Category: Uncategorized

Since Ted Cruz raised the topic, I guess we should talk about “Values.”
Cruz says that Donald Trump has “New York values,” which he defines as “socially liberal, pro-abortion, pro-gay marriage, focus around money and the media.” He doubled down on that appraisal the following day with his faux apology.
So, since we’re talking about “values,” let’s talk about what Cruz represents.
Ted Cruz is unabashedly anti-immigrant.
Despite his self-proclaimed stirring narrative about being the product of an immigrant marriage and being born in Canada, he has rushed to proclaim the need to tighten the borders and has applauded Donald Trump’s advocacy of building a wall on the southern border of the nation.
When Trump proclaimed that Mexican and Central-American immigrants were “rapists” and criminals, his lack of criticism and silence, despite also being Hispanic, was deafening. Trump’s call to bar all Muslims from entering the United States was greeted with the tepid response that it wasn’t his idea.
Cruz would turn back the clock on marriage equality and every other right sought or obtained by our fellow gay Americans, including the right to be treated equally in public accommodations and other businesses serving the public.
Cruz would like to outlaw a woman’s right to choose and supported stripping the requirement that contraception be provided under the Affordable Care Act. He would defund Planned Parenthood. He is opposed to equal pay for women and voted against the Violence Against Women Act.
Cruz opposes affirmative action and supports abolishing the Departments of Education, Commerce, Energy and the Internal Revenue Service.
His pronouncements on the campaign trail stop just short of substituting a theocracy for democracy. I suspect that a proposal to replace the Department of Justice with a Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice isn’t too long in coming from Cruz.
The Republican Party appears to be panicked at the prospect of a potential Trump or Cruz candidacy for President. If I were them, I wouldn’t be too alarmed. All they need to do is find a Vice-Presidential nominee that is more moderate than either of them.
I’m sure Mullah Omar is out there somewhere.

Anatole France once wrote, “The law in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, beg in the streets and steal bread.” If he were alive today, he would have to add “unless you are suffering from Affluenza.”
On June 15, 2013 Ethan Crouch, age sixteen, driving on a restricted license, stole a case of beer and went joy-riding with three friends. He hit four pedestrians who were killed and his passengers were left paralyzed and with brain injuries. He was charged with four counts of vehicular manslaughter and other charges. His very wealthy parents hired a metal health expert who testified that Crouch should be spared prison because he was suffering from “Affluenza.”
He testified that “Affluenza” made Crouch “unable to link his bad behavior with consequences because of his parents teaching him that wealth buys privilege.” To the astonishment of everyone, the judge apparently found this opinion credible and in December 2014 sentenced Crouch to ten years’ probation with conditions requiring that he not drink alcohol or drive.
In early December of 2015, Crouch’s “affluenza” was apparently unabated because he appeared in a video on Twitter participating in a drinking game. Crouch’s mother apparently suffering from her own case of “affluenza,” because, rather than have her son face the consequences of his probation violation, fled with him to Mexico where they were captured on December 28, 2015.
It seems that there is only one way Crouch will be cured of this wretched condition. He needs to learn the consequences of his bad behavior by pondering it for a long time in a jail cell. His mother could benefit from this treatment too.

Welcome to my blog.
For the past nineteen years I’ve been somewhat restricted by the Code of Judicial Conduct from commenting about news and current events. In this New Year and in retirement, that restriction is lifted and I’m free to comment without reservation.
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