Apples to Apples or Oranges to Oranges? The Case of the Biden Documents

Within the world of politics, there are certain rules, both written and unwritten. One of them is in regard to Presidential documents and what is to be done with them during and after a Presidential administration. The official name of this regulation is The Presidential Records Act.

It is defined as follows:

The Presidential Records Act (PRA) changed the legal status of Presidential and Vice Presidential materials. Under the PRA, the official records of the President and his staff are owned by the United States, not by the President.

One of the major headlines at the end of last year was that at the end of the former guys’ administration, he took multiple boxes of classified paperwork with him.

Last week, the firestorm coming from the White House was the discovery of additional records from when President Biden was Vice President.

It goes without saying that the right is eating this up. But before we go any further, we need to go over the facts.

The right has argued that the unearthing happened last fall and was kept secret in order to influence the results of the midterms. Obviously, I don’t know the reasons for keeping it under wraps, but I don’t think that it is the conspiracy they are making it out to be.

If there is an upside to this, is that Merrick Garland has created a special council to take a deep dive into the information. If nothing else, it shows that he is impartial and nonpartisan (unlike some of his recent predecessors).

As cliche as it sounds, only time will tell what the final results are. But, if nothing else, Biden has again proven that he is a stand-up guy who puts the country and the voters before his personal and political needs. After the last person (who shall remain nameless), it is refreshing and gives me hope that we can rise above the shit from the last few years.

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Brett Kavanaugh Should NOT Be Confirmed For The Supreme Court

Despite his Presidential shortcomings, you know who is not as dumb as he sometimes appears to be. He knows enough to know that if Brett Kavanaugh is confirmed as the next Supreme Court Judge, his legacy will be cemented for decades, if not generations to come, regardless of how long he is in office.

Brett Kavanaugh should NOT be confirmed for the Supreme Court. Below are the reasons why:

1. Judge Kavanaugh would potentially gut the ACA and Roe V. Wade, in addition to cutting back on the hard-won Civil Rights that citizens of color have been fighting for for generations.
2. Judge Kavanaugh could nullify any charges that are brought against you know who, if he is indicted while still in office.
3. Judge Kavanaugh is another white hetero Christian male. Just what this country needs in a position of political power.
4. Judge Kavanaugh believes that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is unconstitutional. Millions of Americans would be defrauded out of their hard-earned money by financial institutions if  this important branch of government is rendered toothless.
5. Judge Kavanaugh turned his back on one of the fathers of the victims of the Parkland shooting who went up to introduce himself after the hearing.
6. There are thousands upon thousands of pages missing from Judge Kavanaugh’s record. How is the committee supposed to prepare for the hearing and then make a decision if they do not have all of the facts in front of them?

Only time will tell if Brett Kavanaugh ascends to the highest court in the land. My hope (faint as it is) is that he will not be confirmed But, considering the state of American politics these days, I wouldn’t be surprised if he was confirmed.

P.S. Am I the only one who finds it hypocritical that while Republicans were adamant about not confirming Merrick Garland until the 2016 election, but they are rushing the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh before the 2018 Midterms Elections?

What Is Good For The Goose Is Good For The Gander

In 2016, as President Obama’s final year in office was coming to a close, Justice Antonin Scalia passed away. As is within the scope of power that comes with being President, he nominated Merrick Garland to replace Justice Scalia. The Republicans shot down the idea, stating that they preferred to wait fill Justice Scalia’s seat until after the 2016 Presidential Election.

Now the shoe is on the other foot. Justice Anthony Kennedy announced today that as of July 31st, he will be retiring.

I believe that at this point in time, we are at a political crossroad. Whoever takes Justice Kennedy’s place could not just tip the balance of the Supreme Court, but could have a hand in shaping the future of our country for years to come. While the hope for Democrats is that a blue wave will take back the House and Senate come the midterm elections in November, at this point, it is still just a hope.

The problem is that while President Obama tried to compromise with the Republicans, compromise is a dirty word when it comes to you know who. It’s his way or the highway.

What is good for the goose is good for the gander. Perhaps it’s time that the Republicans got a taste of their own political medicine.