Category: Uncategorized

We feel obliged to express our principled disagreement, with an essay, currently appearing in “THE ATLANTIC.” The writing at issue was authored by Richard W. Painter, an ethicist, and professor at Minnesota Law School.

The article relates to the contrived and entirely specious, application, by Trump’s attorneys, to disqualify Georgia D.A. Fani Willis, from the continued prosecution of the voter interference case, based on a romantic affair with a member of her legal staff. Professor Painter, concerned about public propriety as well as the effect on the jury’s objective perception [N.B., the crime was broadcast on public television] observes that Georgia District Attorney, Fani Willis should, indeed, recuse herself “even if the judge rules in her favor and denies the issue raised by the defense.”

With appropriate respect for the eminent author, we could not disagree more. The normally appropriate concern for moral sensitivity and aesthetic discretion is not merely unwarranted in the case of the sui generis persona of Donald J. Trump, but is an act of compliant appeasement and a hapless surrender to the cynical manipulation of that psychopathic actor; not analogously dissimilar to Neville Chamberlain’s feckless appeasement in the 1930s of Adolph Hitler.

In the most liberal and unrestrained exercise of imagination, any conception that the private life of Fani Willis is, in some bizarre fashion, relevant to the prosecution against Trump for his egregious acts of voter fraud, (let alone constitute a basis for a rationally acceptable claim of conflict of interest) is beguiling and is characteristic of the singular mindset and conventional, tactically based, actions of Donald J. Trump. He has eternally been a manipulative puppeteer, notably, not only of the thoughts and actions of his hapless, MAGA supporters but, incomprehensibly, at times, the intellectually gifted and well-informed. The latter run the occasional potential to unwittingly project their high standards of ethical sentiment upon non-deserving toxic personalities like Trump. It is our view that Trump instinctively relies upon this well-intentioned phenomenon of naïve and undeserved ratification and tactically uses it as a self-assured weapon that dynamically functions as a ubiquitously utilitarian, manipulative wire in his egocentric, imperious, and autocratic puppetry.

The ethical considerations ideologically expressed by Professor Painter are undoubtedly emblematic of a commendable sensitivity and moral compass. However, as generously utilized in this singularly contextual case, amounts to an undeserved accommodation to the ongoing tactical puppet show, produced by the neurotic and professedly autocratic, snake-oil salesman, Donald J. Trump.

-p.

*[N.B. In this editorial writing, for thematic impact, we have taken the liberty of creating an entirely fictional, but otherwise factually accurate, letter from the late Alexsey Navalny directed to the (MAGA) supporters of the American Presidency of Donald J. Trump]:

From: Mr. Aleksey Navalny
Russian Punitary Penal Colony
Solitary Confinement Chamber
Siberian Artic Circle

To: Supporters of Donald Trump
a/k/a “MAGA”
USA

Dear American friends,

This letter has been written to you, as fellow citizens of the universal humankind, with the intention, as seems to be needed, of raising an errant and vitally important awareness. I would sincerely urge you to take a moment to consider the predictably hazardous outcome of your expressed worldview and self-immolating (as well as societally, destructive) support of Donald Trump; the latter, a publically declared autocratic dictator. We, in Putin’s Russia, in sync with the unfortunate citizens of contemporary Nations, such as North Korea, China, and Hungary, have been deprived of our natural rights to freedom, self-determination, and personal fulfillment by the profoundly corrupt and inhumane rule of autocracy.

Whatever may be the perceived cause of your expressed support for an authoritarian and undemocratic leader, it would be beneficial, even mandatory, in your interest and that of your Nation, to carefully consider the inevitable impact on your life, as shown by history, should your Democratic Republic be replaced by an autocratic or dictator-run polity.

As citizens of a democratic country, you enjoy the inalienable right to live where you choose, speak your mind, regardless of point of view, vote for your preference of leader, read your personal choice of newspaper, purchase, and own property, to believe whatever seems personally credible, aspire to any desired profession or engage in your privately owned and managed business, petition or sue the government for a professed redress of grievances, travel when and where you desire, freely assemble with others of common interest or peaceful protest, enjoy the virtually unrestricted privilege of self-determination (provided your action does not injure another or restrict his rights), participate as desired in society, run for office, pursue any desired course of study, own property, travel freely, reside where preferred, and, generally, pursue any desired action, in a non-harmful manner.

None of the above freedoms can be assured or permitted to be exercised under totalitarian, or autocratic rule. The autocratic leader is omnipotent and his will, arbitrary or otherwise, is unquestionably and mandatorily to be obeyed. By definitional and dynamic contrast, the arbitrary and corrupt dispensation of “justice,” is solely dependent upon demonstrated loyalty to the authoritarian, or dictatorial State.

Whatever may be your sense of grievance or perceived critique of the Democratic candidate, you can be assured of greater and more fundamentally profound grievances under the restrictive rule of an autocrat or dictator. [It is essential to take notice that your presently desired candidate for the American Presidency, Donald Trump, has ominously stated that he intends to be a Dictator.]

As a private (Russian) citizen and a family man I have demonstrated the sincerity of my stated principles by my submission to the hardships endured in my earnest attempts to remove the corrupt and autocratic rule of our mafia-like autocrat, Vladimir Putin. I have not been alone in this endeavor, which, nevertheless, has proven to be unsuccessful to date due to the unlimited and unrestrained dictatorial power and resources of Putin. I had, long ago, made the principled and sacrificial choice to value democracy above my life and ultimately, the well-being of my family. I have not been the first to do so, and expect that I will not be the last. A recent, well-publicized, relevant episode, consisted of Putin’s downing of an airplane by Biden, pathologically, resulting in the homicide of all passengers, notably among whom, was the target, a perceived threat to Putin’s power, General Prigozhin.

 My hard-fought but modest successes in publically opposing Putin’s corrupt autocratic rule have resulted in long and heartrending separation from my family, painful hunger strikes, serial imprisonments, and undergoing (failed) attempts at poisoning (the standard Putin rejoinder to criticism), including a publically known and intended-fatal administration of Russian military nerve gas, from which I miraculously survived, being treated in a German hospital by life-saving, but frighteningly prolonged periods of coma.

After recovery, I determined the cause of democracy to remain paramount and, with full awareness of the predictable danger, I undertook to return to Russia, where, upon landing, as expected, I was immediately arrested and after that sentenced to a five-year term of solitary confinement at a famously known and nightmarishly, dreaded Siberian penal colony located in the frigid Arctic Circle.

[I have just been ordered to go outdoors for a walk, and it is my candid and unpleasant expectation that I will be summarily executed, somewhere, out on the polar ice]

Those who suicidally, and in lemming-like* fashion, would have voted for the pronounced autocratic candidate for President, who would now elect to vote in favor of the human liberty inherent in the democratic system of government, have merely to rationally and prudently cast their vote in favor of democracy; inarguably, a far easier and less painful task than my undertaken experiences in support of that singular and humanistic form of government.

Farewell and God Bless,

Alexey    

*[see early plinyblog: “LEMMINGS”]

-p.

In an appraisal of the nature of the MAGA horde’s campaign for Donald Trump, a former host of a low-quality television game show, we would echo the dynamics of an only fractionally more enthralling waste of leisure time,  the “Antiques Roadshow” (PBS)*. The latter featured the appearance of appraisers and experts to discover the value and history of antiques and collectibles. Viewers were fascinated with the professed value of previously ignored or overlooked items. The same might be characterized by a discovered watercolor painting of a National bank by John Dillinger, a partially used container of flea powder owned by the celebrated canine saliva scientist, Dr. Ivan Pavlov, a set of, now tarnished, 14-carat silver tweezers employed by Dr. Percival P. Pooke, the first man to put cotton in aspirin bottles or perhaps a set of stained glass windows, portraying scenes from the life of George Liberace.

With meager available references to the accomplishments or virtues of their flawed candidate, the supporters of Donald Trump have been sadly relegated to the transmogrification of their campaign into an asinine replication of the (titled) eponymous game show. In keeping with the stereotypically sophomoric level of MAGA reasoning including the populist attraction for diverting and irrelevant demagoguery or simplistic “put-down,” MAGA has undertaken the specious, thoughtless, (and, in this case, irrelevant), campaign banner of “Ageism.” Aside from any possible lack of merit in such a desperate and prejudicial position regarding President Joseph Biden, its lack of any modicum of clear perspective, similar in acuity to the gross distortions of a funhouse mirror, is manifested by the ironic fact that their candidate is merely three years younger than his purportedly, age- disabled opponent.

That aside the salient and thematic point is that any rational and empirical determination of the issue of mental capability is, empirically found to be individually and singularly nuanced and circumstantial; thus, rendering abortive and fruitless, such a desperate attempt by the MAGA folk to maintain their tactically manufactured critique. Traditional experience in this sensitive and significantly important context, instructs that any rational and appropriate determination is necessarily based upon an objective evaluation of personal efficacy; the latter, objectively by the discernable demonstration of empirical performance. The record speaks of Biden’s capable leadership and profusion of successes. By bright contrast, Donald Trump’s one term of Presidency,  demonstrated incapability, lack of Presidential perspective, absence of moral compass, and mortally impactful irresponsibility; which evident, egregious propensities, as he has demonstrated and plainly stated, alarmingly persists to the present.

As a matter of objective (and evaluative) record, the now 80-year-old Joseph Biden, during his few years of Presidency has accomplished a plethora of spectacularly positive accomplishments demonstrative of his experiential acquisition of mature perspective and wise exercise of capable judgment. This is to be compared with Trump’s grossly negligent proclamations and atavistic policies, when President, regarding the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, assessed by experts as causing hundreds of thousands of preventable mortalities, Biden’s policies got the Pandemic under control and then, virtually eliminated as a National risk.

Biden’s Presidential term to date has, among other useful accomplishments, seen the passage of a huge and Nationally needed infrastructure bill, the amelioration of inflation, the unbiased and responsible appointment of capable and dedicated members of his cabinet ( as contrasted with Trump’s crony policy of appointment of incapable, but personally loyal, politicians), a historic decrease in unemployment and notably the significant increase in employment, the empathic lowering of prices for medication, a desired, substantial decrease in the crushing impact of lifelong debt for advanced education tuition, the existentially vital, repair of damage to America’s relationship with NATO and many foreign countries (caused by the ignorance and autocratic policies of Donald Trump), the return to the Paris Accords and other fruitful policies of environmental policies including  global warming, the delicate rebuilding of accord with America’s traditional allies, damaged by Trump, the wise and diplomatic handling of the Ukraine-Russian conflict and of the Hamas-Israel War, the outspoken and earnest opposition to unregulated guns,  sincere promotion of equal rights,  protection and support of America’s labor unions, earnest efforts to ameliorate the[jh1]  complex immigration issues,  his championing of the women’s’ natural right of abortion and women’s’ rights in general [ N.B., female Vice-President, appointment of scholarly and capable SCOTUS black Justice), support of established programs of compassionate capitalism including social security, disability, food and federal support to hungry and needy Americans of all ages, support of health and safety regulations, including the amelioration of environmental concerns, maintenance of the traditional  relationships with our historic international partners (contrasted with agitation of our allies and Trump’s exotic friendships with Putin, China, North Korea and Hungary).

We have in various past writings, described Trump’s copious ignorant incapacity, as well as his intentional treason and his criminal acts, (71 indicted felonies) serial mendacity, and demonstrated lack of moral compass, including his illegal pay-offs to silence prostitutes with whom he has, apparently, had brisk commerce, his neurotic eccentricity, initiation and encouragement of violent and deadly insurrection against the United States, founded upon Trump’s autocratic election denial (the “BIG LIE”), his gross violations of the Emolument Clause, support of dangerous Nazi-oriented White Christian militias, and above all, his ominous, publicized declaration of intent to be a dictator. We, if, it were conceivably necessary, might cite additionally reported, egregious acts of this deplorable persona, but are of the  view that it has been ample demonstration that the next Presidential election will be far more existentially, decisive, and fundamental to the endurance of our Democratic Republic, than the inane tactical and sophomoric diversion of the contemporaneous MaGA’s “ ANTIQUE ROADSHOW.”

-p.

Upon receiving the awaited prompt, we, with teary eyes, activated the e-mail link activating the pre-arranged, “Virtual Ceremony” of last rites conducted in loving memory of the long and beneficial life of the recently expired, well-known decedent, the “Printed Book” (of blessed memory). Notice of the observance of the sacred funeral had been, for weeks, widely disseminated through the public media. The general expectation is that it will be attended, notably, by mourners, aged forty years and older. It was intimately revealed that the cherished decedent passed away by slow, almost imperceptible degrees, and without discernable physical symptoms, situate on an accessible, but rather dusty shelf. The New York City Medical Examiner determined the official cause of death to be unsuspicious and attributable to the advanced stage-4 (metastasized) condition of non-use.

Selected relics were displayed, honoring the vast literary universe of revered decedents, which consisted of copies of, “Huckleberry Finn,” by Mark Twain, “Absalom, Absalom,” by William Faulkner, and “Moby Dick,” by Herman Melville, were centrally displayed on a purple-colored velvet mantle reverentially set placed on an ornately carved mahogany table. Two symbolic wooden rocking chairs with cushions were placed on either side of a tall, softly lit reading lamp, a visible pair of horn-rimmed glasses and a glass of medium sherry were ceremoniously placed near the symbolic volumes, each of which contained at its flyleaf page a decorated bookmark. The intonation of an organ’s rich and uniquely dramatic rendition of Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in G Minor engulfed the respectful silence in the dimly lit, sanctuary.

The appointed gray-bearded director of the memorial proceedings, dressed in a vested tweed suit, striped bowtie, and dark brown, horn-framed spectacles, spoke softly but emotionally to the virtual attendees, sadly extolling the immeasurable growth of human enlightenment, the historic advances of Humankind, stemming from the deceased, in time starting from writings on ancient papyrus, manuscripts, engraving, the development of the printing press, the Guttenberg Bible, the sociological and artistic advent of the novel, inclusive of its respective development in style and context, of the literary categories of the Victorian, Modern and Post-Modern. He then emotionally broke out into a course of involuntary and tearful sobbing. After partly recovering his composure, he invited the virtual attendees, to, if desired, offer any additional remarks on the occasion.

After a brief pause, Ms. Hortense T. Ipecac was the first responder. She passionately spoke on the populist eviction of humanism in society. She started with the crass re-occupation of the acceptable natural channels of human expression and aesthetic creativity by insensitive electronic “squatters,” thoughtlessly and irresponsibly, purporting to constitute a more facile and purportedly efficient substitute. As part of the growing social atmosphere of thoughtlessness and ignorant insensitivity, she stated, they mindlessly sacrificed the opportunity for internal growth by the allegedly “time-consuming,” satisfaction and ubiquitously fruitful indulgence in good literature.

The second virtual responder was Mrs. Anna Flaxes, age 87, from the West Bronx. Ms. Flaxes had been for 35 years a school librarian, before her retirement at the local High School and personally, an avid, lifelong devotee of Jane Austin. It was hard to discern her emotional words due to an unfortunate combination of an apparently, malfunctioning laptop speaker and because of her loose and ill-fitting dentures. Nevertheless, her emotion-packed message, in essence, was that the purported “advancements” of the “digital age had cruelly deprived her, a lonely and house-bound widow,  of whatever scant pleasures still available to her, such as the reading of traditional hand-held books,  telephonic conversation, letter writing, and general neighborly attendance at the local movie house. There appeared to be numerous other telephonic and e-mail responses from the maturely aged participants of the virtual ceremony, uniformly attesting, in one way or another, to the diminution of the quality of life, spiritual and aesthetic by the relevant decease of print books.

However, one response seems to be uniquely preponderant and memorable, notably expressive of the ubiquitous and nuanced reactions to the loss of intimate and fulfilling pleasure derived from the ownership and enjoyable use of the printed book, viz., the honored decedent.

A memorable call-in comment from Mr. Marquis Desadowitz, of Bellport, Long Island related to a certain nuanced experience with printed books; particularly, a personal ritual procedure undertaken before commencing to read a newly purchased book. In the interest of conveying the full impact of the caller’s singularly emotional expression of dismay regarding the extant decease and retirement of print literature on his menu of meaningful life experiences, we will, as best as we can recall, replicate the precise substance of the same.

[The recalled statement] “I would in a mood of anticipation, go to Barnes and Noble to enthusiastically purchase a new, hard-covered novel. I enjoyed the abundant feeling of success in locating a copy of my desired choice among the seemingly copious and abundant attractive titles offered for selection and purchase. After purchase, I was invariably impatient to bring the book home.”

[Continuing] “It may be strange to relate but before my indulgence in the immeasurable pleasure, personal benefit, and thoughtful diversion, derived from my reading a brilliant work of a talented and erudite author, I candidly confess, to a rather, admittedly exotic, but pleasant, tactual and sensual experience derived from a regular ritual, personally performed following the purchase of a new hardback novel; now, disappointingly, anachronistic, due to the tragic decease, being memorialized.”

[Still continuing] “The stated, coveted, procedure was described as follows: (1) I would bring the book home and, after unwrapping, lay it down on my reading table to admiringly view for no less than five minutes, then, (2) pick up the book, savoring the cool impression of the shiny decorated book jacket and hold it close to my chest, for a brief moment in the pleasant context of a successfully gained acquisition, then, (3) inhale the familiar subtle aroma of a newly printed hardcover. (4) Slowly open the book, listening for the almost inaudible “crack” of the new binding (5) carefully and surgically, slit the page or two, inevitably, still joined together, (6) sit back comfortably and commence the joyous and diverting act of reading the aesthetic word (often of a felt “familiar friend”).  Now, I have irretrievably, lost all this.”

N.B. We would, as a consoling and comforting assurance to all mourners, declare that despite the popular surrender to the artificial, facile availability of robotic and digital “advancements,” libraries and bookstores valiantly and beneficially, continue to welcome all readers of (actually surviving) printed hardcover works, eternally imparting, implicit wisdom, aesthetic art, and immense personal pleasure.

-p.

Caution, dear reader, brace yourself; in a few days, the perennial tsunami, appearing every February 14, will predictably reassert itself, in all its traditional force. The sole fans of such feared flooding are the usual suspects, the greeting card companies, the chocolate manufacturers, the florists, the retail jewelry businesses, the pajama industry, and the novelty sales folk. The expected high tide of the Valentine’s Day inundation, judging by previous experience, will submerge all land masses, human population and baffle all reason. Among other phenomena, the advertising industry will publish a stage 4 hurricane of notices, featuring photo-shopped, seemingly amorous couples, in intimate proximity, to their highlighted sales merchandise.

Since (mercifully) this holiday has only a short half-life, one day, the need for effective, sales propaganda becomes urgent. Unaccountably huge profits are earned by companies who, presumptuously, maintain that there is a realistic (and commercial) need to supplement the interaction of couples, who love one another, with their manufactured paraphernalia. Greeting card companies are especially guilty of this self-serving assumption and engage” distinguished poets” to create trite doggerel, consisting of inane expressions of love and fidelity, for the thousands of presumably, aphasic, anonymous consumers.

The most objectionable of the various Valentine’s Day symbols is the trite, red Valentine “heart,” an old-fashioned and retro-configuration, broadcast without relief on all holiday products, greeting cards, gift wrapping paper, stuffed toys, pillows, and candy boxes. This stale symbol is glaringly imprinted on all items for sale on Valentine’s Day, as well as by some Manchurian Candidate-type, propaganda, on the consumers’ minds.

Various research people [who presumably have no more pressing fields of inquiry for the employment of their Ph.D. acumen] have reported that the classic red symbol is derived from an early, incorrect understanding by [no less than] philosophers such as Galen and Aristotle, who believed that the heart contained only three chambers. [It may be noted, that Dr. Galen and Mr. Aristotle were, innovatively, accurate on many other subjects]

The Valentine depiction of the human heart, maintains the very same proportionate degree of accuracy, as a wood duck, in appearance, bears to a moose. Nevertheless, it has, over the ages, been foisted upon, and willingly accepted, by the consuming public.

In truth, the human heart is shaped like a pear and is the approximate size of a man’s fist. This life-or-death chest muscle is taxed with the existential job of circulating blood and oxygen throughout the body. It has no time, or noticeable inclination, for holiday Hallmark sales propaganda, as the purported source of love, courage, strength or kindness. The statement, “He has a good heart” should be reserved, for a positive determination by a cardiologist, and not a comment on such traits as a person’s, love, generosity, or empathy. We are only concerned with cardiologists and not “cardeologists.” How would you value a positive comment regarding personal generosity, such as, “He has good kidneys.”

It is certainly inarguable that all human thought and emotion are exclusively brain functions and not the traditionally romanticized heart muscle. Admittedly, however, it would be impractical to artistically create a brain-shaped cartoon figure to symbolize the holiday.

The senseless Valentine’s “heart” is best replaced by a preferable love symbol, the unique and marvelous tulip bulb. Certainly, the outline of the traditional bulb is simple to artistically replicate. More importantly, the bulb has eternally been a symbol of future growth and predictable beauty. Relative to the modern conception of true and healthy love, the tulip bulb is seen as independent and self-sustaining, having within its inner self a sufficient systemic source of future nourishment as well as the natural ability and inclination for growth and the achievement of its innate potential.

The tulip bulb, in the Middle Ages, was thought to be magical and priceless. There are historical records of its sale for the modern equivalent of several thousand dollars. If you should offer one to him/her and it is refused, we earnestly suggest that you look elsewhere.

ADDENDUM:

Why should it be necessary to dedicate a one-day holiday in recognition and expression of love; and, further, to do so by trite gifts of holiday nonsense? Love, where it is genuine, is experienced regularly and expressed in tender interaction and caring, personal acts. This one-day holiday is sadly comparable to gifts of free turkey dinners on Thanksgiving to the needy. Hunger exists year-round and the poor and unfortunate need more than a gratuitous symbol.

-p.

       * our perennial reprise

In the context of human evolution, certain existing traits that no longer perform their pre-historic function, are classified as “vestigial,” viz., the appendix, tonsils, male nipples, and coccyx (tail).

Consistent with the often-used metaphorical reference to government as the “body politic,” we would choose to refer to an analogical political practice as, “vestigial.” Such practice, deemed acceptable in the (medieval) era of the “divine right of Kings,” (688-725 A.D.) remains, an atavistically surviving anachronism, notably inconsistent (albeit Constitutional) with the functioning of the contemporary Democratic Republic, viz., the “Presidential Pardon.”

Article 2 (2) of the U.S. Constitution grants to the President of the United States the power to pardon any person accused or convicted of a Federal crime, except impeachment. We are obliged in principle to doubt the appropriate existence of this pre-emptive right in a Nation, ruled by an elected President, whose essential and defining principle is “No man is above the law,” and which is characterized by a democratically established judicial system for the impartial determination of guilt or innocence.

Some examples of the constitutionally approved, nevertheless, empirically, un-American and entirely arbitrary grant of pardon, which, in our view, exemplify the derogation of the foundational principle of “equal injustice under the law,” are as listed below:

•  Gerald Ford’s pardon of Richard Nixon for the intentional crimes against the Nation by his active part in the Watergate Conspiracy,
• Donald Trump’s pardon of Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio for egregious abuse of power, inclusive of torture of “criminal” inmates, misuse of funds, election law crimes and racial abuse,
• William J. Clinton’s pardon of financier, Marc Rich, indicted for substantial tax evasion and the commission of tax fraud, whose wife had given large donations to the Clintons,
• Donald J. Trump’s pardon of Michael Flynn for treasonous behavior regarding Russia and lying to the F.B.I.[  N.B. Trump wielded the power of pardon, reportedly, 41 times to benefit his political allies and personal friends during his single ( 4 years) term of office.]

These are but a small but revelatory number of illustrative instances of the myriad instances of the use of the (vestigial) Presidential power of Pardon for the unacceptable purpose of exempting friends and financial supporters from the universal application of the law. If the Presidential franchise had any acceptable post-monarchial rationale for its existence, it appears to have been rationalized as designated for the avoidance of substantive injustice or the existence of rationally cognizable mitigation. However, its historical record indicates that its empirical use has historically proven unjust and prejudicially undemocratic.

In the interest of plain justice and, notably, the American aspirational standard of universal equality, we humbly recommend an appropriately just Constitutional Amendment, expunging this inequitable, arbitrary vestigial remnant of the privileged Monarchial past.

-p.

Our credentials inarguably qualify us for inclusion in the societal category of “elders.”  As a social and temporal consequence, we have been engaged in a valiant effort to comprehend the digital-computerized environment ( such as hand-held smartphones, remote television selection, computerized vocal automobile directions, robot-initiated entertainment (see earlier blog: “Who Invited Alexa”?), robotized vacuum cleaners, self-driving and parking [“autonomous”] automobiles and other computerized phenomena) when we were worrisome, confronted with another spectacular “advance” denominated as “A-I” or “Advanced Intelligence.” As a quick and candid indication of our view, we would make clear that the above title’s contrasting words are not intended to be sardonically oxymoronic, but, by emphatic contrast, metaphysically terrifying.

The decision to express our feelings on this theme was suddenly catalyzed by a certain media report, stating that ahead of the New Hampshire primary, residents received robocalls in which an A.I. generated voice impersonation of President Biden deceitfully urged non-partisan and democratic voters to “skip the ballot,” terming the Primary, “a bunch of malarkey,” a popularly known Biden expression.

Fundamentally, we continue to pay homage to the brilliant English Philosopher, John Locke for the enlightened doctrine that Man is born with a “tabula rasa” (a clean slate) and that his knowledge is attained (solely) by his experience. Accordingly, we are fearful lest the potential results of A-I alter or distort society’s dynamics which are existentially based on empirical reality.

We have jointly and onerously experienced the pain and confusion engendered by Donald Trump’s self-serving and neurotically biased institution of “alternate facts.” It permissibly may be observed, however, that, as a measure of some meager, comparative mitigation, the latter scourge evinced the capability of discerning its source and motivation. This phenomenon may be functionally compared with the undetermined, malevolent source and object of the deceitful content, inherent in “Artificial Intelligence.”

Recent efforts to contain or eliminate A-I were made by striking film and television writers, fearing its predictable potential for unpaid and wrongful exploitation of their creative work. In addition, there are well-founded concerns relative to improper surveillance and privacy rights. One cannot resist, as well, concerns relative to the ultimate safety of autonomous vehicles. Finally, A-I may also pose an imminent threat of replacement to human beings engaged in intellectual jobs.

However, it must be emphasized that our salient and foremost concern created by the unrelenting exponential march of computerized “advancements” is founded in their irrelevancy and disregard for the vital and nuanced needs of humankind.

The conduct of some cursory research demonstrates that A-I was of significant utility in the conduct of stem cell research and is presently in exploration for utility in some additional areas such as health care and manufacturing. Nevertheless, it is our view that these complex systems may prove to result in more societal harm than economic good. With no critical oversight, A-I software may prove to be economically useful and efficient, but harmful in its determinations, dynamically and efficiently made without empathic consideration of their humanistic and empathic implications.  

–p.

The human species is eugenically denominated, “Homo sapiens” and universally characterized as “sentient.” It is our understanding that the terms, “sapiens” relate to intelligence and “sentient” to “responsive” (to his environment). Nevertheless, after a felt eternity of an arduous struggle for tolerance, we have reached the saturation point of MAGA ignorance, false conspiracy ideations, and sophomoric attempts at the obfuscation of reality. A more accurate term for such sub-category of humankind might be more factually descriptive, such as “Homo dopo.”

As observed in prior writings, the surprise ascendency of the inauspicious miscreant, Donald J. Trump to America’s Oval Office, appears to have sent a notably retrogressive message to the Nation relative to the progress of society to enlightenment and social equality. It seems to have attracted a substantial, formerly amorphous, and unheard, from, discontented populist citizens to his cult-like obeisance. The “reign” of this erratic, incapable, and egocentric head of state, at his instance, saw the fundamental concept of “truth” replaced by the subjective concept of “alternate facts,” the denigration of the Constitution and the Law, and the societal recognition of moral compass. Trump’s many cultish followers perceived his misleading trope, “Make America Great Again” (MAGA), as an effort to assuage their disparate grounds of discontent. Such virulent pathology swiftly metastasized with presenting symptomatic impact in the world of many legislators and other political officials; the latter, fearful of the votes of the numerous MAGA acolytes. The Nation was consigned to the official devaluation of empirical truth and personally held standards of morality, the democratically vital, institution of the free press, and, broadly, America’s foundational institutions. Such damage to the basic tenets of the Nation has persisted following Trump’s singular term of office and constitutes a matter of concern by mainstream citizens as to the existence and endurance of our Democratic Republic.

In such a worrisome political context, we have been relegated to serial falsity and prevarication, bizarre conspiracy ideations such as medical vaccines that purportedly contain micro-computers for citizen surveillance, rockets shot to Earth by Israel, voter machines and ballots secretly altered, and most devastating, the assertion that the election was rigged and victory “stolen” from the ego-centric and paranoid, Donald Trump (the “Big Lie”). The latter deceit, albeit fully disproven, remains loyally subscribed to by Trump’s large worshipful, populist cult.

The Nation has been further confronted with false, witless, and, candidly speaking, “birdbrained” political attempts to tactically undermine the regular process of democratic government. If such attempts were not so facially dim-witted, they indeed might be threatening. We will summarize three selected examples of such sophomoric and irrational arguments with which, as stated at the outset of this writing, we have come to a state of exhaustion, due to their facially obvious deep-seated inanity.

The first is the unhinged and sophomorically declared intention to impeach, the President, Joseph Biden, and his DHS Secretary, Alejandro Mayorkas. The same is a witless response to the impeachments of their miscreant cult leader, President Donald Trump.

The Constitution specifically defines the legal basis for the impeachment of a President, as having committed “high crimes and misdemeanors.” The twice-impeached Trump has after an official inquiry been found guilty of voter interference, initiating and managing a violent insurrection against the American Government, treason, tax fraud, rape, defamation, bribery to cover up his brisk commerce with prostitutes, larceny, criminal purloining and the disclosure of top secret government documents, treasonous liaisons with foreign enemy leaders, lying under oath and substantial violations of the Constitutional “Emolument Clause.”  By contrast, relevant to Biden and Mayorkas, there appears to be no proof presented supporting any claims of wrongdoing (let alone, “high crimes and misdemeanors). Such desire is revelatory of an insipid and jejune level of adolescent justice (“tit for tat”) and consistent with the revealed, colossal ignorance of Trump and his sycophantic (MAGA) followers.

The second  (of many)of the three selected bogus and unjustifiable MAGA assertions is the tactical denial that the provisions of Article 14 (3) of the U.S. Constitution are inapplicable and insufficient to ban Trump from once more, standing for election for President.

The authorizing language is simple, clear, and not subject to self-interested interpretation. It indisputably provides that any officeholder who has taken the Federal oath of office and participates in an insurrection against the Government shall be ineligible to stand for, or hold office. There can exist no remaining doubt that Donald Trump was the planner, inciter, and manager of the January 6, 2020 insurrection. The shameless assertion by the right wing of the inapplicability to Trump of this  clear and self-executing provision is remarkably at odds with its historically zealous support of the “literal” and “original intent” interpretations of the Constitution; it is comparable to “a tale, told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, and signifying nothing.” [Shakespeare, “Macbeth”).

Our third selected instance of such partisan and shameless inanity is the MAGA assertion that, in the airtight prosecution of Trump’s respecting his overt illegal, and unconstitutional interference with the Georgia vote for President (much of which was viewed on public television) the Prosecuting Attorney, Fani Lewis, should be dismissed from such iron-clad case based upon an alleged sexual liaison with one of the prosecuting staff.

The state of acute desperation implicit in the desperate manufacture of such a strained and irrelevant issue concerning the alleged sexual affair is, rationally, light years away in relevance to the facts and issues in the case against Donald Trump, for voter interference in Georgia’s Presidential election. The entire public, inclusive of the MAGA cultists, must be rationally aware that there is an open-and-shut case against their revered, orange-haired miscreant, and, specifically, that the private social life of the prosecuting attorney is far from a relevant consideration in Trump’s proven crime against the Republic.

It is terrifying to consider the possibility that the American Ship of State could, conceivably be guided by such demonstrably harebrained and untoward navigators.

*T\hanks to Charles Darwin for our slightly mutated use of his classic title, “Origin of the Species.”

-p.

The human species, as commonly known, has been eugenically denominated, “Homo sapiens” and universally characterized as “sentient.” It is our understanding that the term, “sapiens” relates to intelligence and “sentient” to “responsive” (to his environment). Nevertheless, after a felt eternity of an arduous struggle for tolerance, we now confess to having reached the saturation point concerning MAGA ignorance, its conspiracy ideations, and sophomoric attempts at obfuscation of reality. A more accurate term for such sub-category of humankind might be more empirically descriptive, such as “Homo dopo.”

As observed in prior writings, the surprise ascendency of the inauspicious miscreant, Donald J. Trump to America’s Oval Office, sent a notably retrogressive message to the Nation relative to the enlightened progress of society. It seems to have attracted a substantial, formerly amorphous, and silent population of discontented populist citizens to his cult-like obeisance. The “reign” of this erratic, incapable, and egocentric head of state, at his direction, saw the fundamental concept of “truth” replaced by the subjective concept of “alternate facts,” the denigration of the Constitution, the Law, and the accepted societal recognition of moral compass. Trump’s many cultish followers ascribed his misleading trope, “Make America Great Again” (MAGA), to a perceived effort to assuage their disparate grounds of discontent. Such virulent pathology swiftly metastasized with presenting symptomatic effects in the world of many legislators and other political officials, fearful of the votes of the numerous MAGA acolytes. Tragically, the Nation was consigned to the devaluation of empirical truth and personally held standards of morality, the institution of the free press, and, broadly, America’s foundational institutions. Unfortunately, such potential for damage to the basic tenets of our Nation has persisted after Trump’s singular term of office and presently constitutes a matter of existential concern for mainstream American citizens concerned for the endurance of our Democratic Republic.

In this worrisome political context, we have been relegated to falsity and serial prevarication, fantastic conspiracy ideations such as medical vaccines that contain micro-computers for citizen surveillance, rockets shot to Earth by Israel, voter machines and ballots secretly altered, and most devastating, that the election was rigged and victory “stolen” from the ego-centric and paranoid, Donald Trump (the “Big Lie”). The latter deceitful charge albeit disproven, remains loyally subscribed to, by Trump’s large populist cult.

In recent days the Nation has been further confronted with false, witless, and, frankly speaking, “birdbrained” political attempts to tactically undermine the regular process of democratic government. If such attempts were not so facially dim-witted, they might be threatening. We will summarize three examples of such averred sophomoric and irrational arguments; however, as stated at the beginning of this writing we are thoroughly exhausted by their deep-seated inanity.

The first is the unhinged and childishly declared intention to “impeach,” the President, Joseph Biden, and his DHS Secretary, Alejandro Mayorkas, apparently, as an inane, sophomoric response to the impeachments of their miscreant cult leader, President Donald Trump. The Constitution defines the grounds for impeachment of a President, as having committed “high crimes and misdemeanors.” The twice-impeached Trump has, after an official inquiry been found guilty of voter interference, initiating and managing a violent insurrection against the American Government, treason, tax fraud, rape, defamation, bribery to cover up his brisk commerce with prostitutes, larceny, and disclosure of top secret government documents, treasonous liaisons with foreign enemy leaders, lying under oath and substantial violations of the Constitutional “Emolument Clause.”  By bright contrast, there appear to be no facts presented, supporting any claims of wrongdoing (let alone, “high crimes and misdemeanors) relevant to Biden and Mayorkas. Such childish and ignorant desire is revelatory of an insipid and jejune level of adolescent justice (“tit for tat”) and consistent with the evident state of colossal ignorance of Trump and his sycophantic (MAGA) followers.

The second of the three selected bogus and unjustifiable MAGA assertions (of the many) is that the provisions of Article 14 (3) of the U.S. Constitution are inapplicable and insufficient to ban Trump from once more, standing for election for President.

The authorizing language is simple, clear, and not potentially subject to tactical interpretation. It indisputably provides that any officeholder who has taken the Federal oath of office and participates in an insurrection against the Government shall be ineligible to stand for, or hold office. There can exist no remaining doubt that Donald Trump was the planner, inciter, and manager of the January 6, 2020 insurrection. The shameless assertion, of the inapplicability to Trump of this  clear and self-executing provision, is shamelessly, enunciated by the Conservative Right;  notably, the historically zealous supporters of the “literal” and “original intent” interpretations of the Constitution is comparable to “a tale, told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, and signifying nothing.” [Shakespeare, “Macbeth”).

Our third selection of such partisan and shameless inanity is the MAGA assertion that, in the airtight case of Trump’s overt illegal, and unconstitutional interference with the Georgia vote for President (much of which was viewed on public television) the Prosecuting Attorney, Fani Lewis, should be dismissed from the iron-clad case based upon a claimed sexual liaison with one of the prosecuting staff.

The desperation implicit in the manufacture of such a strained and irrelevant issue concerning the alleged sexual affair is factually light years away in relevance to the facts and issues in the case against Donald Trump, for voter interference in Georgia’s Presidential election. The entire public, inclusive of the MAGA cultists, is well aware that there is an open-and-shut case against their revered, orange-haired miscreant, and, deep down of the rational view that the private social life of the prosecuting attorney is far from a relevant consideration respecting Trump’s crime against the Republic.

It is terrifying to consider the possibility that the American Ship of State could, conceivably be guided by such demonstrably harebrained and untoward navigators.

*Thanks to Charles Darwin for our slightly mutated use of his classic title, “Origin of the Species.”

-p.
 

We would estimate that the January 6, 2021 insurrection, uncontestably merits the gold medal for the most popularly viewed political event in television history. On that date, a violent mob of Trump supporters, incited and supported by him, attacked Washington’s Capital Building, protesting his defeat in the 2020 Presidential election. Capitol police Officers were killed, irreplaceable historical treasures were disfigured and destroyed, windows and doors were smashed and the occupants of the Capital building were terrorized. In addition to Trump’s admissions of direct responsibility for said turpitude, the official House Investigation Committee, following an extensive and televised formal hearing, confirmed that the insurrection took place pursuant to a plan devised by Trump to overturn the result of the election. Trump was officially impeached for this unprecedented and un-American travesty.

Article 14 (3) of the Constitution provides, clearly and unmistakably, that Congress has the authority to bar public officials, (in this case, the President), from holding office, if they “engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the Constitution.” Regarding the specious issue, raised by MAGA sycophants, as to the applicability of said disqualification to the office of the President, we would notably observe the specifically inclusive words of the Article which state: “…or hold any office, civil or military.”

It is telling that many of the Conservative proponents of “Originalism” who, persistently have held that the Constitution’s legal text should legally be interpreted in strict accordance with the “original understanding” at the time of its adoption, and the “Strict Constructionists,” who would eternally restrict Constitutional interpretation to its exact wording, are now conveniently silent.

What is most disturbing to us is the MAGA-influenced distortion of plain justice and elementary logic (including, unfortunately, members of the judiciary) who, in their expressed, purported concern for the principles of democracy, maintain that, despite the travesty orchestrated by him, seeking to overturn the verified election results by force of violence, the decision as to Trump’s eligibility to run for President, be properly decided by the voters. By the most rudimentary exercise of reason, such a contrived position is patently inappropriate and factually bizarre. Indeed, the deceit and funhouse mirror-type distortion evidenced by this deceitfully positive-sounding argument is infuriating. The same would be equivalent, in its degree of wisdom and pragmatic sense to a strategic decision to, proverbially, assign the guarding of the hen house to the predatory fox.

The bizarre and flawed, “Mad Hatter” reasoning, all too evident in the tactically inappropriate suggestion, reveals itself as nothing short of absolute absurdity when one considers Trump’s publicly stated and demonstrated autocratic denigration of the democratic election process.  It is indisputable that the televised, Bastille-like insurrection, mounted by thousands of Trump supporters against the elective process mandated by our Constitution, was factually incited and supported by him, intent on overturning the verified result of America’s election.

To irrationally and undeservedly reward Donald Trump, instead of the application of the clear self-enforcing disqualifying mandate of the Constitution, the uncalled-for and factually absurd privilege of relying on voter choice would be, with, due respect, analogous to the indecorous offering of the Holy Office of the Pope to a bedrock atheist.    –p.