Global

Will California’s gubernatorial candidates realize that they could split the vote enough in the primary to create a Republican victory? The 2016 Washington State Treasurer’s race offers a cautionary tale. All candidates competed together in the primary under similar rules to California. Three strong Democratic candidates split their vote nearly evenly, totaling 51.6%. But because there were only two Republicans to divide their smaller 48.4% share, the November ballot was Republican vs Republican. Washington got a Republican state Treasurer despite Hillary Clinton beating Donald Trump by 16 points in the state.

The same could happen this year in California, where eight Democrats are running for governor. All three Democrats running to succeed a highly-respected Washington State treasurer were smart and capable, with strong endorsements and relevant experience. I remember my own struggle to decide between them. But when they and the two Republicans all split nearly evenly, the November election ended up being Republican vs Republican even though the Democrats drew more total votes.

I've got to give credit where credit is due. Ana Kasparian is a beautiful and exceptionally courageous American journalist of Armenian descent. She fiercely defends Palestinians and Muslims within a Zionist-dominated American media landscape, as if she were Palestinian herself. She challenges the dominant narrative with remarkable strength, eloquence, and conviction. She and her husband are now being subjected to vile smear campaigns from both Zionist and right-wing critics, escalating even to death threats.

Ms. Kasparian has more than 282,000 followers on Instagram (@anakasparianofficial) and 638,000 followers on X (@anakasparian). She primarily shares political commentary and highlights, along with aspects of her personal life, on these platforms. She is widely recognized as a prominent Armenian American journalist and media personality, serving as a host and producer for The Young Turks.

Some Interesting Facts About Ana Kasparian

* Ana is 39 years old.

* In kindergarten, she spoke only Armenian.

* As a child, she watched classic Sesame Street, which helped her learn English.

Malcolm X was one of the most dynamic and misunderstood leaders in the United States in the middle of the twentieth century. He was tall, handsome, extraordinarily charismatic, and a spell bounding, fiery orator. While he never received mainstream acceptance during his lifetime, his impact on the country and in black America is undeniable.

Introduction

There are so many indications of how poorly and undemocratically Trump is using the power of his presidency. Still, he continues to have the support of his enormous MAGA base. He dominates the Republican Party and has the support of large segments of the rich and powerful. His party controls both the House and Senate. He can count on the Supreme Court to support him in significant ways, by giving him immunity from the law while he is president, as one example.

One miscalculated way Trump uses this power is to take the country to war in Iran. It can be a distraction from other problems the president faces –the lackluster economy, the healthcare crisis, the absence of job creation, the angry responses to the effects of his tariffs, his relationship to Epstein, the low ratings he gets for his presidency, and so forth. But Trump’s Iran war exacerbates all these problems.

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The Iran War

Those who had the misfortune of growing up in a war zone require no explanation. War is hell, it is true—but for children, it is something else entirely: a confusing, disorienting fate that defies comprehension.

There are children who live only briefly, experiencing whatever life manages to offer them: the love of parents, the camaraderie of siblings, the fragile joys and inevitable hardships of existence.

There are over 20,000 children in this category who have been killed in Gaza over the span of roughly two years, according to figures released by the Gaza Health Ministry and repeatedly cited by United Nations agencies. Some were born and killed within the same short timeframe.

Nuclear power is inseparable from Donald Trump.  If you support atomic energy, you are also supporting the financial fortunes of the Trump family.

Trump is a major investor in the nuclear industry.  He has invested heavily in the development of fusion power and stands to massively profit from its proliferation.

He also controls the obliteration of the regulatory apparatus designed to guarantee its safety in the United States. Trump’s war in Iran has vastly escalated the potential threat of potentially apocalyptic drone strikes on atomic reactors, now a factor in Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine.

Team Trump has made a very public and effective show of tangibly attacking nuclear power’s primary replacements, wind turbines and solar panels, along with geothermal and battery backup.

He has also heavily assaulted electric vehicles, which threaten the business of his fossil fuel backers.

The Myth of "Unquestioned Authority" ​

We are witnessing a historic collision between the old world of "immunity" and a new era of global accountability. Whether we are discussing the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East or the legal framework of the Ohio Revised Code, the fundamental question remains the same: Should any entity be it a superpower or a state official be "Too Big to Fail" or "Too Powerful to Sue"? 

​For decades, the United States has operated under a form of "Strategic Qualified Immunity." In the economic sector, the dominance of the U.S. Dollar allowed our institutions to act without the transparency that true competition requires. In the military sector, a similar doctrine of "unquestioned authority" led many to believe that the use of force could be projected indefinitely without a direct "Right to a Remedy" from the international community. ​

Begins with solar panels on our balconies brought by the great RON LEONARD.

We then work to save our elections for 2026 with JOHN BRAKEY of Arizona.

The great CHRISIAN NUNEZ introduces the a new foundation to protect the rights of women.

Atlanta’s RAY MCCLENDON tells about election protection for the coming mid-terms.

From NY we get more from Mickey Leader.

With a deep personal dive TATANKA BRICCA tells us of the tragedy and triumphs of DOLORES HUERTA and CESAR CHAVEZ.

We mourn the deaths and chaos at LaGuardia and throughout the US airline system.

Longtime network heavy hitter DAVID SALTMAN gives us the inside scoop on the fall of the Columbia Broadcast System.

Co-host MYLA RESON, San Francisco’s BRYAN FOSTER and many more chime in on Iran, authoritarianism and the truly devastating state of American life today.  .

Join us for more next week!!!