Asian Lives Matter Too!

Robert Aaron, identified by authorities as a 21-year-old white man, shot and killed eight people in several massage parlors in Atlanta, GA. Since six of the dead were of Asian descent, it leaves open the possibility of racial motivation. Captain Jay Baker of the Sheriff’s office says that the suspect was having a bad day “and that is what he did”. Wow, talk about insensitivity to the victims and their families. The murdered victims, not the suspect, had a very bad day! Racial hate has to stop!

VOTERS CAN DO WHAT ELECTED OFFICIALS WON’T

In the November 2020 election, former President Trump received over 70 million votes. Although this is the largest amount that any losing candidate has ever received in American history, it is impressive nonetheless. On the other side, President Biden received over 80 million votes taking him over the top to win the Presidency. He got the highest margin of votes of any candidate seeking national office. These results clearly show that a voting constituency has the power to determine who fills elected seats throughout our nation. During the second Senate Impeachment trial, many were looking for a conviction of Trump and to legally bar him from ever holding elected office as punishment for his crimes. Because impeachment is not technically a trial but rather a political exercise, neither of these were achieved. However, the final word on who wins or loses an election, rests fully on a voting constituency. Robust voting can even influence the Electoral College and determine the results of the general election. It is vitally important to remember this in 2024 and the subsequent election cycles. Regardless of political inclination, you don’t have to wait on elected officials to do what is ethical. They have consistently shown in like situations that they are not capable of anything honorable. Their dramatic theatrics, hypocritical duplicity, spinelessness, and undetectable moral compass renders them irrelevant. By voting, Americans can bypass political posturing and constitutionally determine the future course of America.

The Impeachment Trial is Just Not Worth It

I think that the US Congress should just move quickly through the unavoidable theatrics and drama of the second impeachment trial of the former President and get on with the more important work of governing. The faster we get through this process the better for all American citizens. The former president is certainly responsible and should face the consequences of his words and actions in inciting domestic terrorists to attempt to overthrow our government, based on his false and fact-absent claims of massive voter fraud. A large portion of Americans, including many who voted for Trump, see a clear path towards conviction and sentencing. But it is just not worth it.

It’s just not worth it because the trial will just give the former President a stage for more of his erratic rhetoric and distracting stunts. Being banned from social media platforms has limited some of his communication and dog-whistling with his ban of followers. However, a prolonged Senate trial will only give him undue attention which he will inevitably exploit for more conspiracy theories. A shorter trial will take us down the path of quickly making the former President irrelevant.

Second, we must focus on the raving impact of COVID19. Political will and economic muscle must me marshalled to confront this deadly pandemic and to try to limited the massive number of deaths predicted. A longer impeachment trial will result in more lives lost.

Third, it is embarrassing to watch the former President’s Republican enablers paralyzed with fear of his retaliations at the expense of the American people. Too many of them have already cowardly acquiesced to any semblance of a healthy conscience. They don’t have the backbone or guts to do the right thing, but rather what is politically advantageous for their selfish selves.

Fourth, the concern of the former President possibly running for office in the future is valid. However, I trust that the American voter will know what to do should he ever decide to seek office. Since the January 6th terrorist attack that he instigated, the number of his followers has been diminishing. Most American are not fools. He was stopped at one-term, and can be stopped from ever taking another oath for public service by simply exercising our right to vote.

Donald Trump will go down in history as the only Presidential candidate to lose with the highest number of votes cast. In fact, he lost by a margin greater than anyone had to win, with the sole exception being President Biden. He left behind over 400,000 dead American from his weak leadership during the pandemic, a brutally tattered economy, unprecedented racial tensions, and the only President to have been impeached twice. America wins by simply not enduring the circus of an impeachment trial. It is just not worth it!