Virginia – * Failed Pols

I do not fault stupid people for making the stupid decision to elect Donald Trump in 2016.

I do fault smart people for making stupid decisions. These include:

1. Senators who voted to acquit Donald Trump in his no-witnesses-allowed impeachment trial, including primarily Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell:

* Impeachment of Donald Trump (2020-02-05)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impeachment_of_Donald_Trump#Acquittal

* Mitch McConnell (2020-02-05)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitch_McConnell#Impeachment_trial

2. Members of the GOP who voted to disenfranchise voters in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin – before, during, and AFTER the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol – including Paul Gosar (AZ-04), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Jody Hice (R–GA-10), Mo Brooks (R–AL-05), Scott Perry (R–PA-10), Josh Hawley (R–MO), and Louie Gohmert (R–TX-01).

* 2021 Storming Of The United States Capitol (2021-01-06)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_storming_of_the_United_States_Capitol

* 2020 United States Presidential Election Electoral College Count (2021-01-06 – 2021-01-07)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_United_States_presidential_election_Electoral_College_count

3. Donald Trump’s cabinet, who could have invoked the 25th Amendment to remove POTUS at any time:

* Cabinet Of Donald Trump (2017-01-21 – PRESENT)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabinet_of_Donald_Trump

4. Social media, including especially Facebook and Twitter, for allowing their social networks to be used as platforms for hate speech.

* Donald Trump On Social Media (2017-01-21 – PRESENT)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Trump_on_social_media#2021

5. Mainstream media, including especially CNN (on the left) and Fox News (on the right) for not doing their jobs – asking questions until they get answers – and allowing POTUS to lie unchecked.

* Veracity Of Statements By Donald Trump (2017-01-21 – PRESENT)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veracity_of_statements_by_Donald_Trump

6. Lawmakers at all levels, for failing to fix bad laws and for failing to enact good laws. Changes that must be made going forward include:

Limiting POTUS power:

Executive order power must be limited.
All cabinet members (acting/interim/actual) must be confirmed by Senate.
Treaties and tariffs must be the role of Congress so that POTUS cannot engage in trade wars.
War Powers Act must be updated to limit POTUS power to deploy the military.
Special Counsel Act must be updated to make clear that POTUS cannot fire special counsel.

Writing better and new laws:

Impeachment Act of 2021, to define how impeachment is conducted, including the requirement to have witnesses.
Follow the lead of The Restatements Of The Law project (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Restatements_of_the_Law) and codify major SCOTUS cases, including especially Roe v. Wade.
Fix the Census.
Fix immigration.
Fix SCOTUS processes, such as limiting appointments to 2 per POTUS with the number of SCOTUS justices fixed at the number of Federal Circuits (currently 13).
Election reform, including who is qualified to run for POTUS and that tax forms must be disclosed to do so.

Just to name a few.

Stupid people, bad laws, and lies got us into this mess.

Smart people, good laws, and the truth can get us out of this mess.

LAW >> MAN.

#FailedPols
https://www.failblog.com/

Ralph Northam, governor of Virginia, insists that he is neither person shown in a racist photo in his medical school yearbook, of a person in blackface standing next to a person in Ku Klux Clan garb. When the photo was first publicized, Northam had apologized for his appearance in the photo. After further examination, however, Ralph Northam said he is certain that he was not one of the people in the racist photo.

On Friday, February 1, Northam apologized, stating, “This behavior is not in keeping with who I am today and the values I have fought for throughout my career in the military, in medicine, and in public service.”

On Saturday, however, amid growing calls for his resignation as Governor, Northam said, “I believe now and then that I am not either of the people in this photo…This was not me in that picture. That was not Ralph Northam.”

Even if Northam was not one of the people appearing in the photo, the question remains: Why was such a blatantly racist photo on a page in his yearbook – where space was fully devoted to photos, quotes, and stats pertaining to Ralph Northam?

Additionally, Northam has admitted to making other “mistakes on race” in his past. As part of a dance contest, for example, Northam blackened his face to portray Michael Jackson.

People do stupid or ignorant things, and sometimes, when they grow as human beings, they come to realize how regrettable or offensive some of their previous actions were. That may be the case for Ralph Northam.

Unfortunately, despite Ralph Northam’s attempts to distance himself from the now viral racist photo, he won’t be able to remove the stigma it has cast on his governorship. Reversing his stance from apology to denial has only weakened the trust of his constituency.

After meeting with Northam, the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus said, “In light of his public admission and apology for his decision to appear in the photo, he has irrevocably lost the faith and trust of the people he was elected to serve… Changing his public story today now casts further doubt on his ability to regain that trust.”

Democrat lawmakers across the country, including Virginia’s two senators, are calling for Northam’s resignation.

Even Hilary Clinton weighed in, tweeting, “There is nothing to debate. He must resign.”

Virginia’s racist past makes it all the more crucial for its lawmakers not to be associated with white supremacy, racist intimidation, and racial stereotyping. Even though it was long ago, and no matter what Ralph Northam does now, he will always be linked to a racist photo.

Virginia Gov. Northam says he will not resign amid racist photo scandal |
Fox News | [2019-02-02]

Virginia governor resists calls to resign over racist yearbook photo |
CBS News [2019-02-04]

Category: Virginia

* Erik’s Editorial: The Guilty Parties Who Put American Democracy At Risk In The Name Of Donald Trump

Ralph Northam Persists Despite Racist Photo