Who will be Trump's Goldwater?

Back in 1973-74, most Republicans were staunchly defending President Nixon from impeachment or simply resignation for his Watergate crimes. Future president George H.W. Bush, then Chair of the Republican National Committee, earned enduring loyalty among Republicans from traversing the country defending Nixon to the GOP establishment. Then, in early August, 1974, Sen. Barry Goldwater, arguably the most respected Republican in Congress, publicly said this about Nixon:

"Nixon was the most dishonest individual I have ever met in my life. He lied to his wife, his family, his friends, his colleagues in the Congress, lifetime members of his own political party, the American people and the world. There are only so many lies you can take, and now there has been one too many. Nixon should get his ass out of the White House -- today!"

Goldwater, along with two Senate colleagues, held a private meeting with Nixing on August 6. The next day Nixon resigned.

When, oh when, will Republicans of Goldwater's stature step to mercifully do what only a GOP Congressional majority is capable of doing to end the plague of lying, bullying, colluding with Russia and debasing America's political culture in the 113 days of the Trump administration?

Governor's congrats to Israel omits those whose name and existence are suppressed

Governor Rauner's recent congratulations to Israel on its 69th anniversary tellingly missed the 4.4 million Palestinians subjugated in virtually every aspect of a free peoples' life in the occupied territories. Rauner omitted this oppression which is supported in all aspects of America's words and deeds. His statement that “Israel remains a beacon of democratic values in an uncertain world" surely rings hollow to those condemned to live in wretched conditions no true democracy would impose on a minority population. Rauner exacerbated his omission of Palestinian oppression by touting his administration's opposition to the Boycott Divestment Sanctions movement, a time honored non-violent means of ending horrific government oppression, such as white South African Apartheid that subjugated South African blacks. Would a Governor Rauner of the 1980's have congratulated US ally Apartheid South Africa on their anniversary? Based on this weeks congratulations, maybe he would.

Most of the world, 136 of 193 countries (71%), recognizes the State of Palestine. The US disgraces itself as a beacon of freedom with its refusal to not only recognize Palestine, but ensure Palestinians will never have a homeland to placate the ruling Likud Government wing of the Israel Lobby. Gov. Rauner simply joins every other US political leader in pandering to oppression rather than leading to achieve freedom and national identity for the marginalized.

I, too, congratulate the Israelis on their 69th anniversary...but I call on them to end their version of Apartheid and allow Palestinians an opportunity to begin the journey to their first anniversary as a free peoples

CBS lobs single softball at war criminal Rice

Every time one of the US war criminals who lied us into the Iraq war writes a new book extolling America's (and their) greatness, mainstream media invites them for a softball interview to goose book sales. One occurred yesterday on CBS Sunday Morning to promote former National Security Adviser and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's new book 'Democracy: Struggles from the Long Road to Freedom.

Host Jane Pauley allowed just 44 seconds of the eight minute interview to give Rice a chance to whitewash her criminal involvement in a war of aggression and imperialism that got millions killed, wounded or dispossessed, including hundreds of thousands of GI's. Ignoring the waste in blood and treasure, Pauley simply pondered whether the war was worth it with no WMD found and Al Qaeda newly planted in Iraq.. Rice hit Pauley's best softball out of the park with this exculpatory nonsense: "What we know today can affect what we do tomorrow...but not what we did yesterday...and so we did not know at the time of the invasion that there were no WMD." If that was used as her defense in a Nuremberg war criminal court, Rice would be exchanging her Stanford University designer suits for prison pinstripes.

That's how we get perpetual war in America: war criminals like Rice who lie as easy as breathing...and a compliant, intimidated media who let them get away with it.