Time has quickly ticked down to Trump’s inauguration day; tick tock, tick tock, tick tock…  Oh, perhaps I should not mention tick tock because Trump is already really lathered up about that subject; TikTok, that is.  So, it might be better to avoid mentioning anything that sounds like the application.  Trump wanted to halt all things TikTok until after he was sworn into office.  Well, he is once again The Occupier of the Oval Office so all things TikTok can proceed under his auspices.  After all, all the brouhaha about TikTok is just another step down the endless path of Trump’s “it’s about me” obsession.  “it’s about me” is present in all things Trump.  And he has plenty of enablers who help him along the way and encourage him to continue down this path.  They are mesmerized by Trump so have lost their way: from the conservative supermajority Supreme Court of the United States down to all those everyday American people whom he has gaslighted and enchanted.

There is no need to take a trip down memory lane and review the past “it’s about me” Trump occasions because the world will see many of them over the next four years.  In essence, they will be no different from those of the past.  But this time it will be “it’s about me” on steroids with the once again The Donald J. Trump of the United States of America knowing how to avoid the pitfalls that hampered his progress and prevented him from achieving most of his goals during his first term.  Not only that, but he will be armed with the presidential immunity gifted him by Chief Justice John Roberts and the conservative supermajority Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS).  It is disconcerting and frightening to even contemplate how Trump will wield this power!

I considered not watching the Inauguration ceremonies because all Trump’s speeches are filled with so much bluster, hubris, and divisiveness that it is hard to listen to him speak for more than a few minutes.  It also disturbed me that the Inauguration was on the same day that we honor Dr. Martin Luther King for his contributions to America and all Americans.  However, a relentless feeling of obligation as a part of my civic duty to stay informed kept nagging at me so I capitulated: I decided to watch the Inauguration.  As far as Trump’s inauguration taking place on the day that we honor Dr. King is concerned, I choose to view it as being emblematic of the stark difference in how these two men view America, the American people, and the direction in which America should travel.

It’s over.  I watched it and Trump’s inauguration was exactly as I thought it would be.  His speech was filled with bluster, hubris, and blatant divisive language.  A major thing that I did not anticipate though was that he would have a gaggle of millionaires and billionaires on the dais with him.  I was appalled, not just by their presence but by the gall of him to flaunt his complete distain for the long-held norms of this occasion to a worldwide television audience.  This is not normal!  This had never happened before!  And as I alluded to previously, the “it’s about me” began immediately after his inauguration with him resending at least 78 of President Biden’s policies, pardoning or commuting the sentences of everyone involved in the January 6, 2021 insurrection/riot and, according to MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnel, directing the Department of Justice to drop all charges, with prejudice, against all those still facing charges but who have not yet been charged or sentenced, and finally, reclassifying many federal employees to make it easier to fire them.

The next four years are going to be hard for Americans who did not vote for Trump and/or disagree with him, his policies, and his overall vision for America.  They will also be hard for many Americans who voted for him with the expectation that he would make their lives easier by lowering food prices and keeping other promises he made to them.  As Trump’s term in office progresses, they will come to realize this.  That he is floating trial balloons that are tinkering with revising the 14^th Amendment, rendering it toothless, or abolishing it portends his intention to centralize power in the executive branch, i.e. Donald John Trump.  This does not bode well for everyday American people, especially poor people, and people of color.

Harry Dunn and Michael Fanone, two former Capitol police officers who recently appeared on MSNBC cable news shows were obviously angry and filled with frustration as a result of Trump pardoning all those who participated in the January 6, 2021 insurrection/riot.  Both officers said that the American people are responsible for these pardons because they put Trump in a position to grant them.  This is what they wanted, former officer Dunn said angrily.  He told them what he was going to do and now they are shocked that he did it?!  Come on; where were they?!  He told them that he was going to do it!  Former officer Fanone agreed with Mr. Dunn and in essence said this is who we (Americans) are.  He added, “Law enforcement is a microcosm of America…  They are going to do what Trump tells them to do.”  Although both men were frustrated and disappointed with the failure by those in power to hold those who participated in the January 6, 2021 insurrection/riot to account, both said that they would continue to fight.  “What are the options, former officer Dunn asked; quit?!”

The resilience and determination of these two former Capitol police officers is exemplary.  This is exactly the attitude that must be taken by all Americans who love our country and want it to remain a democracy.  All of us are tired and tempted to take a deep breath, stick our heads in the sand, and ride this one out for the next four years.  That is exactly what Trump wants us to do!  That would make his job much easier.  Like former officers Dunn and Fanone, we must not acquiesce!  Just like cowardice, as exhibited by congressional Republicans, is contagious, bravery is also contagious.

So, let’s be brave, stand on our principles, and continue to move forward and fight for what we believe in; our American democracy!  And because the once “Grand Ole Party” that touted itself as the Party of law and order seems to have now become the “Party of Convicts and Thugs,” the Democratic Party and we the people, are the last line of defense.  It is now our turn to stand watch.  Then, through the power of our collective vote, we can replace those politicians who ran for and were elected to office to exploit their personal political ambitions to the fullest instead of serving the American people and protecting the Constitution, with honorable politicians who will abide by their oath of office.

So always remember, whether you are a Democrat, Republican, or Independent, your vote is the most important one of all…unless you don’t use it!

Eulus Dennis – author, M2: Street Cop To Top Cop, Operation Rubik’s Cube, and Living Between The Line

A person that you love and care deeply about who is like family to you steals from you while they are in your home.  You discover that they stole from you and so you confront them about it.  That person admits that they stole from you and express remorse.  You forgive them.  The same person comes into your home and steals from you again.  You discover it and so confront them about it.  They admit it and express remorse.  You forgive them.  The same person comes into your home a third time and steals from you yet again.  You discover it and so confront them about it.  They admit, yet again, that they stole from you and, again, you forgive them.  This same thing continues to happen repeatedly until finally, when it happens again, you have had enough and tell this person that they are no longer welcome in your home.  They plead with you to forgive them.  They say “yes, I have stolen from you but this is not who I am; I am not a thief!”

Is this person not a thief?  They have violated your trust and stolen from you numerous times.  How about instead of saying numerous times we replace it with a number.  How about replacing it with the number 248?  That seems like a good solid number.  That’s about how long the United States has been a democracy.  Down through all these years on numerous (you can replace numerous with a number) occasions a majority of voting Americans (at least, via the Electoral College) have chosen to put elected officials in office who do undemocratic things and support and enable those voters who do undemocratic things.  Yet, many American pundits continue to say “this is not who we are” when America is confronted by people, foreign and domestic, for her hypocrisy.

But just like the thief who violated the trust of someone, who loved them dearly and to whom they were like family, and yet stole from them 248 times, then said, “this is not who I am; does this mean that this person is not a thief?  By the same token, simply because American pundits say “this is not who we are,” does this mean that Americans who do or condone the previously mentioned undemocratic things are not hypocrites?!  I choose not to give you my answer to this question because I do not want to create even the slightest bit of bias that might influence your answer.  No matter what your answer to this question is, that still does not change the fact that America is the greatest country in the world.  No disrespect meant to the other democratic countries in the world but I am an American and, despite America’s faults, that is my humble opinion.

America’s faults, even though all of them cannot ultimately be corrected because they are dynamic, those that are not corrected can continue to be mitigated while work to correct them continues…possibly, in perpetuity: That is because as we correct existing problems, new ones will arise and others will reoccur.  However, to even begin this process, Americans must first acknowledge that these faults exist and have existed for the, almost, 250 years that America has existed!

We cannot pretend that America is perfect and invent some utopian world that says that this is the case by trying to erase American history.  Banning books, putting politicians into office who currently agree with us, and replacing our beloved republic with an authoritarian one headed by a politician who wants to “make America great again” by taking her back to the slavery era is not the answer.  Acknowledging who we were does not make it who we are!  Not if we acknowledge that that is who we WERE and do the work that is required to define who we are now!  Not if we accept that the American democracy is a dynamic democracy and that Americans must work in perpetuity toward forming a more perfect union!

Sadly, many people have become elected politicians, not to protect the Constitution and to serve their country; but instead to exploit their personal and political ambitions to the fullest.  But these kinds of politicians have existed ever since America has existed.  There are just more of them now.  Although it is discouraging to witness so many politicians deserting America when she needs them most, we, the people, must stay in the fight!  We cannot afford to despair!  We must dig deep and find the will to remain engaged no matter how bleak things may appear because the soul of America is at stake!

Under the current circumstances with the open and full-frontal attack on the American democracy and its institutions by Trump’s Republican Party, it is reasonable and appropriate to state out loud what many Americans are obviously thinking.  That is, not only are citizens faced with traditional Republican politicians deserting America when she needs them most but those traditional Republican politicians, who normally conduct official business in suits and ties, appear to have been joined by apolitical partners who conduct official business in long black robes and who have been long accepted as non-partisan.

It appears that the conservative supermajority in the SCOTUS has aligned itself with Trump in this fight.  Whether this is true or not is important; but just as important is that it appears to be the case!  And because among the SCOTUS’ rulings is the ruling in favor of presidential immunity, which heavily impacted on how judges in all the trump cases handled them, this means that the judicial branch of government, headed by SCOTUS Chief Justice John Roberts, and in essence the justice system as a whole, has completely failed the American people.  This is not only damaging to the SCOTUS in the eyes of the public but it makes the job of citizens to remain engaged harder because of its deeply demoralizing impact.

Many signs right now indicate that America is ripe for an authoritarian oligarchy type of government run by a few rich and powerful men.  Fortunately, this is not a foregone conclusion.  Again, if American citizens remain in the fight and remain engaged, we will find a way to successfully pass through the next four years and remain a democracy.  After that, Americans once again will be able to vote in a presidential election.  Trump will not be able to run for office again and maybe, just maybe, Americans will choose a president who will place the interest of the country above his own personal and political interests.

So always remember, whether you are a Democrat, Republican, or Independent, your vote is the most important one of all…unless you don’t use it!

Eulus Dennis – author, M2: Street Cop To Top Cop, Operation Rubik’s Cube, and Living Between The Line

For me, Trump Is Like Long COVID.  Since he won the 2024 election, I have really struggled to write and post articles to my website, Political Pawns And Puppets.  Yes, I was able to write and post a couple of articles right after the election but suddenly after that, it was like I fell flat on my face; I felt totally incapacitated.  I mean, when I reflect on it, in terms of how I feel now when I try to motivate myself to write an article and compare how I feel to that of the symptoms of Long COVID, they seem to match perfectly.

Here is how it works.  Kind of like when you first catch COVID, when Trump won the first time back in 2016, I was depressed, disgusted, and discouraged.  I thought, this is a tough pill to swallow but the voters have spoken and I, along with others who did not vote for Trump, will just have to ride this out for four years until the 2020 presidential election.  I further thought, even though these Trump voters should already know who Trump really is based on his track record, this does not seem to be the case.  But if all of us voters just hang in there and stay in the fight for four years – after they see how he conducts himself, surely, he will never hold the office of President of the United States of America again.  I even wrote a few articles back then stating how it would be a rough ride but we must buckle up, hang in there, and keep fighting until his term was over.

And so it was: Trump lost the 2020 election to Joe Biden.  I was elated!  Donald Trump’s time of making America look foolish, become the laughingstock of the world, and, in my opinion, work her way toward becoming the grift capitol of the world, was over.  I felt rejuvenated and motivated to write again; to encourage people to always do their civic duty, which includes voting.  I was fired up and ready to go even though while he was still in office, Trump said that the 2020 election was rigged and stolen from him.  Stop the steal, he said!  Although this rhetoric continued long after the election – I had no idea that it would still be going on during the 2024 election – I continued to feel pretty good.

Then, as timed passed and Trump was indicted in multiple states on various charges, faced and was convicted of 34 felony counts in one of these states, and announced about two years ahead of time that he would run for president in2024, my “pretty good” feeling was waning.  Then, Long COVID-like symptoms set in: I thought that I was over struggling with Trump’s antics and what would he do next.  But it was not to be.  I quickly went from elated to devastated.  Would I already have to start writing again about Trump’s antics and how he was sucking up all the air in the room?  Yes.

At that time my thoughts were, but that is okay.  American voters have a long way to go until the 2024 election.  So, I wrote articles, a lot of them about Trump, and posted them.  I continued to encourage all eligible voters, whether they were Democrats, Republicans, or Independents, to always vote.  As time passed, once again, I began to feel pretty good again.  Trump had been forced to go to court on the numerous charges he was facing and it looked as if he would finally be held to account, for the first time in his life, for at least, all these things he had allegedly done wrong.  Whether he would be proven innocent or guilty remained to be seen.  So, I thought, Faced with all these legal problems, he would ultimately give up on all his crazy thoughts about becoming president in 2024.  Wrong.

Trump continued to say that he had done nothing wrong, that all the negative things that were going on were politically motivated, and that this was just an attempt to interfere with him running for president; it was election interference, he said!  My Long COVID-like symptoms had reached a plateau and I was still writing and posting articles.  It was more of a struggle than before, but it was still somewhat enjoyable and, at least, I was still writing and posting.  While Trump was going through all the court appearances that he was forced to make, it appeared that accountability was inevitable.

However, many times, he would come outside the courtroom, where the press were always eagerly waiting, during breaks and hold mini press conferences.  There were times during these mini conferences when sitting Republican congresspersons would show up and stand behind him in a show of solidarity.  On one occasion, even Speaker of the House Mike Johnson made an appearance.  Teflon Trump seemed to be once again be making progress toward avoiding accountability: My Long COVID-like symptoms got worse.  My motivation was waning and my ability to write and post articles dropped to a new low.

Even with my waning motivation and the drop in my ability to write and post articles, I managed to press forward.  President Biden and Trump agreed to have at least two debates before the election and had scheduled a date for the first one.  When the debate was held, it was a complete disaster for President Biden.  Trump clearly won the debate.  In the eyes of some Democrats President Biden had performed so poorly that many of them began pressuring him to withdraw as the nominee and allow someone else to replace him.  President Biden refused.  Although the pressure for him to withdraw got stronger and continued to rise, he resisted it until about 107 days before Election Day.  When he withdrew, he immediately endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as his replacement.  With that endorsement, it did not take long for Vice President Harris to win enough votes to officially become the nominee.

Vice President Harris had about 90 days to get her campaign up-and-running to win the election.  She worked hard and tirelessly to define herself to the American people and present her policies to us.  Vice President Harris and her team did a yeoman’s job and her chances of winning looked great!  Democrats were cautiously optimistic.  But Trump had been campaigning unofficially for four years and officially since he announced that he would run for president in 2024.  Republicans seemed extremely confident that Trump would win.  They were confident to the point of being giddy and this worried many Democrats.

As Election Day 2024 approached, I wrote and posted articles that included an Election Day countdown.  Finally, that day had arrived and votes were starting to be counted.  It wasn’t long before all Democrats found out that those “many Democrats” were right to worry.  As the votes continued to be counted it became clear that Trump would win.  And so it was: Vice President Kamala Harris lost the 2024 election to Donald Trump.  Enter the worse stage of Long COVID-like symptoms.  I was completely devastated!  It was as if all hope was lost.  It was as if I were in a daze.  I knew that I was there but due to the stupor that I was in, I did not feel depressed, disgusted, and discouraged.  I was also devoid of disappointment, hurt, frustration, anger, and all emotions.  It was like I was there but I wasn’t.  This daze phase only lasted for days but it seemed like a lot more than days; it felt like months!

For a long time after the daze phase I did not feel like writing: I was not in the mood for it.  I felt like I needed to write but when I would sit down in front of my keyboard, I couldn’t.  Nothing would come to me… until now.  So, here I am again; writing to encourage you to buckle up, hang in there, and keep fighting.  Trump has begun to assemble his cabinet and his selections indicates that it will be replete with billionaires and other questionable characters that are loyal to him even if they have zero experience.  This is not indicative of a president who has America’s interest at heart and who is dedicated to putting America and the American people above his personal interest and political ambitions.  This is completely unacceptable and can only be stopped by Americans staying engaged in the fight and, ultimately, by our votes.

So always remember, whether you are a Democrat, Republican, or Independent, your vote is the most important one of all…unless you don’t use it!

Eulus Dennis – author, M2: Street Cop To Top Cop, Operation Rubik’s Cube, and Living Between The Line

With the collective decision of the majority of the American people in the 2024 presidential election, Trump’s America crystallized and is steadily coming into plain view.  Trump won; and whether Americans will be overcome by unfathomable jubilation or there will be buyers’ remorse remains to be seen.

Either way, Trump is moving forward with his plans of “I am your retribution,” and mine, with as much speed as he can muster while dealing with what little resistance he is faced with thus far.  It is obvious that he has instilled fear into the hearts of most of those so-called powerful politicians, journalist, and regular American people that apposed him before the election.

It will be especially interesting to see if those so-called powerful politicians who had the opportunity to spare America from the need to grapple with the ignominious situation that she is in, had they simply done their job on either occasion when The Donald J. Trump of the United States of America was impeached, will be among those who might have buyers’ remorse.

I say this because these politicians said unequivocally that Trump was guilty but, instead of convicting him, chose to pass this responsibility on to someone else.  In the overall scheme of things, whether they did this because they were more interested in remaining in power than they were in honoring their oath of office and severing the American people does not matter.  The bottom line is, if Trump feels that they crossed him in any way or were not completely loyal to him, he will not hold them guiltless: They will be punished.

When he is inaugurated, this time, Trump will be entering office with almost limitless power.  For this, if he is capable of such a thing, he can thank congress and the Supreme Court.  It seems that Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts and Trump share the same vision of what the presidency should be and the powers that the president should hold.  The Supreme Court supermajority, led by Chief Justice Roberts, provided a tremendous amount of help, crowned by their presidential immunity ruling, in returning Trump to the presidency.

During Chief Justice Roberts early years on the Court, he said the job of the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) was like that of an umpire calling balls and strikes.  However, in the presidential immunity ruling, it appears that the SCOTUS swung for the fences rather than simply calling balls and strikes.  What a difference that time has made in Chief Justice Roberts.  Or is who he is now who he has always been?

I probed this question in an article that I posted to this site in August of 2015 entitled “Chief Justice John Roberts’ Voting Rights Decision.”  I am no longer conflicted about the answer to this question or who Chief Justice Roberts really is; I now have the answer.  Those who read the article must still decide for themselves with the information that they currently have access to, whether he struggled with his decision to gut the Voting Rights Act back in 2013 and who they believe that Chief Justice John Roberts really is.

With the previously mentioned almost limitless power granted him by the SCOTUS with the assistance of congress, Trump will be seeking to centralize all power in the executive branch of government.  More specifically, he will be seeking to centralize all power in himself.  Chief Justice Roberts and all the other SCOTUS justices are obviously very intelligent people.  And as such, they must be aware, even before his inauguration, of what he is doing.

Ultimately, will the legislative and judicial branches of government maintain their current co-equal powers with the executive branch?  Should the judicial branch be taking careful note of what Trump is demanding that the senate do; allow him to bypass “advice and consent” and allow him to make recess appointments?

If all power is ultimately centralized in the executive branch of government, which will be synonymous with Trump, will Chief Justice Roberts and the rest of the SCOTUS justices be okay with being a rubber stamp branch of government rather than the trusted interpreters of the law, defenders of the Constitution, and strong advocates for the rule of law that they are charged with protecting?  Keep watching.

What Trump is doing looks like a mirror image of what Hungarian president Viktor Orban has already done in his country.  Far too many of the American people have been lulled to sleep by Trump and his dynamic custom made pablum.  Unfortunately, this has not only negatively impacted on Trump supporters but has caused all Americans to become the proverbial frog in the pot.

Those Americans who recognize that this is the situation and desperately want to climb out of the pot before the slowly rising temperature, disguised by Trump pablum and gaslighting, incapacitates us, either do not know how or simply cannot do it because we are leaderless.  And like a submarine that has neither rudder nor propulsion we cannot rise or correct our course; we can only sink.

Trump can neither suppress nor hide his admiration for Viktor Orban.  He is completely enamored and mesmerized by him.  So, like sweat from engaging in vigorous exercise it oozes out of his pores. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that he will not be satisfied until he reflects perfectly in every aspect the image of the object of his admiration.

Hopefully, congress and the SCOTUS will recognize this, correct their course and resist Trump’s attempt to destroy America’s institutions and democracy itself before it is too late to stop him.  If they do this, America will stand a chance of remaining a democracy through our future votes.  If they do not, who knows what will happen?  Only time will tell.

So always remember, whether you are a Democrat, Republican, or Independent, your vote is the most important one of all…unless you don’t use it!  Or…

Maybe as Trump said to his constituents during his 2024 campaign for president, you will never have to vote again.

Eulus Dennis – author, M2: Street Cop To Top Cop, Operation Rubik’s Cube, and Living Between The Line

Trump won!  The American people have spoken: The majority has won.  They have decided which path America will take moving forward from here.  They have decided which direction she will travel; forward toward the future, backwards toward the past, to the right, to the left, or a combination of those directions.  But exactly where to from here?  The majority already know the answer to this question and the minority, if we do not know the answer, should know it.  For those who do not know the answer, it is laid out in stark detail in “Project 2025”, that more than 900-page document, also known as the 2025 Presidential Transition Project, crafted by Republicans prior to Trump’s election.

Those of us in that previously mentioned minority who have a different vision for America going forward from that laid out in Project 2025, must accept the decision of the American people, and make the necessary adjustments in our lives to abide by that decision while we continue to make our voices heard, stand on our long-held principles, and fight – without violence, for our ideals for America and the American way of life.  As of the writing of this article, I know Vice President Kamala Harris has called Trump and congratulated him on his win.  And after having done that, she gave her concession speech at her alma mater, Howard University.  I am sure that this task was extremely difficult for her.

Per an article in ALJAZEERA, according to a CNN exit poll, Trump won 45% of the Latino vote nationally and 13% of the Black vote.  Further, ALJAZEERA said that young Black voters who voted for Trump, unlike older Black voters, viewed the Civil Rights Movement simply as history and not legacy because they do not really know and understand this movement.  This sounds reasonable since social studies and history are no longer taught in many U.S. schools and Republicans are trying to rewrite history via sugarcoating slavery in America and/or banning books that reveal the bigotry and hate that existed in America during slavery and that still exist just beneath the surface today.  There is no doubt that White parents have a legitimate concern about how these things impact their children but trying to change history and banning books is not the answer.

But lest I lose sight of the point that I want to make, I must make it clear that this article is not about who voted for Trump and why they voted for him; there was a large swath of voters – men and women of different races, that moved away from Democrats and to Trump.  Instead, it is about the voice of the majority of the American people and the decision they have made.  Whether we like it or not, Trump won and we in the minority lost.  And although foreign countries tried to influence who would be elected – other than that, the election was fair and all Americans must move forward with this in mind.

There will always be winners and losers; and elections will always have consequences.  While encouraging all eligible voters to vote, I encouraged all who visit and read articles on this website to vote for the democratic presidential candidate and vote for Democrats from the top to the bottom of their ballot.  That is because I believed that Democrats were more in line with Americans way of thinking.  The election results indicate that I misjudged; I failed.

Notwithstanding, I will take this opportunity to continue to encourage all the American people to continue to make your voices heard.  Without doubt, I will continue to make mine heard.  I will go nurse my wounds now which were sustained from the Red shellacking I just received compliments of the Trump win.  I am under no illusion that Republicans will let any Democrat forget this anytime soon: yet, I will press forward, my head bloodied but not bowed.  I urge my fellow Democrats and all Republicans who were a part of the minority to do the same.  I mentioned that I would take this opportunity to continue to encourage all the American people to continue to make your voices heard, So…

Always remember, whether you are a Democrat, Republican, or Independent, your vote is the most important one of all…unless you don’t use it!

Eulus Dennis – author, M2: Street Cop To Top Cop, Operation Rubik’s Cube, and Living Between The Line

VOTE! VOTE! VOTE!

In the 2024 presidential election…

Like your life depends upon it…

It does!

It’s Go Time!

It’s go time for all American voters.  This is your last day to vote in this election.  VOTE BEFORE THE POLLS CLOSE IN YOUR STATE!  No matter which candidates you vote for – Democrat or Republican, if you have not voted already, you must get out and vote!  It is important that you vote for either the Democrat or Republican candidates on the ballot!  Do not write in a name or vote for a third-party candidate; they cannot win.  You are wasting your vote if you do this: You are giving away your power!  This is arguably the most important election in the history of America!  America needs you so make your vote mean something; make it count!

Your Party affiliation must take a back seat in this election because the American democracy is at stake; we must vote for country.  We must vote for the candidate at the top of the ticket who, without equivocation, respects the Constitution, wants America to remain a democracy, is not focused on self and self-aggrandizement, and wants to serve the American people.  That candidate is Kamala Harris.  We must vote for this kind of candidate from the top to the bottom of the ticket.  Down ballot candidates will be extremely important in determining who will control the U.S. House and Senate.  In this election, this control is vital to the overall effort to keep America a thriving democracy and shining example to the rest of the world!

So, make voting your priority today.  Do your part in this historical election to continue the experiment of this young democratic republic, America.  You must not sit this one out.  Stop whatever you are doing and get out and vote.  Vote in this presidential election like your life depends upon it; it does!  And always remember, whether you are a Democrat, Republican, or Independent, your vote is the most important one of all…unless you don’t use it!

Eulus Dennis – author, M2: Street Cop To Top Cop, Operation Rubik’s Cube, and Living Between The Line

VOTE! VOTE! VOTE!

In the 2024 presidential election…

Like your life depends upon it…

It does!

The wheels of justice turn slowly… especially for the rich and powerful.  They can extend their day of being held to account for, what seems like, an endless period of time.  Notwithstanding, in these cases – finally, the color of the skin, gender, ethnicity, religion, or whether one is straight or gay, does not matter: Show me the money!  Show me the money is the demand from all those who defend these people from any mess they get themselves into.  Sure, those who defend them will tell you that morals are not a consideration where these kinds of things are concerned.  This is America, they say, and everyone has the right to a defense; not only to a – emphasis on “a” – defense, but the best defense… that money can buy!  That is our system of justice!

So, you see, one can’t automatically label these highfalutin lawyers as being without morals and principles.  But it is reasonable to speculate that 99.999 percent of them do not get involved with poor folks 99.999 percent of the time.  Can’t you just see them kicked back in their big offices in their big expensive chairs, behind their big expensive desks, smoking their big expensive cigars, drinking their top-of-the-line whiskey while wearing their super expensive suits?  But again, that is the American justice system.

On life’s spectrum, everyone would like to experience the good life: Some would love to be exactly like these lawyers while others would be perfectly content to land anywhere along that “good life” spectrum… as long as it is the “good life.”  Unfortunately, far too many of the rich and powerful seem to fear that if ordinary Americans can have an ordinary, relatively successful, and happy life somewhere along this “good life” spectrum, that it will somehow negatively impact them.  Therefore, they do everything in their power to deny these Americans that life.

My intension is not to motivate any American to be envious of those who have tremendous wealth but, instead, to point out that there is a great flaw in the American justice system and flaws in numerous other systems in this great country called America: Our leaders and the preponderance of the American people are working to fix this!  But we do not stand the slightest chance of fixing this if we opt to change America from a democracy to an autocracy: if we opt to elect Donald J. Trump to again be The Donald J. Trump of the United States of America!  There is absolutely nothing wrong with each American standing on their principles and voting their conscience.  However, if America is to remain America as we now know her, the Constitution must be factored in and those thoughts and principles, of necessity, must be mitigated by this great document that the founding fathers of America toiled to create.

Despite all our differences – large or small, making easy things difficult – and fighting back-and-forth among ourselves; as some of our dedicated leaders, Democrats and Republicans have said, we have much more in common than we have that divide us.  It is obvious that there are many Americans who support Donald Trump.  They truly believe that he is the person that America needs to lead her right now.  Those are the people that I am appealing to.

I know that most of you are aware that Trump is an incessant liar who has said that he wants to be a dictator.  I know that you are aware that he loves strongmen, identifies with them, and lavishes them with praise.  I know that you know that in the closing stretch of this election that he is, no matter the reason, stirring up divisiveness and hate and gaslighting the American people.  And it is reasonable to assume that despite all this you will vote for him.

I believe that most of you are standing on your principles and beliefs.  My plea to you is that you will factor the Constitution into your thinking and vote, instead for Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz to be the next President and Vice President of the United States.  It is important that you recognize that this is a plea and not an admonishment.

You can adhere to this plea in good conscience and with the thought in mind that you will keep your power and voice in determining the direction in which America should travel.  You will keep your power and voice via a new Republican Party that will be built on the foundation of the previous Republican Party that existed before Trump wrenched it away from the true Grand Ole Party that was dedicated to the American people, the Constitution, and – not “making America great again” – but keeping her great by way of fighting for the conservative principles that this Party was founded on and participating in mapping the direction that America should travel to the benefit of all the American people.

This phoenix – led by solid, principled Republican leaders who love America, value the rule of law, respect the Constitution, and believe that their oath of office is sacred and has meaning, is more likely to rise if it has your support.  It is possible that this can happen without you but it is better if it happens with you.  It is better if it happens with you because, with you, it will be better for America.  There are only seven days left for you to make your decision as to whether to save the American democracy; to save America!  Make the right decision and you will help to preserve the American way of life while retaining your opportunity to live and fight another day as a loyal, dedicated Republican.  Make the wrong decision and…

Time is of the essence if Americans are to come together to successfully complete this daunting task we are faced with.  But in times of challenge and controversy, Americans have always been up to the challenge and have remained in the fight.  And in the words of Vice President Kamala Harris, the next president of the Unites States of America; “…and when we fight, we win”!

So always remember, whether you are a Democrat, Republican, or Independent, your vote is the most important one of all…unless you don’t use it!  May God bless the United States of America!

Eulus Dennis – author, M2: Street Cop To Top Cop, Operation Rubik’s Cube, and Living Between The Line

VOTE! VOTE! VOTE!

In the 2024 presidential election…

Like your life depends upon it…

It does!

There are only 21 days left until election day 2024 and coward Republicans are giving it everything they have got to die, at least, a thousand-and-one times.  They want to show the entire world that Shakespear came up short on his “…cowards die a thousand times” thing.  And they are likely thinking, 21 days is more than enough for us to claim the record: Shakespeare ain’t got nothin’ on us!

Some of these cowards are truly corrupt, some just want to retain their job (a.k.a., in this case, power), some are conflicted and unable to break the cycle of their ambivalence, and all of them are scared sh**less of Trump.  Then, there are those who are simply lovable reprobates.  They have proven that they are not scared sh**less of Trump by virtue of some of the things they have said about him and/or done to prevent him from winning the 2024 election.

Still, they just cannot bring themselves to vote against him due to their loyalty to Party; after all, Trump is a Republican.  Enter Senator Mitt Romney.  Is Senator Romney a lovable reprobate?  If he is, there are at least a few other coward Republicans like him.  Sorry, Mitt Romney supporters – I like Mitt Romney too and believe that he is a good person – but I must list him among the cowards.  I must do this because, unlike Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger, no matter the reason, he did not stand on principles and uphold his oath of office; even when democracy is at stake!

I said that there are a few other Republicans like Mitt Romney but there is only one that immediately comes to mind and that is – sorry, fellow Democrats who might think that I have completely lost my mind, former president George W. Bush.  Good Ole “W.”  Fromer president Bush has remained completely silent and off the radar.  With democracy at stake, his voice, and the voices of other Republicans like him, would be of invaluable help in the push to get Kamala Harris and Tim Walz elected and assure that America remains a democracy!

Unfortunately, even though Trump is openly threatening to take retribution against his political enemies, unfriendly news media, and virtually anyone who has criticized him and failed to bend the knee, kiss his…ring and yield to his will, these Republicans have failed to do all that they can do legally and without violence to help assure that he will never be president or hold any public office again!  I specifically say “legally and without violence” because Trump is already widely publicly projecting what his campaign is doing and what he is saying that he will do if elected, onto Democrats.

The race is tight!  To be frank, everyone knows that if the situation were reversed and Donald J. Trump had everything going for him that Vice President Kamala Harris has going for her and Vice President Harris had everything going against her that Trump has going against him, it would be as if the word “tight,” or any synonym did not exist.  For all intent and purposes, the 2024 race for president would already be over before even one ballot was counted.

Why?  We all know that misogyny and racism still exist in America.  And we also know that, just beneath the surface, it is prevalent.  While right now it is bubbling just beneath the surface and remains there because the American people, with the assistance of the American government, have worked and continue to work to keep it there, Trump is stirring it up for his personal benefit.  He is doing this because even though he is benefiting from it as is, his political calculus seems to be that it will work even better for him if it is on the surface and agitated by his harsh rhetoric.

To the lovable reprobates; I get it.  And from what I have observed, there are plenty of other Democrats who get it.  You want to “keep your voice” in the Republican Party.  Hopefully, you mean the new Republican Party that can possibly be built on the foundation of the pre-Trump Republican Party and not Trump’s Party.  Because in Trump’s Party, there is no doubt that you would have no voice.

I would love to see a post-Trump Republican Party, headed by Liz Cheney – since she was the first to stand on her principles, step forward, uphold her oath of office and stand up to Trump and say no – that would do battle with Democrats.  Because, headed by Liz Cheney and filled with the other strong Republican women…and trickle of men that stood with her, Americans could be sure that there would be civil discourse to resolve problems, without violence, that would be based on sound principles and the Constitution.

America needs a healthy two-party system of government.  Of course, the lovable reprobates should have a voice in this new Republican Party and the building of it.  But, because of their wavering resolve “at their times of challenge and controversy,” their voices would be suspect…as one would expect that they should be.

A return to a healthy two-Party system will be great in the future.  However, emphasis must be placed on “in the future.”  Americans must deal with our current situation now!  And right now, America is faced with a binary decision.  In 21 days, the American people must decide whether we want to remain a democracy or become an authoritarian country that is ruled by a dictator.

If we make the decision to elect Trump as president, there will be no future with the possibility to rebuild the Republican Party and a healthy two-Party system.  That system cannot exist in an authoritarian country; at least, it cannot have a meaningful existence.  Accordingly, I remind all Americans again that Donald Trump has said that he wants to be a dictator: We should take him at his word.  Although he has tried to distance himself from it lately, the complete plan as to how he would rule going forward if he is elected is laid out in “Project 2025.”  We have the power to prevent this from happening with our collective vote!

So, always remember, whether you are a Democrat, Republican, or Independent, your vote is the most important one of all…unless you don’t use it!

Eulus Dennis – author, M2: Street Cop To Top Cop, Operation Rubik’s Cube, and Living Between The Line

VOTE! VOTE! VOTE!

In the 2024 presidential election…

Like your life depends upon it…

It does!

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson is pathetic!  He is second in line to the presidency in the presidential order of succession and he couldn’t even bring himself to denounce the rhetoric of Donald J. Trump and members of his family who blamed Democrats for the attempted assignation of Trump.  His response to the anchor of This Week, George Stephanopoulos, when asked if he supports the following statement by Eric Trump was contemptable: “They impeached him twice.  They went after his Supreme Court justices.  They weaponized the entire legal system.. And then, guys, they tried to kill him.  They tried to kill him, And it’s because the Democratic Party, they can’t do anything right.”

According to ABC News, here is Speaker Johnson’s response.  “I think what they’re alluding to is what we’ve all been saying.  They have got to turn the rhetoric down.”  [He added, I] “didn’t hear all the comments.”  He Continued, “For years now the leading Democrats in this country, the – the highly – highest elected officials and the current nominee for president have gone out and said that Donald Trump is a threat to democracy. … It’s absolute nonsense.  And they have incited dangerous people to do dangerous things.” …”We need to all look at these things in full context.  What they’re referring to, though, is the absolute open attacks that have been engaged by Democrats against President Trump since the day he came down that golden escalator in 2016.”

The This Week anchor continued to push back, ‘“I don’t know what more context you need, Stephanopoulos responded, reading the quote from Eric Trump.”’  According to ABC News Speaker Johnson then responded, “George, I’m not going to parse the language what people say at rallies.  I could give you pages and pages of crazy comments by the leading Democrats in this country.  That’s not what this is about.  We have talked about the greatest collection of challenges that this country is facing, probably since World War II, maybe the Civil War.”

There were a few more pitiful excuses that Speaker Johnson offered in his response but the gist of what he said is captured in the preceding paragraphs.  To give ABC News full credit, virtually all the information in those paragraphs, beginning with the Eric Trump quote, was taken verbatim from their recent article entitled, “Johnson punts on GOP rhetoric, 2020 election outcome.”  I chose this method of presenting this information to you so that you would get the full impact of how Speaker Johnson, the person who is second in line to the presidency, responded in the event that you did not read this ABC News article.  His response was ludicrous!

If you are not familiar with Speaker Johnson and his record in congress, especially over the past few years, you should become familiar with them.  They will help you to better understand why you should be sure to vote in the 2024 presidential election and encourage your friends and neighbors to do the same.  Democrats need a sweep to be sure that America will remain a Democracy.  Trump does not hide the fact that he admires and respects strongmen around the world and he has said that he wants to be a dictator… but just for one day.  He has talked about suspending the Constitution and, even now, talks about giving police officers “one day, just one day” to be “rough, real rough” with those who he believes have broken the law.  And based on Trump’s record for lying, the “one day” rhetoric is meaningless.  It is pablum and gaslighting of the American people at its worst!

The Republican Party as we know it no longer exists.  It has been taken over root and branch by Donald J. Trump and is now the Trump Republican Party.  There are members in Trump’s Republican Party who pine for the pre-Trump Grand Ole Party and, though they know that it no longer exists, use it as cover for their cowardice as leaders.  They say things like “I want to keep my voice in the Republican Party” – one can only hope that they are referring to the pre-Trump Party, and provide other pitiful excuses even though the American democracy is at stake.

These Republicans are spineless and travel in whichever direction the wind or current carries them.  Being spineless does not necessarily mean that they are bad people.  But it does mean that they should not be leaders!  True leadership roles have no room for those with mollusk characteristics that will allow them the ability to ooze through the slightest crack in the wall then morph into any convenient shape when on the other side of it!  America needs leaders who “in times of challenge and controversy” stand on principles and truth and uphold the Constitution, not those who exhibit mollusk characteristics during these times to manufacture “moments of comfort and convenience for themselves!”

Donald J. Trump, the former The Donald J. Trump of the United States of America, has Republicans froze with fear.  A few brave Republicans, a trickle of men but mostly women, have avoided this fear.  They have stepped up, stood up to Trump and said, no more; we will no longer tolerate your lies, hate-mongering and distain for the truth and rule of law.  These Republicans have resolved to work with Democrats to save democracy while looking forward toward the future and the opportunity to forge a healthy Republication Party built on the foundation of the one that they lost to Trump:  To establish a new Republican Party that will foster, once again, a healthy two-Party system.

To those Republicans who are cowards who put forward excuses to not stand up to Donald Trump and failed to stand with these brave Republican women… and trickle of men; shame on you!  Election day 2024 is less than a month away but there is still time for you to step up, uphold your oath of office, and be the leaders that you were elected to be.  So, I leave you with these words of Thomas Payne to encourage you and inspire you to do the right thing.  “Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it.”

We, the American people, have the power to remove those from office who are unwilling to undergo the fatigue of supporting freedom; that power is in each person’s vote!  Do not waste your power by not getting out to vote, not picking one of the candidates for president on the ballot, writing in a name for president, or leaving the top of the ticket blank!  Every vote matters!  So always remember, whether you are a Democrat, Republican, or Independent, your vote is the most important one of all…unless you don’t use it!

Eulus Dennis – author, M2: Street Cop To Top Cop, Operation Rubik’s Cube, and Living Between The Line

VOTE! VOTE! VOTE!

In the 2024 presidential election…

Like your life depends upon it…

It does!

If things continue to go for Trump in the U.S. justice system the way that they have gone for him throughout his entire life, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) will need to change its mantra.  Or perhaps I should say that it will need to change several of them: Donald J. Trump has never been held to account for any of the wrong things that he has done; not really.  I say that he has not been held to account for “any,” wrong things based on public comments by his niece, Mary Trump.  But speaking specifically about the U.S. justice system, I have watched him avoid accountability for at least eight years now.  And that is why I say that the DOJ will need to change its mantra(s).

I have listened to Attorney General Merrick Garland try to assure the American people that the law applies to everyone in America equally.  I have heard him say things like: 1) No one is above the law, 2) We will apply the law without fear or favor, 3) We will pursue the facts wherever they take us.  Federal judges and other judges in the lower courts have echoed his words. And most of those saying these things are probably serious and mean them.

However, when it comes to how the system actually works and applying those mantras in the real-world U.S. judicial system, it’s not happening.  Their mantras are meaningless because their words are hollow and, therefore, fall short.  This is especially glaring in Donald J. Trump’s case.  That is why the mantras might need to be changed.  Perhaps they could say 1) No one is above the law except Donald J. Trump 2) We will apply the law without fear or favor except if the target of the investigation or defendant is Donald J. Trump and 3) We will pursue the facts wherever they take us except if these facts implicate or involve Donald J. Trump.

Trump Trumps the justice system!  He is the Joker in the deck where Jokers are wild!  So, if things are not going his way, he Trumps the proceedings, switches the suit to the suit that favors the hand he is holding, then moves forward and claims the victory.  Not only does he Trump the justice system, he does the same thing to the judicial system.  It seems that he has the entire judicial system sitting anxiously panting in front of him while eagerly awaiting any command so they can carry it out as quickly and efficiently as possible.  And for those who are not postured to anticipate and grant his wishes, it appears that he has the Supreme Court in line to watch his back and apply its full weight to assure, to the greatest extend possible, that things go his way.  And, of course, the packaging for this whole thing is Republicans in the U.S. Congress that worked tirelessly to put the Supreme Court Justices and other Trump-friendly Federal and lower-level judges in place.

Trump has shown America and the world time-and-time again who he is.  He has shown those who support him who he is and they should know that he does not care anything about them.  “I am the chosen one,” he said.  And as the “chosen one” he expects all his supporters to be completely loyal to him and protect him at all costs.  If they fail to do this even one time, no matter the situation that they are in, at his discretion, he will completely trash them and possibly completely ruin their lives and careers if they do not kiss his ring and beg for his forgiveness.  Even if he accepts them back into the fold after their kowtowing, his record says that he will still never let them forget that they failed him and will toy with them at his whim.

Subconsciously, I could not help but to contemplate while writing, how this article would impact those reading it.  So, I took a step back and took some time to try to view what I had written thus far from the perspective of those individuals, especially Republicans, because I thought; if the situation were reversed and someone wrote this about a Democrat and implied that a Democratic congress was somehow corrupt, as a Democrat, would I be upset?  Would I shutdown, stop reading, begin thinking about how biased the author is and move on to something else without giving reasonable consideration to what they had written?  And my thoughts were, probably yes…if I were not the kind of guy who strives to keep abreast on issues and whose experience has taught him to dig deeper and try to see things from the perspective of those that I disagree with.

So that is what I am asking those of you who disagree with what I have written so far to do.  Find a way to get through this article, you might learn something.  I know that I have learned and become more willing to seek common ground after earnestly listening to points of view that I did not want to hear and/or reading opinions of those whom I consider to be inherent adversaries.  And by “seriously” listening, I mean not just hearing the noise of their words while contemplating the cons that I would respond with.  I mean truly listening and hearing what they were saying, processing those things while placing myself in their shoes, and trying to see things from their perspective.  In this case, of course, that concept would need to be applied from the standpoint of written words.

So, here is my question to you and why I ask It followed by my rationale for why I ask it and urge you to support Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz for President and Vice President, respectively, in the 2024 presidential election.  First, my question: Why would you vote for Trump if you know his record; and if you do not know it, don’t you think that you should know it to make an informed decision to vote for or against him?  I ask this question because of Trump’s personal record throughout his adult life including his record as a politician.  It is rife with vile things.  Things that involve personal characteristics and faults that are reasonably unacceptable to society – especially if that person is a politician, let alone one who is running to be President of the United States of America.

I know Trump’s record well and find it impossible for me to vote for him or anyone like him to be President of the United States of America; a position that demands the ability to accept responsibility, admit to mistakes, a belief in the rule of law, truth, justice, fairness, love of one’s fellow man, empathy, compassion, love of democracy, the peaceful transfer of power after losing an election, and much more.  Trump’s record is the antithesis of all these things.  That is why you should vote for Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz in the 2024 presidential election to be President and Vice President of the United States of America.

Finally, I will take the liberty to paraphrase former Arizona Republican Senator Jeff Flake; Republicans, if you vote for Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz in the 2024 presidential election, you are not a Democrat, you are a patriot!  So always remember, whether you are a Democrat, Republican, or Independent, your vote is the most important one of all…unless you don’t use it!

Eulus Dennis – author, M2: Street Cop To Top Cop, Operation Rubik’s Cube, and Living Between The Line