Backward Reasoning

Make a blatantly false statement, then backfill to cover the lie. That whole thing about millions of non citizens voting? It just something he made up. It's a colossal waste of time and money.

Trump claimed, and continues to claim, 3 to 5 million illegal votes: 

Following the 2016 election, Trump claimed that 3 million to 5 million illegal votes caused him to lose the popular vote. That's clearly a fabrication, and efforts to prove his assertion have come up empty.

What's going on here? 

Making a statement and then hunting for facts to support it is known in psychology as confirmation bias, and when done deliberately to defend a false claim, it is a form of rationalization or backward reasoning. The administration and the Justice Department are accused of by a judge doing the same thing after banning three news outlets from the White House.

State election officials in Texas investigated registered voters who were flagged as noncitizens on their voter rolls by Trump's federal voter database before a judge blocked its use. Of the 2,724 registered voters, it referred 117 cases to the Texas attorney general's office for investigation. In mid-September, seven people in the state were charged with illegally voting in federal elections or falsely claiming citizenship. Texas has about 18 million registered voters.  (PBS News Hour)

Overall 1,600 voter fraud cases that have led to 160 arrests out of 211 million active registered voters. Charged and arrested is not the same as being convicted.

BTW, offering to pay people to vote is illegal. 

Whoever makes or offers to make an expenditure to any person, either to vote or withhold his vote, or to vote for or against any candidate; and Whoever solicits, accepts, or receives any such expenditure in consideration of his vote or the withholding of his vote—
Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both; and if the violation was willful, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both.
18 U.S. Code § 597 - Expenditures to influence voting

I get my way or you pay the price

President Donald Trump stated that the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts could be “ripped down” or permanently closed if his administration does not receive naming recognition on its main building.

Am I surprised? No. But my feelings of distrust for someone who destroys everything he comes near are reinforced. He has no reverence or respect for what has come before him. He surrounds himself with himself. The accomplishments of so many others are being cast aside to cover his insecurities. This is nothing new. He does this over and over.

Images captured through the windows of Air Force One showed President Trump reviewing a poster with the title “Kennedy Center DEMOLISHED.”

In a times article by Shawn McCreesh:

"I think that the Trump administration should certainly have recognition,” Mr. Trump told reporters in North Carolina on Wednesday, before he boarded the plane. “Because frankly, if we don’t do that, it’s going to close. It’ll end up being ripped down.”

"That is the opposite of what he promised in February, when he said, “I’m not ripping it down.”

"Of course, Mr. Trump also surprised everyone by demolishing the East Wing after he promised that the construction of the White House ballroom would not “interfere” with the building. This is a pattern of behavior that dates back to 1980, when he blew up the old Bonwit Teller building on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan so that he could raise Trump Tower. He promised to preserve the treasured limestone friezes atop the old building but destroyed them, infuriating New Yorkers."

So, what's next? A federal judge says Trump has to give 30 days notice. I think since congress adjourned until after the election, he has a window where he can give notice, then start to demolish the Center, before he is able to ask permission.

I think it is very likely he wants our attention on this controversy, and away from his policy failures.

Proverbs 6:16-19: Lists "one who sows discord among brothers" as one of the six things the Lord hates—an abomination to Him.

Jude 1:19: Describes divisive people as worldly-minded and devoid of the Holy Spirit.  

If you don't want to wait for divine retribution, vote!   
 
Photos spur speculation

Diversity is favored among Americans

"We have become not a melting pot but a beautiful mosaic. Different people, different beliefs, different yearnings, different hopes and different dreams."
- President Jimmy Carter

Did you know most people in this country are in favor of more diversity to the tune of 75 percent? The exception is extreme MAGA-ites who want to ensure white control. 

(Pew Research.and Gallup)

General Views on Diversity 

75% of U.S. adults say racial and ethnic diversity is a good thing for the United States.
62% believe racial and ethnic diversity has a positive impact on American culture.
82% of respondents in a large national study agreed with core pro-diversity statements.
82% to 85% of people think the variety of backgrounds makes the U.S. stronger. 

Workplace and Business Diversity

61% of Americans believe diverse workforces make businesses more profitable.
64% think diverse workforces make companies more innovative.
52% of workers view workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts as a good thing.

An appreciation of the value of diversity is a core value. The roots of that value go back to my childhood and my Methodist parents and grandparents. Yes, they were conservative, but they taught the value that each individual brings to the entire community.

Since diversity is at the core of who God is and who we are, then diversity is also at the heart of how we all come together in the church. The church originated from diversity. We see this reflected in the New Testament in Jesus’s disciples. Yes they were all Jewish males, but when you look closely at them you see that they were made up of different classes, politics, and economic status. Besides the disciples, the first people that Jesus reaches out to to preach the gospel are women. We read in the New Testament that after Jesus’s resurrection Jesus calls a diverse group of people to share the gospel.

Diversity is more than just race. The early church and the church of today is made up of many generations, individuals of different economic classes, different races and personalities. This mix of people coming together in fellowship is what makes up the church. Diversity is at the core of the church. And this diverse fellowship is an example of what God really looks like.

Diversity is a goal for many churches because diversity is a reflection of God, ourselves, and our fellowship together. Diversity is part of the story of our Christian faith, and it is a part of the Kingdom of God. 

God is diverse. The body of God seeks to reflect that diversity.

by Madison Myers

 

The Free Press Wins (For Now)

 

The Justice Department pulled their subpoenas against New York Times reporters.

This after a Judge chastised DOJ lawyers (Trump's legal team?) over their sloppy work. I guess, in certain cases, standards still matter.

This was in my morning newsletter from The Times.

"Under pressure from a federal judge, the Justice Department withdrew subpoenas that had sought phone records and grand jury testimony from Times journalists who reported on security issues related to Air Force One. Judge Arun Subramanian gave the government’s lawyers a stark choice — “Either we can quash the subpoenas, or you could withdraw the subpoenas” — and then proceeded to grill them for more than an hour about their zealousness, sloppiness and the request for records from one reporter’s mother and another’s spouse."

"The judge’s demeanor at times resembled that of a teacher scolding his pupils. He asked few questions of The Times’s lawyers; at one point, he even apologized to one of them."

Of course Trump isn't going to let this slide by, but we can still score one for the first amendment. The people have the right to know what it's government is doing right or wrong. 

Hurling Invectives

To Be Clear

The put down is meant to end all discussion.

I was listening to Trump's presser after the NATO summit. And even though he claimed the meetings were unifying, his words did not match his message of unity. He could hardly make it through a sentence without hurling invectives at his enemies, foreign and domestic. 

 Invective is harsh, abusive, or highly insulting language used to express vehement blame, censure, or deep-seated ill will. It goes beyond simple name-calling, often combining anger with rhetorical skill or bitter sarcasm to publicly denounce, shame, or tear down a target. -webster

According to an article in Physiology Today from 2016 by Nigel Barber, "IThe purpose of a put-down is to reduce someone else in the imaginary status hierarchy. So it is hardly surprising that insults will often refer to a person's social status in terms of ancestry, lack of prestige, or membership in a despised out-group; for example, Nazis or vagrants. Otherwise, the content of insults across the ages is monotonously predictable: Many insults feature a sexual component, refer to sexual organs, or bring up shameful or ineffectual sexual behavior. In addition to status and sexuality, insults inflict shame by mentioning unappealing traits—fatness, shortness, baldness, spottiness, and contagious diseases."

For Trump, it's not just verbal. He's using his power to make his perceived opponent suffer. From weaponizing the DOJ, to wielding economic sanctions, to demanding payment for favors, to blatant racism, misogyny, and sexism, to brute force against against citizens and foreigners alike. The government says they're going after the worst of the worst, and deporting them. And yet, 70 percent of those being detained and deported have no criminal record at all. The two most recent extrajudicial killings by ICE involved individuals who where just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Perhaps unity, and understanding and respecting differences would produce a better outcome? 

Then, a little later in the day, some answers came from some inspirational words that appeared in my daily readings. 

The simple believe everything, but the clever consider their steps.
- Proverbs 14:15

If we don't wake up / And shake up the nation / We'll eat the dust / Of the world wondering why...
- Jonathan Larson, “Louder Than Words”

And then, this prayer
God of the land, impress on us a lucidity about our times that pierces through smoke-filled grandeur.

A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.

Proverbs 18:2

I will listen. I will politely offer my view, but I cannot stand by, mute, while you deal with your insecurities with anger, hatred, and violence. The good news is, I am not alone in this endeavor. I take comfort in the meditation.

Revisit The First Amendment

Manifest Destiny

The Christian Nationalist would lead us to believe there is only one true religion, theirs, and that the United States has been chosen by God to enforce that notion.

American Christian nationalism is based on a worldview that America is superior to other countries, and that such superiority is divinely established. It posits that only Christians are "true Americans". Christian nationalism also bears overlap with the American militia movement. The 1992 Ruby Ridge standoff and the 1993 Waco siege served as a catalyst for the growth of militia activity among Christian nationalists.[95] Christian nationalists believe that the US is meant to be a Christian nation, and that it was founded as a Christian nation, and want to "take back" the US for God.[107][108] _wikipedia

Really? 

James Madison, who crafted the First Amendment, didn't believe that. He feared the consequences of one true religion, a state religion. I'll have more on that below. The problem of a state religion is exclusion. Only certain people will be included in this quest. The rest will be marginalized and persecuted.

More from Wikipedia:

Christian nationalism prioritizes an ethno-cultural, ethno-religious, and ethno-nationalist framing around fear of "the other", those being immigrants, racial, and sexual minorities. Studies have associated Christian nationalism with xenophobia, homophobia, misogyny, political tolerance of racists, opposition to interracial unions, support for gun rights, pronatalism, and restricting the civil rights of those who fail to conform to traditional ideals of whiteness, citizenship, and Protestantism.[106]: 6  The Christian nationalist belief system includes elements of patriarchy, white supremacy, nativism, and heteronormativity.[106]: 7  It has been associated with a "conquest narrative", premillennial apocalypticism, and of frequent "rhetoric of blood, specifically, of blood sacrifice to an angry God".


In “Federalist No. 10,” part of a series of essays written to support the Constitution, Madison warned about the dangers of factions and intolerance. A dominant religious group could marginalize others. A “religious sect may degenerate into a political faction,” he warned. In his view, a religious faction with political power can create a political tyranny, especially when it claims to act in God’s name.


Madison understood that religious freedom did not mean protecting one faith against others. Religious freedom is best secured in a nation that respects religious diversity in all of its variety, including the right to no religion at all. The point was not to privilege any tradition but to protect all traditions.

A broader attack on our freedoms.

This administration and the Supreme Court are silencing entire voting blocs, attempting to squash freedom of expression, legislate a national religion, and silence the press, all while claiming it is part of the original intent of the founders of this country. A quick look at what was adopted as the First Amendment makes clear none of that is true. James Madison, the author of the Constitution, proposed more descriptive First Amendment.

Madison’s proposal for what eventually became the First Amendment is broadly consistent with the final product but in some respects more descriptive:

“The civil rights of none shall be abridged on account of religious belief or worship, nor shall any national religion be established, nor shall the full and equal rights of conscience be in any manner, or on any pretext infringed.

“The people shall not be deprived or abridged of their right to speak, to write, or to publish their sentiments; and the freedom of the press, as one of the great bulwarks of liberty, shall be inviolable.

“The people shall not be restrained from peaceably assembling and consulting for their common good; nor from applying to the legislature by petitions, or remonstrances for redress of their grievances.”

Thanks to Middle Tennessee State University and the Free Speech Center for the information about James Madison.

The Supreme Court has gotten it wrong before. Plessy v Ferguson codified segregation based on separate but equal. They were separate alright, but not equal. Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857) is widely considered the worst decision in U.S. Supreme Court history because it declared that Black Americans could not be citizens and ruled that the federal government had no constitutional authority to ban slavery in the territories. This overt racism, judicial overreach, and failure to peacefully resolve the slavery crisis pushed the country directly into the Civil War. (Wikipedia) The damage done took generations to fix. 

But what's happening now can be repaired if we, like those who came before us, do not stand idly by.  

But how?

Historian and Andrew Carnegie Fellow Timothy Snyder suggests ways to defend democracy with individual actions.

1. Do not obey in advance. 
2. Defend institutions. 
3. Beware the one-party state. 
4. Take responsibility for the face of the world. 
5. Remember professional ethics. 
6. Be wary of paramilitaries. 
7. Be reflective if you must be armed. 
8. Stand out. Someone has to. 
9. Be kind to our language. 
10. Believe in truth. 
11. Investigate. 
12. Make eye contact and small talk. 
13. Practice corporeal politics. 
14. Establish a private life. 
15. Contribute to good causes. 
16. Learn from peers in other countries. 
17. Listen for dangerous words. 
18. Be calm when the unthinkable arrives. 
19. Be a patriot. 
20. Be as courageous as you can. 

Want to know more? Click here.

The Level of Corruption Is Breathtaking

I remember a conversation I had in 2016, after he won his first election. I was told Trump would grow into the job. The gravity of the responsibility of the position would mold him into true leadership. Boy, that sure was off the mark.

The slush fund is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Trump's corruption. The following is from the commentary of Brooks and Capehart on the PBS Newshour.

William Brangham:

You mentioned that this is -- some people call this weaponization fund a thug fund. My colleague Liz Landers talked to Enrique Tarrio, the leader of the Proud Boys, a white supremacist, organizer, a lead organizer of January 6, and he was thrilled by the idea of this fund.

He thinks he's owed tens of millions of dollars for what he has been through. Do you think, David, if in fact, money starts to flow to people who there is very good evidence assaulted officers or were deeply involved in January 6, that this will further that revolt?

David Brooks:

Possibly.

And it wasn't just the fund. Derek Thompson, an independent journalist, mentioned, what happened this week? Trump got out of $100 million IRS fund. He had the immunity from future tax investigations, this $1.8 billion slush fund, insider trading about $1 billion.

This was like the Coachella of political corruption all in one week. And you take a look at that, and you're like, I don't care who you are. If you have got a shred of integrity, you're like, what is going on here?

Walter Olson, who is a prominent legal analyst, said it was the biggest act of political corruption of his lifetime.

Several notable historical quotes offer different perspectives on corruption:
On Law: "The more corrupt the state, the more numerous the laws." — Tacitus

On Morality: "Corruption is worse than prostitution. The latter might endanger the morals of an individual, the former invariably endangers the morals of the entire country." — Karl Kraus

On the Poor: "Corruption is paid by the poor." — Pope Francis

Insider trading has netted Trump over $1 billion

And this is all legal because the Supreme Court ruled Trump can not be prosecuted for acts that take place while in office.