doing none of the work they need to do .
Just spreading the lies that they are told to .
And yes many of them should be prosecuted for their roles in Trumps attempted coup .
I agree with everything you say, but would hesiate on showering Biden with praise.
There was a very short period when the Democrats controlled both houses, and they took advantage of that to pass a Protect Marriage Act, that federally recognized gay marriage. Well done.
However they had that same interregnum to pass a bill that would federalize women's health rights, but did nothing.
The only reason that I can think of is that women's health care had not become universally respected as a right, whereas the fascists gave up on gay marriage, and thus the elected Representatives were deathly afraid if they legalized women's health, they would anger enough of the citizens that they wouldn't be re elected.
...tho i am turning blue and my finger nails are clubbing to 90 degrees fm
lack of O2: i continue to await the bust of the Madam of Memos of 1/5
& 1/6 (specifically)...AIDING AND ABETTING furiously...g thomas shd go the infamous path w/ gaetz, tuberville, mtg, & the rest of the enemies of the state... elected and
appointed.... I will breathe after c. thomas is fired .
"After centuries of police violence against Black people and other minorities, Biden signed a landmark executive order on safe, effective, and accountable policing that mandated federal reforms such as banning chokeholds, restricting no-knock entries, creating a national police accountability database, and restricting the transfer of military equipment to local police departments."
Sorry Mr. Hartmann, it just ain't so. In fact, police murders of Black People in the United States have increased during the Biden administration as have overall incidences of police misconduct.
President Joe Biden sat with family members of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor in the White House and signed an executive order he called the “most significant police reform in decades.”One of the more notable promises in the order was setting up a “National Law Enforcement Accountability Database,” that would collect detailed information about officers who committed misconduct. The deadline to launch it was Jan. 20, the same day that five Memphis police officers were fired for the beating death of Tyre Nichols — a killing that has once more ignited national debate about policing. The Department of Justice has yet to announce the database, and refuses to respond to multiple requests for comment on its status. Deadlines for other initiatives in Biden’s order, like new standards for credentialing police departments, appear to have also come and gone without acknowledgement or public results.
The administration had a very low bar to clear Biden’s promise of “significant police reform” at the federal level, as congressional gridlock has stymied every legislative proposal in recent years. That’s largely why a number of prominent civil rights groups hailed Biden’s executive order as a positive first step, while also complaining that it didn’t go far enough. (Other groups, like the Movement for Black Lives, were more critical, arguing the order represented “minor reforms that tinker on the edges of a racist system.”)
The problem with executive orders and laws, is that sheriffs and cops are a law unto themselves, they don't keep the stats that, that the law requires, they don't share them either, and they instantly cover up all of the crimes and murders of their departments.
There is a large looming threat in the form of Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association, just as bad if not worse then Oath Keepers and not much is heard of them in the corporate media, but their charter says that Sheriffs are the ultimate arbiter of what is constitutional
Seattle is a very progressive city, but it's City council and police department are another thing.
There were serious abuses and murder by cops, and not even the mayor, a lesbian, and the Chief of police (a black woman) could stop or even discipline the cops, because of the power of the police union, and that is a problem everywhere. They were forced into resigning by the cop union. For good reason, because cops, like they did in NY in the 1970's, will commit crimes to prove that they are needed and to threaten people because they will follow and troll them, arrest them on pretenses and even abuse or kill them, and that includes public officials.
Police unions or benefit or brotherhood societies every where need to be disbanded, after all he armed forces are not permitted to unionize, and cops and sheriffs are paramilitary armed forces.
Progress? For whom? With all due respect, I find the statement, and premise, grossly paternalistic and, apparently, so did Martin Luther King (whom you all claim you loved so much...now that he is dead).
Letter from Birmingham Jail
By Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., 16 April 1963
"First, I must confess that over the last few years I have been gravely disappointed with the white moderate. I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro's great stumbling block in the stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen's Council-er or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate who is more devoted to "order" than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says "I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I can't agree with your methods of direct action;" who paternalistically feels he can set the timetable for another man's freedom; who lives by the myth of time and who constantly advises the Negro to wait until a "more convenient season."
Shallow understanding from people of goodwill is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection."
You are right. Progress is not at all fast enough. I wanted to show you what the DOJ is doing in Louisville, how it is being monitored by the DOJ for improvement in our officers. They are still below what is expected of them. The video also seemed to verify that it is costly, yes it is very costly, it cost Breana Taylor her life, in her home, in her bedroom. Louisville needs to be more aggressive with their expectations. Those that leave, perhaps should reconsider their attitude, but will more than likely move on to another place to apply for a similar position on another police force.
I have formal law enforcement training. Law enforcement in the United States evolved from "slave patrols." The cars are euphemistically called "black and whites." The targets that a recruit fires on while with the rangemaster are a black, humanoid, silhouette on a white background. All of the "mock calls" that a recruit receives are overwhelmingly "black male" as a suspect; and this proves to be true in the field as well.
You appear bright enough to be familiar with subliminal cueing.
I thank you for such considerate, and lucid, commentary. I also appreciate your mentioning of "my child" Breonna Taylor and thought you would find an article that I wrote three years ago as a columnist for Black Agenda Report enlightening.
That is a powerful piece. $500 and 400 hours. there are no words I can say in here.
I know very few of the names, but I remember lots of the killings. I see it this way, tell me if I'm wrong. I think, even if Breonna Taylor had a closet full of drugs, she should still be alive today. I think the little boy who had a toy gun and was shot upon arrival at the scene, should still be alive today even if he had a loaded firearm, I think the man sitting in his car , waiting for his kid to come out of school should still be alive today even if he had stolen the car he had accidentlally got into. (white guy) I mean, shouldn't they all still be alive, to be heard in a court of law? or simply be sent home to their family if they're just a kid playing around with a toy?
Of course, they are training officers to shoot black individuals on sight. Not only is that no thought needed, it is a reflex, shoot black men and women. I That's horrific. I was unaware of this.
You may already be aware of this, the first night of protests after the killing of Breana Taylor was peaceful. People walking down the street until they came to a roadblock that forced everyone down a side street where people were fired on with rubber bullets. It was an ambush. The bruising is horrible, pepper spraying as well.
Thank you for the link, I look forward to reading what you've written.
There you go again, looking for offense, spitting in the faces of people who are sympathetic, as if your cause was the only cause, your myopia is alienating allies, and has the same effect as Trump in dividing the country, but your complex is dividing allies. Great job, you evidently think it is more important to vent your hatred and spleen than fostering allies.
People should not have to foster allies when it comes to racism, or any ism for that matter. If we do not speak up we are part of the problem. It is completely understandable that people feel defensive, especially since Trump has encourage so much hatred towards anyone who is not orange and white.
Mr. or Ms. Grey: despite whatever trolls, idiots, dolts, dullards, madmen, cretins, developmentally challenged, the lonely and the, truly, stupid amongst us notwithstanding, I thought you might appreciate a sanity check.
Just looked at the link, the numbers are consistentaly high and getting higher. I wonder if the use of body cam has made any impact on the number of deaths. Tazer deaths, those people can talk, and they are being ignored like George Floyd.
You prove my point. You are so eat up with anger, and angst that you seem to be hell bent on alienating everyone, that doesn't fall on their knees and kiss your arse.
What a litany of attempted insults, you sure do have a problem, you do need help.
I doubt anyone reading The Hartman Report is blind to abuses the right are inflicting on all those you mention. I am a Woman, and have been a Teacher my entire working career. I have first hand experience with the inequities Women suffer both in the workforce financially, and Medically due to lack of research aimed at the needs of women. and in case you are concerned about Agism, Me too Brother!
It is not a matter of speaking up, but of antagonizing. Agreed on Trump, and the racist, misogynist, homo and transphobic right. They have been with us since before the founding.
And the plutocrats have used differences, very effectively to divide and conquer and people like Kenyatta below are doing their job for them, free of charge.
Anyone who encounters a person who feels strongly and speaks forcefully about an issue has two options. I can respond in a fearful way, and defend myself with an attack, or I can explain myself. Rohn Kenyatta is a reasonable man.
Converting Trump supporters to rational thinkers has been a major problem. I have found using reverse psychology helps in some cases. The trumpsters hate the left because they have been brainwashed or hypnotized or both. If you talk to one, wish them well and tell them that they deserve a dictatorship. That takes their focus from getting back at the libs off and on to themselves. Quite frankly, anyone who supports a dictatorship deserves a dictatorship.
If only Biden would use his bully pulpit to explain to the GOP base, what a dictatorship is and can and will do about a thousand times like Trump does in order to get through and hypnotize them. I can't see why Biden is not doing that now, or why he never prosecuted with the help of Garland of course the GOP big shots two and a half years ago and let the GOP win the Congress and keep the supreme Court. I will vote for Biden, but he isn't fighting very hard for democracy. I expect Trump to pardon himself, if he is not incarcerated. How long will it take for a state like Georgia to lock him up? Or even the federal government starting at this late date?
I thing that Biden, has looked at the backlash Hillary encountered when she called Trump humpers a basket of deplorable's, what she should have done is what the fascists do is double down, nay triple down. Take a page from their playbook, never back down, never surrender for that is a sign of weakness. Biden should follow their playbook, because it has served them well, they dominate the news, take all oxygen out of the room, because they feed the corporate media its life juice, controversy. Without controversy the media wouldn't exist, except to print recipes and gardening tips.
Didn't both Biden and Clinton win the Popular vote? I think the People are smart enough to know who to vote for, the more reasonable man, without the media.
Let's say Biden does double down, triple down, act like an ass to get air-time. Not everyone stays on top of the news, those people will see two jackasses. Biden has to distinguish himself from Trump. No one wants to send their kid to die in a War Trump starts, Biden has shown restraint in that regard with the Ukraine. He himself went, but he has not sent your sons, or your grandsons to die. I think we all know that Trump would have loved the attention. A War would give him the backdrop for saluting when he should not be. The way to avoid backing down, is for Biden to Not put his foot in his mouth in the first place. I think he's good at that, and the one time he did do it, I think it was a planned slip to let people know that he was just as angry with Putin as we all are.
You make a good point, what I mean by doubling down, is not to act like a wuss, be pushed into a quarter and back tracking, to his credit I have seen him starting to do exactly that, now only if he gave up that ameliorating bipartisan b.s. that he learned from his racist Dixiecrat mentors like Eastman and Thurmond.
As regards war and Biden, I can't help but notice that he refused to give F-16's to Ukraine, until the Netherlands and Sweden offered to give theirs to Ukraine, and then he put a Catch 22, into the deal by not training pilots until F-16's arrived. Greece and other countries are doing an end run, by training the pilots.
As regards Ukraine, Putin has given every tin pot dictator with a nuclear weapon the tool to cower Biden and the west, wave your nuclear phallus in their face, and watch them fall to their knees and tremble, as they submit.
So why not give up on the sturm und drang, and just surrender right now.
Forget abut MAD, forget about the fact that nukes and their delivery vehicles require constant maintenance, even rare, not found in nature, material, over look the fact that Soviet (yes that is what it still is, the councils (soviets) have been replaced by oligarchs, and their military henchmen have been siphoning off funds meant for mainenance and repair to pad their own pockets, instead of maintaining their weapons.
ugh, my battery went dead and I lost a lengthy reply, complete with links. oh well, here's the short version. Your post is really interesting. 1 the Catch 22 on the F16s, I believe was a smart move. I suspect he wanted those Countries to commit , in kind, and stand up to Putin in a way that showed Putin we can all come together if we have to.
Having to back-track your way out of a corner in a negotiation Is Not Good. I imagine once he realized he was negotiating with children, he figured he had to step up his game and teach them that some things are not negotiable. As for the bipartisan efforts, maybe he's hoping they'll look the word up in a dictionary eventually.
What did you think of the Camp David, stand alone meetings with ROK, Japan, and the US?
Nice thought, but those countries were already standing with Ukraine, sending them ammo and equipment
The fact is that when Zelensky asked for F-16's and long range artillery (rockets), Putin waved his nuclear phallus and Biden backed down. Now Kim Jong Un is in the game, discovering that threatening with his nuclear phallus is enough for America to capitulate. and I doubt that their nukes are even operable anymore.
And there are components of bombs and missiles that degrade and require maintenance and replacement.
If we have a problem, Putin has a bigger one, for it is well known that the leadership of the Russian Armed Forces are corrupt and have been using funds to finance their lavish life style, and of course there's the oligarchs, especially the ones that own the military industrial complex and heavy industry.
Russia, almost overnight, went from the state controlling the economic life, to Yeltsin selling the industry's to men that had KGB connections, who then became oligarchs.
I didn't think anyone was suppling planes at that point.
I wonder if Putin is the only one who has with a problem with the oligarchs. I saw a piece about the high rise condos in Florida, housing wives of oligarchs, who are giving birth to their children who, will be US citizens. The report made it sound like a long term investment.
It's telling to see the sheer volume of legislation intended to help the everyday American citizen as compared to Trump's sole legislative accomplishment - a tax cut for the wealthy. The public sees this clearly, and it'll be reflected in the ballot box results. While I laud Biden's administration for lowering drug prices via the Inflation Reduction Act, I'm also seeing that big Pharma isn't happy that their profit levels have been reduced - now we'll all have to contend with their attempts to raise profit levels by restoring their artificial plandemic fearmongering; prepare for another long season of being controlled and told what to do and wear.
I believe, upon reading his post, that’s exactly what he’s saying. Although I do not believe we’re heading for anything as drastic as making masks an issue, I think MAGA thinks they’re going to beat that dead horse.
I like to check up on what the traitors are up to from time to time. I’ve seen the masks come up more often than usual, so evidently it’s on the to do list to bring up the past like a salmonella sandwich 🤮.
Other than that, MAGA has nothing other than delusional lunatics running around in their tin foil hats, screaming “OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!” Like the Queen of Hearts in Alice in Wonderland.
Thank you for the great positives of Biden, etc. all in one place! We all can use it to campaign for him next year.
Now, if he could just order the Interior department to STOP terrorizing, maiming and killing our wild
horses (I'm a horse person, geologist, organic farmer) I'd praise him big time. This horrible practice is done to replace them with double the numbers of livestock on public lands when there are just a few thousand horses and at the same time millions of livestock and energy installations doing exponentially more damage to our public lands.
As the MAJORITY of this nation has become a bit more enlightened, the minority was ripe for the picking by the cult of Trump. The GOP lost the culture war they had been waging with the religious far-right, the first parasite they invited in, so they gladly supported getting another. It does beg the question, is there anything left of this conservative party or their decency.
They had their chance to cleanse their future of Trump during that second impeachment and indeed a small portion of them tried. Major fail! Now it's time for the MAGA movement to finish their feast.
Good Report, Thom. Curious how so much of what is said in the comments eventually devolves into blaming the Democrats for the ACTIONS of the Republicans. That's bullshit!
When President Obama put Joe Biden on the ticket, it was apparent that he thought about what would be best for the USA if he did not make it through all 8 years. The crazies are always out there, and there were likely twice as many threats for the first successful black President.
That happened again when the other candidates stepped aside and essentially anointed Biden as the candidate. It was about having someone to simply heal the nation in all the broken places after Trump and to get us past the pandemic. Experience. Wisdom. EMPATHY! He had it all, and he used every bit of it the last two and a half years.
You mentioned restoration, and the first thing President Biden restored was the cabinet and the advisors. He allied himself with Bernie and other progressives. That is exactly how he got all that you mentioned done while trying to undo the mess he was left. He gave us good people doing good things.
The Republican assholes can try to lie and hate their way into the Oval Office, but not one of them will EVER be able to fill Biden's shoes. Worst of all, if elected, any Republican or Trump will bring along their crummy ideological cronies who also don't know or care about the American people and our future. Let's go Dark Brandon!!!
Too bad the gubmint can't self-promote and shit-talk.
Not really, but it would be sane of us all to acknowledge the stark disparity between individuals/ corporations mouthing off all day everyday everywhere all the time - and our government (we) which is bound by rules and norms to sit with sewn lips.
As if you didn’t know, that the antonym of woke is brain dead –zombie
There was a TV series with Mary Elizabeth Winstead, called Braindead.
Some alien antlike creatures invaded the ear, and the first victim was a very Lindsey Graham Senator.
It invaded more and the senators invaded became very much like Trump Humpers.
The first showing was in 2016, meaning it was in production before Trump was elected.
But it seems to be more than science fiction, because it accurately depicts the Trump humping world.
As regards Biden’s support for Ukraine, all I cansay it has been tepid, He demurred and drug his heels on providing F-16’s, until embarrassed by NATO and though he approved training of F-16 pilots he conditioned training on Ukraine having F-16’s, a Catch 22. Until Denmark said it will give Ukraine F-16’s, and in a glorious end run, Greece will be training the pilots.
Biden seems to be weak kneed when it comes to Putin, all his to do is wave his nuclear phallus in the face of the west, or at least, America and America drops a load in it’s pants. And now Kim Jong Un has learned from Putin, he is now threatening nuclear war.
A country no longer has to equip and transport an army to take over democracies, all they have to do is wave the nuclear phallus, and democracies fall to their knees and fellate.
But not all, it seems that some NATO countries have the stones that America and Biden do not have.
The Republicans really have nothing to debate about if evidenced-based achievements are taken into account, which won't happen because the real issues we face as a nation won't even be on the agenda. We don't need another phony debate; it would better to just stick a needle in your eye and scream. What we need at this perilous watershed moment in history is an eco-socialist revolution and a new government to replace the corrupt duopoly that now inhabits the Swamp. Biden is responsible for many progressive changes, but in light of the looming climate crisis, being progressive isn't strong enough medicine. It's too late for the old liberal consensus idea of incremental change when we have fascist terrorists running the House of Representatives and dominating the Supreme Court. A Las Barricadas!
Biden is not progressive, he is a right of center ameliorator, a neo liberal, because that is the only kind that the DNC recognizes or supports, because like all politicians they are dependent on the plutocrats for money, and we have the best government money can buy. The same fascists also dump hundreds of millions, as an investment, into Republican PAC's, Rhonda Santis has been a huge beneficiary of their political spending.
I agree, but he has implemented a few progressive changes, albeit serving as mere window dressing. Paul Street calls him Joe-nothing-will-fundamentally-change-Biden. He's right. The duopoly as now assembled is nothing but a self-perpetuating plutocratic tumor on the body politic.
Indeed this debate will have criticism of Biden, some of it true, some of it exaggerated, and none of it authentically directed towards fixing the problems at hand. That being said, at least the Republicans are having a debate and a primary. At least they are embracing the illusion of democracy and choice, while Democrats appoint a judgment-addled right-center Republican to a second term with no discussion or critical thinking allowed. Truthtellers like Dr Cornel West are not welcome because they expose Biden for who he really is and prove all the accomplishments you listed to largely be campaign fodder. I look for accountability for not only Trump, but for all the war criminals and liars (Biden and Obama included) for I refuse to make excuses for them. I do not need to adopt the shame and guilt of their treachery by covering up for them just because I am afraid of Trump. Those who reject accountability always look for scapegoats to blame as that is the simplest answer. On the right-center liberal side these days that's Putin and Trump. For the right-wingers it's the "Biden crime syndicate" and "wokeism." Both sides are wrong and neither has the courage to fix it lest they risk losing an election. I will watch tonight even though I know what I'm going to hear, but it will be better than the crickets coming from those right-center liberals on their crusade to save democracy all the while suppressing it.
If Dr Cornell West was running in the Democratic primary I would vote for him. Fascist socialism is better than fascist capitalism, for all races. A vote for Cornel West is a vote for a GOP dictatorship at this point. With a little luck the old gang who are over age 70 will retire or have a stroke, all of them except Bernie. We need to buy time
Just four more years might do it? The greatest generation ever is doing a very lousy job at this point in time in both parties.
I agree with you, but for one problem. Giving the systemic and structural racism in this country, Cornell West as candidate, would result in people either sitting out, or flipping to Republican.
You have more patience than I, as I have no intention of attending the circus . I've seen enough of the clown show.
I actually agree with you, with one caveat, a vote for anyone other than Biden is a vote for Trump, there is no doubt that he will be the Republican candidate, not that any of the other Republicans are better, they are all right wing culture warriors and the enemy of anyone who is not white, male, Christian, cis or heteronormative.
Thank you Thom for this eye opening list of accomplishments by President Biden and our fellow Democrats. Even though I pay attention to current events and follow legislation progress, I really didn’t have a full appreciation until your article. I fully expect tonight’s Republican debate will be a Biden bashing fest with statements about something something “socialism”, wokism, blah blah blah. The right has no plan for this nation other than cruel and divisive policies. They are a regressive and repressive mess of old and dead ideas that drag down the poor and middle class. It’s sad and scary that the Republican cult can’t leave their destructive ideology.
You just earned yourself a paid subscription! Hell must have frozen over. for the first time, I have read an article written by someone who is Not pro-Trump/MAGA who has not focused on Trump/MAGA!
Yes I want to keep tabs on the indictments, but I think it's important that Biden's accomplishments are seen by voters. Memes are awesome, hope you can post a few over time, a couple a month, until about Tuesday, November 5, 2024
"He’s restored independence to the Department of Justice...."
I agree.
Given some of the most vicious continued attacks on many aspects of the rule of law, the enormous importance of garland / smiths work, and the near-complete failure of mainstream media to adequately inform about legal developments, the above is an understatement. In the background we must keep in mind that whatever political, governmental and foreign policy progress is being attempted or made, success or failure depends upon the rule of law as it always has in this country.
"(T) he due administration of Justice is the firmest pillar of good government...
Hence the selection of the fittest characters to expound the laws, and dispense Justice, has been an invariable object of my anxious concern...."
- George Washington letter to Edmund Randolph sept 28, 1789
I sgree about Smith, disagree ab out Garland, given his track record of being a moderator for the Federalist Society, and vetted to Obama by the, then, most extreme right winger in the Senate: Orrin Hatch R-UT, and his failure to even investigate Trump and the J6 insurrectionists until embarrassed by the j6 Committee, and his peers. He still hasn't appointed, nor willhe, a special counsel to investigate and indict the treasonous scum in Congress, nor has he even considered indicting Matt Gaetz, who violated the Mann Act, at least.
No creds for Garland
I have to agree that Merrick Garland has been about the biggest disappointment in appointed individuals at this time in this administration.
But i also have to say that the Biden presidency has been responsible for anything positive thats changed in this country. And. Face it. This has got to be one of the toughest times for Democrats. Maga has tried to overrun any positive change with their lying charges against Biden.
He’s managed in spite of these inept republicans who would , given the chance investigate the number s on their watches.
They cant stand to know that the efforts they made on behalf of the Donald have not only failed but ended up with serious charges against their would be King.
The Media is fascinated with the blatant lunacy of trumps attacks on America, the Justice System, the real president, the prosecutors, the Democrats, the mail , elections personnel
And they embellish over and over again his crazed attacks. On anyone that is not his new best friend and doesn’t support his ramblings .
Biden has received very little coverage of his presidential accomplishments .
Trump is a terrorist . As are his supporters.
All because his lies didn’t
work except for the people who insisted on being lied to.
Trump is threatening people with violence if we continue to ignore his unhinged lies.
The Congress is being run by his accomplices in the attempted coup
Of Jan 6 2021.
They are doing none of the work they need to do .
Just spreading the lies that they are told to .
And yes many of them should be prosecuted for their roles in Trumps attempted coup .
And perhaps that is still coming.
We can only hope.
I agree with everything you say, but would hesiate on showering Biden with praise.
There was a very short period when the Democrats controlled both houses, and they took advantage of that to pass a Protect Marriage Act, that federally recognized gay marriage. Well done.
However they had that same interregnum to pass a bill that would federalize women's health rights, but did nothing.
The only reason that I can think of is that women's health care had not become universally respected as a right, whereas the fascists gave up on gay marriage, and thus the elected Representatives were deathly afraid if they legalized women's health, they would anger enough of the citizens that they wouldn't be re elected.
...tho i am turning blue and my finger nails are clubbing to 90 degrees fm
lack of O2: i continue to await the bust of the Madam of Memos of 1/5
& 1/6 (specifically)...AIDING AND ABETTING furiously...g thomas shd go the infamous path w/ gaetz, tuberville, mtg, & the rest of the enemies of the state... elected and
appointed.... I will breathe after c. thomas is fired .
Thank you. This gives me a lot of information to share and talk about.
"After centuries of police violence against Black people and other minorities, Biden signed a landmark executive order on safe, effective, and accountable policing that mandated federal reforms such as banning chokeholds, restricting no-knock entries, creating a national police accountability database, and restricting the transfer of military equipment to local police departments."
Sorry Mr. Hartmann, it just ain't so. In fact, police murders of Black People in the United States have increased during the Biden administration as have overall incidences of police misconduct.
President Joe Biden sat with family members of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor in the White House and signed an executive order he called the “most significant police reform in decades.”One of the more notable promises in the order was setting up a “National Law Enforcement Accountability Database,” that would collect detailed information about officers who committed misconduct. The deadline to launch it was Jan. 20, the same day that five Memphis police officers were fired for the beating death of Tyre Nichols — a killing that has once more ignited national debate about policing. The Department of Justice has yet to announce the database, and refuses to respond to multiple requests for comment on its status. Deadlines for other initiatives in Biden’s order, like new standards for credentialing police departments, appear to have also come and gone without acknowledgement or public results.
The administration had a very low bar to clear Biden’s promise of “significant police reform” at the federal level, as congressional gridlock has stymied every legislative proposal in recent years. That’s largely why a number of prominent civil rights groups hailed Biden’s executive order as a positive first step, while also complaining that it didn’t go far enough. (Other groups, like the Movement for Black Lives, were more critical, arguing the order represented “minor reforms that tinker on the edges of a racist system.”)
The problem with executive orders and laws, is that sheriffs and cops are a law unto themselves, they don't keep the stats that, that the law requires, they don't share them either, and they instantly cover up all of the crimes and murders of their departments.
There is a large looming threat in the form of Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association, just as bad if not worse then Oath Keepers and not much is heard of them in the corporate media, but their charter says that Sheriffs are the ultimate arbiter of what is constitutional
Seattle is a very progressive city, but it's City council and police department are another thing.
There were serious abuses and murder by cops, and not even the mayor, a lesbian, and the Chief of police (a black woman) could stop or even discipline the cops, because of the power of the police union, and that is a problem everywhere. They were forced into resigning by the cop union. For good reason, because cops, like they did in NY in the 1970's, will commit crimes to prove that they are needed and to threaten people because they will follow and troll them, arrest them on pretenses and even abuse or kill them, and that includes public officials.
Police unions or benefit or brotherhood societies every where need to be disbanded, after all he armed forces are not permitted to unionize, and cops and sheriffs are paramilitary armed forces.
I live in Louisville, KY. The Justice Department spent two years investigating the Louisville Metro Police Department. https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-finds-civil-rights-violations-louisville-metro-police-department-and
Here is an interview with members of LMPD, about being under a consent decree, and being monitored by the DOJ. https://youtu.be/n8s6-KuGvMk
Progress takes a long time, it's frustrating.
Progress? For whom? With all due respect, I find the statement, and premise, grossly paternalistic and, apparently, so did Martin Luther King (whom you all claim you loved so much...now that he is dead).
Letter from Birmingham Jail
By Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., 16 April 1963
"First, I must confess that over the last few years I have been gravely disappointed with the white moderate. I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro's great stumbling block in the stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen's Council-er or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate who is more devoted to "order" than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says "I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I can't agree with your methods of direct action;" who paternalistically feels he can set the timetable for another man's freedom; who lives by the myth of time and who constantly advises the Negro to wait until a "more convenient season."
Shallow understanding from people of goodwill is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection."
You are right. Progress is not at all fast enough. I wanted to show you what the DOJ is doing in Louisville, how it is being monitored by the DOJ for improvement in our officers. They are still below what is expected of them. The video also seemed to verify that it is costly, yes it is very costly, it cost Breana Taylor her life, in her home, in her bedroom. Louisville needs to be more aggressive with their expectations. Those that leave, perhaps should reconsider their attitude, but will more than likely move on to another place to apply for a similar position on another police force.
I have formal law enforcement training. Law enforcement in the United States evolved from "slave patrols." The cars are euphemistically called "black and whites." The targets that a recruit fires on while with the rangemaster are a black, humanoid, silhouette on a white background. All of the "mock calls" that a recruit receives are overwhelmingly "black male" as a suspect; and this proves to be true in the field as well.
You appear bright enough to be familiar with subliminal cueing.
I thank you for such considerate, and lucid, commentary. I also appreciate your mentioning of "my child" Breonna Taylor and thought you would find an article that I wrote three years ago as a columnist for Black Agenda Report enlightening.
https://blackagendareport.com/once-dead-thrice-killed
That is a powerful piece. $500 and 400 hours. there are no words I can say in here.
I know very few of the names, but I remember lots of the killings. I see it this way, tell me if I'm wrong. I think, even if Breonna Taylor had a closet full of drugs, she should still be alive today. I think the little boy who had a toy gun and was shot upon arrival at the scene, should still be alive today even if he had a loaded firearm, I think the man sitting in his car , waiting for his kid to come out of school should still be alive today even if he had stolen the car he had accidentlally got into. (white guy) I mean, shouldn't they all still be alive, to be heard in a court of law? or simply be sent home to their family if they're just a kid playing around with a toy?
" there are no words..."
Of course, they are training officers to shoot black individuals on sight. Not only is that no thought needed, it is a reflex, shoot black men and women. I That's horrific. I was unaware of this.
You may already be aware of this, the first night of protests after the killing of Breana Taylor was peaceful. People walking down the street until they came to a roadblock that forced everyone down a side street where people were fired on with rubber bullets. It was an ambush. The bruising is horrible, pepper spraying as well.
Thank you for the link, I look forward to reading what you've written.
"That's horrific. I was unaware of this."
Few are.
There you go again, looking for offense, spitting in the faces of people who are sympathetic, as if your cause was the only cause, your myopia is alienating allies, and has the same effect as Trump in dividing the country, but your complex is dividing allies. Great job, you evidently think it is more important to vent your hatred and spleen than fostering allies.
People should not have to foster allies when it comes to racism, or any ism for that matter. If we do not speak up we are part of the problem. It is completely understandable that people feel defensive, especially since Trump has encourage so much hatred towards anyone who is not orange and white.
Mr. or Ms. Grey: despite whatever trolls, idiots, dolts, dullards, madmen, cretins, developmentally challenged, the lonely and the, truly, stupid amongst us notwithstanding, I thought you might appreciate a sanity check.
Cast not thy pearls to swine.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jan/06/us-police-killings-record-number-2022
Hey, leave pigs out of this. I like pigs. They have been saving the lives of diabetics for a very long time 😊
Is it cathartic or orgasmic to vent such a stream of invective's?
Just looked at the link, the numbers are consistentaly high and getting higher. I wonder if the use of body cam has made any impact on the number of deaths. Tazer deaths, those people can talk, and they are being ignored like George Floyd.
You prove my point. You are so eat up with anger, and angst that you seem to be hell bent on alienating everyone, that doesn't fall on their knees and kiss your arse.
What a litany of attempted insults, you sure do have a problem, you do need help.
As if racism was the only sin in America. I guess your myopia blinds you to what is happening. The war against education, women, trans and gay folk.
Women's health care is targeted specifically, while a man(black or white) can get insurance to pay for viagra, and penis surgery.
I doubt anyone reading The Hartman Report is blind to abuses the right are inflicting on all those you mention. I am a Woman, and have been a Teacher my entire working career. I have first hand experience with the inequities Women suffer both in the workforce financially, and Medically due to lack of research aimed at the needs of women. and in case you are concerned about Agism, Me too Brother!
It is not a matter of speaking up, but of antagonizing. Agreed on Trump, and the racist, misogynist, homo and transphobic right. They have been with us since before the founding.
And the plutocrats have used differences, very effectively to divide and conquer and people like Kenyatta below are doing their job for them, free of charge.
Anyone who encounters a person who feels strongly and speaks forcefully about an issue has two options. I can respond in a fearful way, and defend myself with an attack, or I can explain myself. Rohn Kenyatta is a reasonable man.
I Love you❤️Thom Hartman.
Converting Trump supporters to rational thinkers has been a major problem. I have found using reverse psychology helps in some cases. The trumpsters hate the left because they have been brainwashed or hypnotized or both. If you talk to one, wish them well and tell them that they deserve a dictatorship. That takes their focus from getting back at the libs off and on to themselves. Quite frankly, anyone who supports a dictatorship deserves a dictatorship.
If only Biden would use his bully pulpit to explain to the GOP base, what a dictatorship is and can and will do about a thousand times like Trump does in order to get through and hypnotize them. I can't see why Biden is not doing that now, or why he never prosecuted with the help of Garland of course the GOP big shots two and a half years ago and let the GOP win the Congress and keep the supreme Court. I will vote for Biden, but he isn't fighting very hard for democracy. I expect Trump to pardon himself, if he is not incarcerated. How long will it take for a state like Georgia to lock him up? Or even the federal government starting at this late date?
I thing that Biden, has looked at the backlash Hillary encountered when she called Trump humpers a basket of deplorable's, what she should have done is what the fascists do is double down, nay triple down. Take a page from their playbook, never back down, never surrender for that is a sign of weakness. Biden should follow their playbook, because it has served them well, they dominate the news, take all oxygen out of the room, because they feed the corporate media its life juice, controversy. Without controversy the media wouldn't exist, except to print recipes and gardening tips.
Didn't both Biden and Clinton win the Popular vote? I think the People are smart enough to know who to vote for, the more reasonable man, without the media.
Let's say Biden does double down, triple down, act like an ass to get air-time. Not everyone stays on top of the news, those people will see two jackasses. Biden has to distinguish himself from Trump. No one wants to send their kid to die in a War Trump starts, Biden has shown restraint in that regard with the Ukraine. He himself went, but he has not sent your sons, or your grandsons to die. I think we all know that Trump would have loved the attention. A War would give him the backdrop for saluting when he should not be. The way to avoid backing down, is for Biden to Not put his foot in his mouth in the first place. I think he's good at that, and the one time he did do it, I think it was a planned slip to let people know that he was just as angry with Putin as we all are.
You make a good point, what I mean by doubling down, is not to act like a wuss, be pushed into a quarter and back tracking, to his credit I have seen him starting to do exactly that, now only if he gave up that ameliorating bipartisan b.s. that he learned from his racist Dixiecrat mentors like Eastman and Thurmond.
As regards war and Biden, I can't help but notice that he refused to give F-16's to Ukraine, until the Netherlands and Sweden offered to give theirs to Ukraine, and then he put a Catch 22, into the deal by not training pilots until F-16's arrived. Greece and other countries are doing an end run, by training the pilots.
As regards Ukraine, Putin has given every tin pot dictator with a nuclear weapon the tool to cower Biden and the west, wave your nuclear phallus in their face, and watch them fall to their knees and tremble, as they submit.
So why not give up on the sturm und drang, and just surrender right now.
Forget abut MAD, forget about the fact that nukes and their delivery vehicles require constant maintenance, even rare, not found in nature, material, over look the fact that Soviet (yes that is what it still is, the councils (soviets) have been replaced by oligarchs, and their military henchmen have been siphoning off funds meant for mainenance and repair to pad their own pockets, instead of maintaining their weapons.
ugh, my battery went dead and I lost a lengthy reply, complete with links. oh well, here's the short version. Your post is really interesting. 1 the Catch 22 on the F16s, I believe was a smart move. I suspect he wanted those Countries to commit , in kind, and stand up to Putin in a way that showed Putin we can all come together if we have to.
Having to back-track your way out of a corner in a negotiation Is Not Good. I imagine once he realized he was negotiating with children, he figured he had to step up his game and teach them that some things are not negotiable. As for the bipartisan efforts, maybe he's hoping they'll look the word up in a dictionary eventually.
What did you think of the Camp David, stand alone meetings with ROK, Japan, and the US?
Nice thought, but those countries were already standing with Ukraine, sending them ammo and equipment
The fact is that when Zelensky asked for F-16's and long range artillery (rockets), Putin waved his nuclear phallus and Biden backed down. Now Kim Jong Un is in the game, discovering that threatening with his nuclear phallus is enough for America to capitulate. and I doubt that their nukes are even operable anymore.
Here is one problem we have: We stopped making a component of a plutonium bomb https://time.com/6296743/los-alamos-lab-plutonium-pits-nuclear-weapons/
And there are components of bombs and missiles that degrade and require maintenance and replacement.
If we have a problem, Putin has a bigger one, for it is well known that the leadership of the Russian Armed Forces are corrupt and have been using funds to finance their lavish life style, and of course there's the oligarchs, especially the ones that own the military industrial complex and heavy industry.
Russia, almost overnight, went from the state controlling the economic life, to Yeltsin selling the industry's to men that had KGB connections, who then became oligarchs.
I didn't think anyone was suppling planes at that point.
I wonder if Putin is the only one who has with a problem with the oligarchs. I saw a piece about the high rise condos in Florida, housing wives of oligarchs, who are giving birth to their children who, will be US citizens. The report made it sound like a long term investment.
Have you really tried that, telling them they deserve a dictatorship?
It's telling to see the sheer volume of legislation intended to help the everyday American citizen as compared to Trump's sole legislative accomplishment - a tax cut for the wealthy. The public sees this clearly, and it'll be reflected in the ballot box results. While I laud Biden's administration for lowering drug prices via the Inflation Reduction Act, I'm also seeing that big Pharma isn't happy that their profit levels have been reduced - now we'll all have to contend with their attempts to raise profit levels by restoring their artificial plandemic fearmongering; prepare for another long season of being controlled and told what to do and wear.
Are you saying that you think the Covid 19 pandemic was a hoax?
I believe, upon reading his post, that’s exactly what he’s saying. Although I do not believe we’re heading for anything as drastic as making masks an issue, I think MAGA thinks they’re going to beat that dead horse.
I like to check up on what the traitors are up to from time to time. I’ve seen the masks come up more often than usual, so evidently it’s on the to do list to bring up the past like a salmonella sandwich 🤮.
Other than that, MAGA has nothing other than delusional lunatics running around in their tin foil hats, screaming “OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!” Like the Queen of Hearts in Alice in Wonderland.
😊
Please don’t publish Trump’s mug shot! It’s really a PR piece and amounts to free publicity of the worst kind.
If you must show it, please add the caption “The old spoiled brat, pouting.”
Thank you for the great positives of Biden, etc. all in one place! We all can use it to campaign for him next year.
Now, if he could just order the Interior department to STOP terrorizing, maiming and killing our wild
horses (I'm a horse person, geologist, organic farmer) I'd praise him big time. This horrible practice is done to replace them with double the numbers of livestock on public lands when there are just a few thousand horses and at the same time millions of livestock and energy installations doing exponentially more damage to our public lands.
As the MAJORITY of this nation has become a bit more enlightened, the minority was ripe for the picking by the cult of Trump. The GOP lost the culture war they had been waging with the religious far-right, the first parasite they invited in, so they gladly supported getting another. It does beg the question, is there anything left of this conservative party or their decency.
They had their chance to cleanse their future of Trump during that second impeachment and indeed a small portion of them tried. Major fail! Now it's time for the MAGA movement to finish their feast.
Good Report, Thom. Curious how so much of what is said in the comments eventually devolves into blaming the Democrats for the ACTIONS of the Republicans. That's bullshit!
When President Obama put Joe Biden on the ticket, it was apparent that he thought about what would be best for the USA if he did not make it through all 8 years. The crazies are always out there, and there were likely twice as many threats for the first successful black President.
That happened again when the other candidates stepped aside and essentially anointed Biden as the candidate. It was about having someone to simply heal the nation in all the broken places after Trump and to get us past the pandemic. Experience. Wisdom. EMPATHY! He had it all, and he used every bit of it the last two and a half years.
You mentioned restoration, and the first thing President Biden restored was the cabinet and the advisors. He allied himself with Bernie and other progressives. That is exactly how he got all that you mentioned done while trying to undo the mess he was left. He gave us good people doing good things.
The Republican assholes can try to lie and hate their way into the Oval Office, but not one of them will EVER be able to fill Biden's shoes. Worst of all, if elected, any Republican or Trump will bring along their crummy ideological cronies who also don't know or care about the American people and our future. Let's go Dark Brandon!!!
Too bad the gubmint can't self-promote and shit-talk.
Not really, but it would be sane of us all to acknowledge the stark disparity between individuals/ corporations mouthing off all day everyday everywhere all the time - and our government (we) which is bound by rules and norms to sit with sewn lips.
As if you didn’t know, that the antonym of woke is brain dead –zombie
There was a TV series with Mary Elizabeth Winstead, called Braindead.
Some alien antlike creatures invaded the ear, and the first victim was a very Lindsey Graham Senator.
It invaded more and the senators invaded became very much like Trump Humpers.
The first showing was in 2016, meaning it was in production before Trump was elected.
But it seems to be more than science fiction, because it accurately depicts the Trump humping world.
As regards Biden’s support for Ukraine, all I cansay it has been tepid, He demurred and drug his heels on providing F-16’s, until embarrassed by NATO and though he approved training of F-16 pilots he conditioned training on Ukraine having F-16’s, a Catch 22. Until Denmark said it will give Ukraine F-16’s, and in a glorious end run, Greece will be training the pilots.
Biden seems to be weak kneed when it comes to Putin, all his to do is wave his nuclear phallus in the face of the west, or at least, America and America drops a load in it’s pants. And now Kim Jong Un has learned from Putin, he is now threatening nuclear war.
A country no longer has to equip and transport an army to take over democracies, all they have to do is wave the nuclear phallus, and democracies fall to their knees and fellate.
But not all, it seems that some NATO countries have the stones that America and Biden do not have.
The Republicans really have nothing to debate about if evidenced-based achievements are taken into account, which won't happen because the real issues we face as a nation won't even be on the agenda. We don't need another phony debate; it would better to just stick a needle in your eye and scream. What we need at this perilous watershed moment in history is an eco-socialist revolution and a new government to replace the corrupt duopoly that now inhabits the Swamp. Biden is responsible for many progressive changes, but in light of the looming climate crisis, being progressive isn't strong enough medicine. It's too late for the old liberal consensus idea of incremental change when we have fascist terrorists running the House of Representatives and dominating the Supreme Court. A Las Barricadas!
Biden is not progressive, he is a right of center ameliorator, a neo liberal, because that is the only kind that the DNC recognizes or supports, because like all politicians they are dependent on the plutocrats for money, and we have the best government money can buy. The same fascists also dump hundreds of millions, as an investment, into Republican PAC's, Rhonda Santis has been a huge beneficiary of their political spending.
I agree, but he has implemented a few progressive changes, albeit serving as mere window dressing. Paul Street calls him Joe-nothing-will-fundamentally-change-Biden. He's right. The duopoly as now assembled is nothing but a self-perpetuating plutocratic tumor on the body politic.
Indeed this debate will have criticism of Biden, some of it true, some of it exaggerated, and none of it authentically directed towards fixing the problems at hand. That being said, at least the Republicans are having a debate and a primary. At least they are embracing the illusion of democracy and choice, while Democrats appoint a judgment-addled right-center Republican to a second term with no discussion or critical thinking allowed. Truthtellers like Dr Cornel West are not welcome because they expose Biden for who he really is and prove all the accomplishments you listed to largely be campaign fodder. I look for accountability for not only Trump, but for all the war criminals and liars (Biden and Obama included) for I refuse to make excuses for them. I do not need to adopt the shame and guilt of their treachery by covering up for them just because I am afraid of Trump. Those who reject accountability always look for scapegoats to blame as that is the simplest answer. On the right-center liberal side these days that's Putin and Trump. For the right-wingers it's the "Biden crime syndicate" and "wokeism." Both sides are wrong and neither has the courage to fix it lest they risk losing an election. I will watch tonight even though I know what I'm going to hear, but it will be better than the crickets coming from those right-center liberals on their crusade to save democracy all the while suppressing it.
If Dr Cornell West was running in the Democratic primary I would vote for him. Fascist socialism is better than fascist capitalism, for all races. A vote for Cornel West is a vote for a GOP dictatorship at this point. With a little luck the old gang who are over age 70 will retire or have a stroke, all of them except Bernie. We need to buy time
Just four more years might do it? The greatest generation ever is doing a very lousy job at this point in time in both parties.
I agree with you, but for one problem. Giving the systemic and structural racism in this country, Cornell West as candidate, would result in people either sitting out, or flipping to Republican.
Ain't right, but that's how the tea leaves read.
You have more patience than I, as I have no intention of attending the circus . I've seen enough of the clown show.
I actually agree with you, with one caveat, a vote for anyone other than Biden is a vote for Trump, there is no doubt that he will be the Republican candidate, not that any of the other Republicans are better, they are all right wing culture warriors and the enemy of anyone who is not white, male, Christian, cis or heteronormative.