View From the Editor’s Desk … Stockpile of This ‘n That

Good Thursday! We had a heck of a thunderstorm through the central Shenandoah Valley last night with winds that briefly reminded of the 2012 deracho. They weren’t as strong or as sustained but the trees were wildly dancing as the storm built up steam. The rain that fell was welcomed because we are dealing with very dry conditions in western Virginia.

Some thoughts from the political world….

-Conservative Republican Adam Kinzinger, former congressman, member of the January 6 Committee, Air Force veteran, and once a tea party darling, announced Wednesday that he was endorsing President Joe Biden, noting that Donald Trump was too dangerous to send back to the White House.  “… while I certainly don’t agree with President Biden on everything, and I never thought I’d be endorsing a Democrat for president, I know that he will always protect the very thing that makes America the best country in the world: our democracy,”

Former Georgia Republican Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan had announced in May that he will also be voting for Biden. He has been sounding the alarm since Trump barged into Georgia’s 2020 election results and tried to persuade officials to “find” him additional votes so he could win that state. Duncan pointed out, “Unlike Trump, I’ve belonged to the GOP my entire life. This November, I am voting for a decent person I disagree with on policy over a criminal defendant without a moral compass.”

-Are you planning to watch tonight’s debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump? It is the first meeting of the two candidates in this 2024 presidential campaign – and the earliest ever. For 90 minutes there will be an exchange of some kind between Democratic President Joe Biden and Republican challenger Donald Trump. I have to pause after typing that and pinch myself because, like most everything that has happened the past nine years since Trump first came on the scene, it’s yet another, “I can’t believe this is happening,” event.

Trump, who inspired the January 6, 2021, insurrection on the U.S. Capitol, has 34 felony convictions along with three additional cases waiting to go to court, and was found liable for sexually abusing and defaming E. Jean Carroll, is the Republican presidential candidate for 2024. For those who worked hard in the past to respectfully represent the party, candidates, and elected officials, today’s Republican Party is a slap in the face because, to them, anything goes. Exhibit A: Donald Trump.

While President Biden worked with his staff on debate prep, Trump continued on the campaign trail heading up rallies where he spouted more lies. It is mind-boggling the sheer volume of untruths that come out of that man’s mouth.

This morning as I read more of the garbage coming from the Trump camp (I won’t repeat it here because we all are hit full in the face every day with a barrage of untruths unleashed like a fire hose), I sat back in my chair remembering the GOP days of past. My eyes drifted to the bookcase where they fell on A Charge to Keep and Decision Points, both books by Republican President George W. Bush (2000-08).

Those were the days of compassionate conservativism. The days of civility. Respect. Empathy. Integrity. Fairness. Responsibility. Trustworthiness. Compassion. Humility.

The days of character-driven leadership.

In today’s GOP if someone has those qualities, they are usually purged from the party. Mitt Romney is a case in point with his announcement a while back that he would not be running for reelection in November (“While I’m not running for re-election, I’m not retiring from the fight). He is the epitome of what Republicans strived to be in the past. Think also of Reps. Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger, even U.S. Sen. Jeff Flake, all former members of Congress who stood for law and order while adhering to the Constitution. They are by no means the only ones.

Where do the decent Republicans go? Or do they continue to wander in the wilderness? For those who have been hoping for change, who have always been involved as workers and volunteers and electeds, I suspect they will take their time, talent, energy, and financial generosity, and find a home elsewhere.

I don’t really want to tune in tonight … I’m so over the Trump show … but this is about the future of our country and the world we will leave for our kids. Those are pretty strong incentives for me. It will be all over the airwaves from 9-10:30pm. Details here.

Bearing Drift content partner and former House of Delegates member Chris Saxman will host a Debate Watch Zoom tonight with panelists. Details here.

-From the mailbag, a reader asked if we planned to talk about Project 2025, a creation of the what-I-used-to-think-was-conservative Heritage Foundation. My answer is yes. I have been very slowly working my way through the 920-page Christian Nationalist manifesto so it will take a while if you wait for me to write about it.

Luckily, many others are reading and writing about it so Project 2025 is really getting out there for non-MAGAs to learn of the massive changes planned if Donald Trump wins in November. Bottom line: if you care about the Constitution and America, do not let Donald Trump anywhere near the White House ever again.

A number of groups and organizations are delving into Project 2025 and will be disseminating its appalling blueprint for changing America under a Trump White House. One group is the House Democrats who plan to launch a congressional task force, Stop Project 2025, to prepare leaders and the population about what Trump is planning.

Democratic Congressman Jared Huffman gave a glimpse into what we as a nation are up against:

Within the first 180 days of taking office, the plan calls for attacks on reproductive rights, the rule of law, and the expansion of the cruel and inhumane immigration policies from the Trump administration. Project 2025 is a comprehensive plan that would touch every department of the federal government and fundamentally reshape the lives of the American people. The Project’s four-pronged strategy that includes:

• A laundry list of extreme policies to be enacted across the federal government;
• A blueprint for how to use existing authority – or expand the power of the presidency – to implement right-wing policy proposals;
• A database of right-wing ideologues who wholeheartedly endorse this power grab and far-right policies;
• Training for staff so they can more efficiently enact this extreme agenda.

While Project 2025 is being run out of the Heritage Foundation, its advisors include former Trump White House aides like Stephen Miller, and more than half the groups supporting the effort have received $21.5 million in funding from Leonard Leo’s dark money network.

I’ve not heard of Republican representatives speaking out against Project 2025. But in answer to our reader’s question, yes, we plan to share highlights of the anti-American Project 2025.

-In the 5th Congressional District, John McGuire has won the primary but Rep. Bob Good and his people appear to be planning to pursue legal avenues including a recount to try and find a path to victory. Fundraising letters have gone out in the District to finance the endeavor. It’s worth keeping in mind that, historically, recounts usually don’t overturn an election. As an aside, the 5th District committee meeting is this Saturday so I would expect the primary will be front and center on everyone’s minds.

-Today Sabato’s Crystal Ball from UVA’s Center for Politics delves into voters who only “somewhat” disapprove of President Biden’s job performance, and how they play into November’s election. It presents interesting points and is worth the read.

-SCOTUS Blog is keeping up with the emerging Supreme Court opinions but yesterday was something unexpected. From SCOTUS reporter Amy Howe (Supreme Court appears to allow emergency abortions in Idaho):

Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday afternoon that the Supreme Court briefly accidentally posted an opinion on its website that would allow medical professionals to continue providing abortions in emergency situations in Idaho. The court’s Public Information Office has indicated that the opinion in a pair of cases, Moyle v. United States and Idaho v. United States, was “inadvertently and briefly uploaded” to the court’s website.

Oops.

This morning’s official opinion on this issue was released shortly after 10:00am and it has caused more confusion for the medical providers in Idaho. Read more at the Washington Post and SCOTUS Blog.

Meanwhile, people familiar with the court noted the Chief Justice usually announces the day before the end of the session that that is, indeed, the day before the last day. He did not announce today so after tomorrow’s release of opinions, more are expected next week.

We’re still waiting for the Supreme Court’s opinion telling Americans that nobody is above the law … including Donald John Trump. When will that come … and is that what they will say?

Well, that was more than I intended to write today but so be it. So much to say, so little time. Stay cool in the hot temps….

~Lynn