Last time, we examined several ways in which we American citizens have been educated about the workings of our government, in large part because of the words and actions of the twice-impeached, four-times-indicted former President, Donald Trump. We looked at three Constitutional Amendments (1, 14 and 25), laws versus norms, pardoning, the importance of the […]
Donald Trump
Civics Lessons from the Era of Trump: Part I
If we feel sometimes like we’ve gone to law school over the past eight years, it’s understandable. For many of us who have been paying attention, we have learned more than we ever wanted or expected to know about our Constitution and legal system. This is not an entirely bad thing; we citizens should definitely […]
An Excellent Application of the 14th Amendment
“No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of […]
Undaunted Courage in the Face of Disparagement and Racism: Five Examples
In our divided, contentious and often violent country, many of us yearn for examples of courage and resilience. We can feel surrounded – not only by social media and news feeds but even in our own neighborhoods – by demoralizing examples of vengeance, fear-mongering, lawlessness, and cruelty. The most egregious, visible, powerful and omnipresent source, […]
Where Are We with Abolishing the Electoral College?
After the 2016 presidential election, when candidate Hillary Clinton won the popular vote but Donald Trump became President because of the Electoral College (EC), the issue of the EC was thrust again into the forefront. Recent polls show that 63-65 percent of American adults want the EC abolished. As we have noted before, no other […]
Index to the Seventh Year
Thank you for your interest in these blog posts! Here is a listing by topic for posts since October 2021. (Some topics overlap.) Social and Racial Justice, Diversity Honoring the Wampanoags Today and Moving Toward a More Perfect Union, November 26, 2021 Suggested Readings for Black History Month: The Self-Education of White Americans, February […]
Let Us Count the Ways: Reasons to Support Democrats in November
Every national election is important, but the 2022 midterm elections may be among the most consequential in our nation’s history. As President Joe Biden stated in a prime-time address on September 1, the “extreme ideology” of Donald Trump and his adherents “threatens the very foundation of our republic.” Democrats in general often do not seem […]
Going After Trump Legally: Arguments for Taking the Risk
In an article for US News and World Report written a few days prior to the stunning testimony of former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson before the January 6th Committee, writer Susan Milligan examined the pros and cons of the Department of Justice charging former President Donald Trump with a crime (or several). It is […]
Current Poll Numbers in Close Senate Midterm Races
Earlier we discussed Democratic Senate candidates for some of the close contests in the 2022 midterm primaries and November election. Here we will revisit those candidates vis-à-vis current polling and fundraising. Pundits routinely predict that Democrats will lose both the House and Senate: some of us hope they are dead wrong in their predictions. If […]
Holding Accountable Lawyers Who Promote the Big Lie
In troubled times like ours, it is helpful to grasp onto as much positive and optimistic news as possible. For those of us who are appalled by the Big Lie of the disgraced, twice-impeached former President Donald Trump – that the 2020 election was fraudulent and that Trump actually beat Joe Biden for the presidency […]