Videos of the entire first hearing are age restricted and only available on YouTube. Here is a link to the entire hearing on C-SPAN’s YouTube channel. Below Liz Cheney describes Trump’s involvement.
L-R Finkenauer-Franken-Hurst – photo credit: Iowa Public Radio
Please vote in the Democratic primary today or tomorrow. If you don’t know where/how to vote we trust that you can figure it out. The Democratic candidates for senator to replace Chuck Grassley are Michael Franken, Abby Finkenauer and Glenn Hurst.
Admiral Michael Franken answered questions about Grassley, January 6, guns, the environment, and how Democrats will win, in Iowa City on Sunday as part of his River to River campaign tour.
Amanpour and Company–posted May 27, 2022 (17 minutes)
Our gun culture and the mythology of the Cowboy.
Listen closely as Historian Heather Cox Richardson fills in the huge gaps in how we got to where we are today.
In an article on this same theme from early 2021, Richardson delves a bit deeper into the cowboy mentality that has become the Republican Party. At the end she discusses how this has taken America to brink of falling into a small group of oligarchs:
And so, in 2016, we faced a clash between a relentlessly changing nation and the individualist ideology of the Movement Conservatives who had taken over the Republican Party. By then, that ideology had become openly radical extremism in the hands of Donald Trump, who referred to immigrants as criminals, boasted of sexually assaulting women, and promised to destroy the New Deal government once and for all.
In the 2016 election, the themes of the past 36 years came together. Embracing Movement Conservative individualist ideology taken to an extreme, Trump was eager enough to make sure a Democrat didn’t win that, according to American intelligence services, he was willing to accept the help of Russian operatives. They, in turn, influenced the election through the manipulation of new social media, amplified by what had become by then a Republican echo chamber in which Democrats were dangerous socialists and the Democratic candidate, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, was a criminal. Thanks to the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision which permitted corporate money to flow into election campaigns, Trump also had the help of a wave of money from big business; financial institutions spent $2 billion to influence the election. He also had the support of evangelicals, who believed he would finally give them the anti-abortion laws they wanted.
Trump lost the popular vote by almost 3 million votes but, as George W. Bush before him, won in the Electoral College. Once in office, this president set out to destroy the New Deal state, as Movement Conservatives had called for, returning the country to the control of a small group of elite businessmen who, theoretically, would know how to move the country forward best by leveraging private sector networks and innovation. He also set out to put minorities and women back into subordinate positions, recreating a leadership structure that was almost entirely white and male.
As Trump tried to destroy an activist government once and for all, Americans woke up to how close we have come to turning our democracy over to a small group of oligarchs.
One note I would add is that our history is much more of Americans pitching in to help each other and very little of the loner superhero who saves the day. America was built by a population working together. It is being destroyed by those who are acting for their own benefit. Donald Trump comes immediately to mind.
We can hardly think “fun day” when we think of D-Day, can we? The Russian invasion of Ukraine and the atrocities Russia has committed has dredged up memories of World War 2 and the horrors of Hitler. And the bravery and courage of our forebears.
Perhaps one of the saddest thoughts on this day is that we have a political party in this country that is working to undermine our democracy. At the same time we live in a society that has a tyrannical minority that terrorizes our citizens with firearms as if we are what a former president called “a shithole country.”
We must stand up to this minority or we stand on the sidelines as the greatest experiment ever attempted by humans fails.
A) Well, Iowa joined the recent spate of mass murders when three people were shot to death Thursday in what Iowa city?
B) Ohio Governor Mike DeWine will (or has) sign(ed) a bill that will make it easy for school districts to do what?
C) June 4th, 1989. What square in Beijing becomes synonymous with oppression as Chinese military massively breaks up ongoing protests?
D) A right wing induced witch hunt came to an abrupt end when what lawyer for Hillary Clinton’s campaign was not indicted by a grand jury in connecting Trump to Russia?
E) On average how many people die of gun violence in America daily?
F) Some gay pride trivia. Quickly, who was the San Francisco gay activist who was elected to city council and subsequently murdered in his office?
G) How many jobs were added in April according to the BLS?
H) Covid vaccinations for what age group are tentatively scheduled to begin on June 21st?
I) Trying to keep up with Amazon, what giant retailer will add four ‘fulfillment’ centers over the next 3 years?
J) June 5,1968. Who was assassinated?
K) According to a Politico story Republicans will be hiring an army of poll watchers to disrupt voting where this fall?
L) In a truly unusual accident, 3 people were seriously injured in Wisconsin when a train collided with what?
M) President Biden gave a nationwide address Thursday on what deadly major American problem?
N) Who were the opposing parties in the SCOTUS case that legalized same sex marriage in the US?
O) What was the code name for the beach that the Allies stormed on D-Day?
P) What attempted assassin will be freed of court restrictions June 15th?
Q) Shooting victim Amerie Jo Garza of Uvalde, Texas was awarded the Bronze Cross for bravery by what organization she was a member of?
R) Admiral Linda Fagan became the first female to lead a branch of the US services when she was sworn in as the Commandant of what?
S) Sheryl Sandberg made headlines as she stepped down as the COO of what major tech company?
T) As many as 1/3rd of the country’s public pools may not be able to open or will have reduced hours due to a shortage of what?
“Being gay is natural. Hating gays is a lifestyle choice.” John Fugelsang on the Stephanie Miller Show
Next week is shaping up potentially to be memorable. Pay attention!
The January 6th Select Committee is scheduled to hold eight live hearings beginning next Thursday. Some will be held during prime time. We can probably expect some major headlines to come from these hearings as the Committee will reveal how Republican members of government, including the former president, fomented an attack on our seat of government.
We can also expect wild countering lies from what now passes for the Republican Party plus a load of disinformation from sources like Qanon to try to take the spotlight off Committee findings. We can also expect much of the news media to do what it can to suppress news from the Committee and promote other stories to deflect the spotlight from the bad news that is coming for Republicans.
Supreme Court, Washington, D.C.
Next week has traditionally been the week during which the Supreme Court (SCOTUS) begins rolling out decisions it has made during the year. I can’t remember what the normal schedule is. I believe decisions are normally announced on Mondays and Thursdays. The best way to keep on top of SCOTUS is to simply check in to scotusblog.com @ 9AM. The analysis of the ramifications of SCOTUS decisions is deep and insightful.
We seem to already know that Roe v. Wade will be overruled in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson. Even though the outcome is not in doubt, there will be loud and acrimonious reaction. We do not know when the decision will be announced. Normally the most controversial are saved until the end, but there is no telling what this Court’s schedule may be. It could be the first case announced.
With all the emphasis on the abortion law case, little attention has been given to a a gun restriction case out of New York that is poised to have the SCOTUS change gun laws across the country. From the Brennan Center:
The Supreme Court is poised to issue a ruling in a New York gun rights case that will likely expand the scope of protections the Second Amendment affords individual gun owners who want to carry a gun outside of their residences. The biggest question in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen may not be whether a majority of justices strike down the state’s century-old handgun licensing requirement but how far that majority goes in signaling that other licensing measures created by government officials are now constitutionally suspect.
Can officials prohibit handguns in courtrooms and schools? What about college campuses or hospitals? When the Court heard oral argument in November, the six-member conservative majority seemed far more interested in exploring the contours of an expanded Second Amendment than in whether it ought to be expanded. This approach to gun regulation is a sea change from the Court’s historical approach to the amendment, but it should come as no surprise to anyone who has followed the arc of the Court’s jurisprudence in this area over the past 15 years.
The current Supreme Court is far more conservative and far more friendly to gun rights than the one that first recognized a personal right to bear arms under the Second Amendment in District Columbia v. Heller in 2008. Or the Supreme Court that acknowledged two years later in McDonald v. Chicago that such protections apply to state laws and regulations as well. Gone since then is Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a foe of expanded gun rights. In her place is Justice Amy Coney Barrett, whose view of the Second Amendment is viewed by many as even more expansive than that of the late Justice Antonin Scalia, the author of Heller.
Pride Month gets into full swing this weekend. With the hate that the right has stirred up against certain groups especially including LGBT folks let us hope that pride month will be peaceful and go by almost unnoticed.
Finally, primary season rolls along as does Donald Trump’s continuing attempt to turn what used to be the Republican Party into his cult of personality. Iowa will be joining the primary states Tuesday and Trump lovers Miller-Meeks, Ashley Hinson and Randy Feenstra run unopposed. Trump follower Chuck Grassley has only nominal opposition.
Over in Iowa’s 3rd district the Trumpinistas have been pitching a battle to show which one is the Trumpiest. It is sad.
For the Democrats the big race will be selecting who will oppose the faltering Chuck Grassley. This may be the year!
Keep those eyes and ears open next week. Life could get interesting.
Don’t forget that voting ends in the Iowa primaries this coming Tuesday June 7th. For Democrats in Iowa the premiere race is selecting who will be facing Grassley in the midterm election. While most of our races have one candidate, the senate primary has three very good candidates in Abby Finkenaeur, Admiral Mike Franken and Dr. Glenn Hurst.
It has been difficult to decide among the three. The overriding consideration we had is simply this – who can beat Grassley. That will be no easy task. It will take tons of hard concentrated work, the ability to raise lots of money,a clear message that distinguishes the candidate and some stumbles from Grassley.
One such stumble seems to have appeared as Grassley’s relationship with the NRA rears its very ugly head following the slaughter of children in Uvalde, Texas by a young man who was able to very easily get a machine meant for killing. As if that tragedy wasn’t horrifying enough, since Uvalde there have been 20+ mass murders in the US including a hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma Wednesday.
Admiral Franken’s email:
The firearm industry trade association – the literal gun lobby – just honored my opponent Senator Chuck Grassley with an award: Legislator of the Year.
“Senator Grassley is an unyielding champion of the firearm and ammunition industry on Capitol Hill,” they said.
Last year in the Senate, Chuck Grassley single-handedly blocked the most common-sense of gun bills: Universal background checks. Why? Because the NRA and the gun lobby have given him nearly $300,000 to get reelected.
President Biden asked last week, “When in God’s name are we going to stand up to the gun lobby?”
Well, I have my own question for Grassley: “How many gunshot victims will it take for you to vote for responsible firearm ownership legislation?” Iowa parents, students, and voters are waiting for a number…
I’ll never take money from the gun lobby. We have a gun violence epidemic in this country, and the only way we’re going to pass logical gun measures is if we elect more sensible Democrats willing to stand up to the NRA.
I’m ready for the fight, but I need grassroots donors like you behind me if I’m going to be able to take on all the NRA’s blood money and win.
Iowans need to know that Grassley is much more concerned about protecting his huge contribution from the gun lobby than he is about Iowa’s children. We can expect Grassley to act as if he will NOW do some little pittance to regulate guns. Be assured it will be cleared with the NRA as it will be for all Republican senators.
Last week Golden State Warriors Coach Steve Kerr made an impassioned plea calling out the small minority that blocks sensible gun regulation in this country – the 50 Republican senators. As Kerr speaks I can easily imagine him calling out Grassley by name. (3 minutes)
As Admiral Franken noted in his email, Grassley was the gun lobby’s Legislator of the Year. Do you really think he will change? After 42 years of Grassley’s act I doubt he will.
This is the year that we must throw out the corrupt politicians in Washington and replace them with those who will do what we want. Removing Grassley will finally send the message that politicians must answer to their constituents. Your vote has never been more important!
People around the country are coming together with a simple message: there’s more we can do to end gun violence. Join the movement by signing up to attend an event during Wear Orange Weekend, June 3-5.
Sioux City Public Museum 607 4th St
Sioux City, IA 51101
When:
Saturday, June 4, 11:00 AM
Join Iowa Moms Demand Action for a statewide Wear Orange event to lift up partner voices and our survivor community at the Sioux City Pride Festival on June 4, 2022 11am to 4pm at the Sioux City Public Museum
Sioux City Convention Center 801 4th St
Sioux City, IA 51101
When:
Saturday, June 4, 12:00 PM
Join Iowa Moms Demand Action for a statewide Wear Orange event to lift up partner voices and our survivor community at SUX Pride on June 4, 2022 from Noon to 4pm at the Sioux City Convention Center
Beaver Park 2700 Bever Ave SE
Cedar Rapids, IA 52403
When:
Saturday, June 4, 1:00 PM
Our event will be painting rocks again this year. Smaller ones can be taken home and larger ones will eventually be placed in the Healing Garden. We will meet at Bever Park this year, tentatively between the Bever Pavillion that is near the south entrance and the bathrooms. I will try to find a shady area and I will have the rocks, the paint, brushes, paint pens, a tent or similar Gazebo structure to have our tables under to keep us cooler or dryer, in case of rain. I will have signs, treats and orange Koolaid, like last year. Come and join us.
Moms Demand Action welcomes survivors of gun violence, community members, faith partners, and community leaders as we recognize National Gun Violence Awareness and Wear Orange 2022. This is a family-friendly event to honor those impacted by gun violence. More details to come!
Governor Kim Keynolds: (515) 281-5211 U.S. Capitol Switchboard: (202) 224-3121 Iowa Members of Congress - Rep. Randy Feenstra (R) - Rep. Ashley Hinson (R) - Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R) - Rep. Zach Nunn (R) Iowa US Senators - Senator Joni Ernst (R) - Senator Charles Grassley (R)
