About Author: Bruce Berlin

Bruce Berlin is a retired, public sector ethics attorney. He is the author of Breaking Big Money’s Grip on America (See breakingbigmoneysgrip.com.), the founder of New Mexicans for Money Out of Politics, a former U.S. Institute of Peace fellow, the founder and former executive director of The Trinity Forum for International Security and Conflict Resolution, and a practitioner of Buddhist meditation. He can be reached at breakingbigmoneysgrip@gmail.com.

The Struggle for the Soul of America: Biden on the Brink

Posted on April 21, 2024 by Author: Bruce Berlin

I turned on the news Friday morning to learn that Israel had bombed Iran in retaliation for the Islamic State’s missile attack on the Jewish state last weekend. Fortunately, Israel’s counterattack was measured and caused relatively little damage to Iran. Now the world waits to see if the Iranian leaders will retaliate in turn. Or, hopefully, since their losses were minor, the Iranians may be content to leave matters as is, as long as Israel does the same. Still, these two enemies have brought their mutual enmity to the brink of all-out war. No one can be happy about that.

At the same time, the Israeli-Hamas War drags on in Gaza. While President Biden urges Prime Minister Netanyahu to halt the Israeli offensive and agree to a ceasefire, again the world waits, this time, to see what Israel will do next.

Meanwhile, Congress is preparing to send more unconditional military assistance to our Middle East ally in its battle against Hamas.[1] Biden’s support for the $26 billion aid for Israel just approved by Congress this weekend is further alienating the Muslin American community from the president:

Many Muslim Americans were already furious with the Biden administration over its handling of the Israel-Hamas war, with activists organizing Democrats to vote “uncommitted” rather than support the president in some state primaries this year.[2]

Such aid only undercuts any efforts by the Biden administration to stop the fighting. What incentive does Netanyahu have to cease his offensive in Gaza if the U.S. continues supplying him with the means to keep it going? It makes no sense. Moreover, the administration’s unwillingness to get tough with Israel as more and more innocent Gazans become collateral damage or starve to death hurts Biden’s re-election campaign.

The longer this war continues, the greater the possibility of Iran and its surrogates coming to the aid of Hamas and creating a much larger regional war. As noted in Foreign Affairs:

Biden urgently needs to articulate and then implement a clear strategy to protect Palestinian civilians from bearing the brunt of Israel’s military operations, counter Iran’s corrosive war-by-proxy strategy, and blunt the capabilities of Tehran’s accomplices.[3]

The war is taking a toll on Biden’s support.[4] Less than 40% of Americans now support Israel’s actions in Gaza.[5] And only 33% now support Biden’s handling of the conflict.[6] If the war is not concluded in the next few months, the president may very well be on the brink of defeat in November. Biden could lose swing states like Arizona, Michigan and Wisconsin that he won by small margins in 2020.[7] He needs to use the full force of his office to quickly step up his efforts to end the war or risk losing the presidency this fall.

Bruce Berlin

A retired, public sector ethics attorney, Berlin is the author of Breaking Big Money’s Grip on America (See breakingbigmoneysgrip.com.), the founder of New Mexicans for Money Out of Politics, a former U.S. Institute of Peace fellow, and the founder and former executive director of The Trinity Forum for International Security and Conflict Resolution. He can be reached at breakingbigmoneysgrip@gmail.com. Subscribe to this blog at https://breakingbigmoneysgrip.com/my-blog-3/

[1] https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/04/19/israel-ukraine-aid-house-speaker-mike-johnson/

[2] https://www.yahoo.com/news/muslim-americans-soured-biden-see-024447720.html

[3] https://www.foreignaffairs.com/iran/irans-order-chaos-suzanne-maloney?check_logged_in=1&utm_medium=promo_email&utm_source=lo_flows&utm_campaign=registered_user_welcome&utm_term=email_1&utm_content=20240419

[4] https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/israels-war-gaza-political-flashpoint-risk-bidens-coalition/story?id=108962662

[5] https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/04/19/americans-israel-gaza-polling/

[6] https://www.cbsnews.com/news/biden-israel-gaza-poll-cbs-news/

[7] https://www.politico.com/2020-election/results/wisconsin/; https://www.yahoo.com/news/muslim-americans-soured-biden-see-024447720.html; https://www.cnn.com/election/2020/results/state/michigan

The Struggle for the Soul of America: The Issues Likely to Decide the 2024 Elections

Posted on April 13, 2024 by Author: Bruce Berlin

There are so many diverse issues in this year’s elections that it’s hard to tell which ones may determine the outcome next November. Of course, the economy, including inflation, will play an important role in the election. It always does.

But I believe four other issues will be critically important in this election. Specifically, abortion, the Israel-Hamas War, immigration, and democracy. Let’s them take one at a time.

Abortion. Like Biden, the great majority of Americans support a woman’s right to choose. That includes 43% of Republicans. About 1 in 8 voters (12%) now say that abortion is the most important issue for their vote in the 2024 elections.[1] While Trump recently declared that the abortion issue should be left up to the states, he takes pride in having appointed the three Supreme Court justices responsible for overturning Roe v. Wade.

Given the opportunity, the Republican Party will likely enact a national ban on abortion. Despite his latest statement, I doubt Trump would risk the fury of conservatives by vetoing an abortion ban bill. As president, he would undoubtedly sign a national ban. Abortion rights supporters know that voting for Biden is the only way to absolutely prevent that from happening. A strong turnout by them in critical swing states could very well be the decisive factor in the election. In fact, the Democrats could win both the House and the Senate as well with a compelling pro-choice campaign.

Israel-Hamas War. On the other hand, Biden’s handling of the war has cost him support among youth,[2] Arab-Americans, and others. Many Democrats, including Sens. Sanders and Kaine who come from different wings of the party, have criticized Biden’s failure to condition U.S. aid to Israel and to demand a ceasefire.[3] Recently, the president appears to finally be pressuring Israel, but it could be too little too late. He needs to stand up to Prime Minister Netanyahu and force Israel to end the war by cutting off unconditional aid.

Unfortunately, the end to the war is nowhere in sight. This could cost Biden the election. We need to lobby the Biden administration to take immediate steps to severely limit civilian casualties, demand a permanent ceasefire, and make further aid to Israel conditional.

Immigration. This issue offers Biden a significant challenge as well as a great opportunity. The Republicans blame Biden for the huge number of undocumented immigrants entering the U.S. from Mexico. Yet, it was Trump who pushed the Republicans to reject their own border security bill, which would have gone a long way toward solving the crisis at our southern border.[4]

The challenge for Biden is to reframe immigration as beneficial in the minds and hearts of Americans. We are a nation of immigrants who came to the United States seeking a better life. Immigrants make valuable contributions to our country in farming and numerous other endeavors. We need them to keep our economy strong. They want to be here and, on average, are more law-abiding than native-born Americans.[5]

If he reframes the issue, Biden has an opportunity to turn immigration into a winner for Democrats. While we must secure our borders and control the number of immigrants entering our country, immigrants are a valuable asset to America. Trump formulates immigration as a crime and security issue. Actually, it’s an economic and humanitarian matter. Biden needs to confront Trump head-on and set the record straight.

Democracy. If elected, Trump wants to be a dictator on day one of his presidency. He idolizes autocrats like Russia’s Putin and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un and envisions having the supreme power they have. Since the great majority of Republican officeholders support Trump and desire the same control over America that he does, they all need to be defeated. The Democrats need to make this clear to the voting public.

Whether American democracy survives could be the biggest issue in this year’s election. Biden and all Democrats running for office in November should make the survival of our democracy the central theme of their campaigns. Will we, the people continue to have a voice in determining abortion, immigration, and all other public policies? Or will the United States become an authoritarian regime led by Trump?

The path to victory for Biden and the Democrats is clear. Whether they have the vision and wisdom to take it is another question.

Bruce Berlin

Subscribe to this blog at https://breakingbigmoneysgrip.com/my-blog-3/.

[1] https://www.kff.org/womens-health-policy/press-release/1-in-8-voters-say-abortion-is-most-important-to-their-vote-they-lean-democratic-support-biden-and-want-abortion-to-be-legal/

[2] https://www.vox.com/2024-elections/24125496/young-voters-trump-biden-polling

[3] https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2024/04/05/congress/bernies-advice-to-biden-on-israel-00150808

[4] https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/republicans-kill-border-bill-sign-trumps-strength-mcconnells-waning-in-rcna137477

[5] https://siepr.stanford.edu/news/mythical-tie-between-immigration-and-crime

The Struggle for the Soul of America: Back Home Refreshed and Recharged

Posted on April 2, 2024 by Author: Bruce Berlin

Back home in New Mexico after a month in Panama. It felt like another world there, and for the most part, it was. Above all, my trip gave me the time and space to reflect on the past, more clearly see the present, and imagine future possible directions around the next bend or two. Not just for my future, but for my relationship with my partner Margaret, for the various communities I’m part of, and for our country.

I highly recommend finding the time and space to take such a journey. It was a truly valuable experience for me. And, you don’t have to go all the way to exotic Panama to do it. Just set aside a day or two in a quiet place in your home or somewhere nearby.

The most insightful realization I received on my trip is that I need to slow down. Being in Lago Bay certainly pointed me in the right direction. But given the critical nature of this year’s elections, truly slowing down to a relaxed, simple pace is not likely to happen until I’ve done whatever I can to affect the November results.

There are only seven months until this monumental election. That the outcome of this year’s voting could be the demise of our democratic republic form of government is just, well, hard to believe. If you have any doubts about that, you are not alone. Doubt is good, but we cannot let it stop us from doing whatever we can to ensure that such a calamity does not befall our country.

While many people agree with this assessment, I often hear them say, “I’m only one person. What can I do that will make a difference?” Well, millions of us pulling together can make a huge difference. In the swing states (Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin) where the election will most likely be decided, a relatively small number of votes will put one candidate over the top.

Our phone calls, postcards, door knocking, texts, and emails to undecided and reluctant voters can make all the difference. We don’t want to be saying after Election Day, “If only I had spent one more day campaigning or made 20 more phone calls…” or whatever. Now is the time to resolve to go the extra mile to ensure our democratic republic survives the Trump-led onslaught by the far right.

Personally, I am still weighing my options. I may go work for Biden and the Democrats running for Congress in Arizona or Pennsylvania. And/or sign up for regular phone banking in one or more of the swing states. I just know I don’t want to one day be telling my grandchildren, “I could have done more to save our country from authoritarian rule.” Once I’ve done everything I can to help save our country, then it will be time to really slow down as I approach my 80^th birthday.

Bruce Berlin

Subscribe to this blog at https://breakingbigmoneysgrip.com/my-blog-3/.

The Struggle for the Soul of America: A Time for Reflection and Renewal

Posted on March 19, 2024 by Author: Bruce Berlin

The simple life soothes my soul. And there’s plenty of that here at Lago Bay in Panama. It’s a pretty exceptional place. Beautiful, remote, and quiet except for all the sweet, chattering parrots and their feathered friends. This delightful paradise makes it easy to leave all the world’s troubles and chaos behind, at least for a little while.

My partner Margaret and I have taken a respite here and fortuitously discovered a whole other world. With nowhere to go. Nothing to do but walk on the beach or lounge around our private pool. And plenty of time to reflect on life while the living is easy.

I feel like we’ve stepped out of time into a different dimension. Away from our normal lives, even from our ‘normal vacations.’ What a gift to be able to see everything from such a unique vantage point.

This remote, tropical haven has given me the time and space to re-examine my life and evaluate what is most important to me now. What’s come into sharp focus is my desire to slow down, to live life at a more simple, quieter pace.

I will turn 79 next month. As I head toward my eighth decade on the planet, I can feel myself changing on a cellular level. My mind is not thinking of what I need to do next. My body is content to stay still. My spirit is filled with gratitude and love. I am here now. Where I want to be. And that is so good.

That’s not to say my concern for the future of our country has diminished in any way. I just know that I no longer have the energy to take on the big challenges of our time the way I used to. So, I won’t be leading the charge to make the world a better place. But I will lend a hand when I can; it just will be on a much smaller scale than what I’ve done previously.

With one critical exception.

I intend to do whatever I can to make sure Donald Trump is soundly defeated at the polls next November. Our democratic republic will fail if Trump is elected. Though I may have serious disagreements with President Biden on his Israeli-Hamas war position, as well as a few other policies, I believe he is our best hope for saving our country from Trump’s authoritarian rule.

At the same time, I’ll continue writing my blog and memoir, work on house projects, and support my community. I’ll also be rooting for the next generation to have more success improving our world than mine did.

Bruce Berlin

Subscribe to this blog at https://breakingbigmoneysgrip.com/my-blog-3/.

The Struggle for the Soul of America: Will History Repeat Itself?

Posted on March 8, 2024 by Author: Bruce Berlin

In the summer of 1968, the Democratic Party held its national convention in Chicago to nominate its candidates for president and vice president. This summer, 56 years later, the Democrats will again gather in Chicago for their national convention.

Back then, the Vietnam War was raging. Thousands of our soldiers were dying in Southeast Asia and millions of Americans were marching against the war here at home.[1] Now, while no American soldiers are currently fighting in the Middle East, the United States is funding Israel’s war against Hamas. Thousands of innocent Gazans are dying, and Americans are again protesting.[2]

The anti-war demonstrations at the 1968 Democratic Convention were televised across the world. As the party’s nominee, Humbert Humphry, pledged to continue the war, the protests grew outside the convention hall. The scene became bloody when the Chicago police tried to turn back the demonstrators by beating them with their clubs.[3] It most likely contributed to the Democrats losing the election to former Republican vice president Richard Nixon that fall.

Now President Biden with bipartisan support is unconditionally providing billions of dollars in aid for Israel’s merciless prosecution of the war in Gaza. Despite mounting opposition, Biden has failed to call for a permanent ceasefire. If he does not change course and stop the free flow of U.S. weapons and funds to Israel, Biden will be seriously hampered in his election campaign by his support of what some are calling Israel’s genocide in Gaza.[4]

Biden and the Democrats can ill-afford this self-inflicted wound in their effort to hold onto the White House and the Senate as well as win back the House.[5] Predictions are this will be a close election.[6] We must not let history repeat itself. Instead, we must demand that Biden and the Democrats call for an immediate, permanent ceasefire, and stop the unconditional support of Israel’s war in Gaza NOW!

Bruce Berlin

Subscribe to this blog at https://breakingbigmoneysgrip.com/my-blog-3/. Join the movement to revive our democracy. Together we can save the soul of America.

[1]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moratorium_to_End_the_War_in_Vietnam#:~:text=The%20Moratorium%20to%20End%20the,Moratorium%20March%20in%20Washington%2C%20D.C.

[2] https://apnews.com/article/protest-gaza-israel-palestinians-london-29d5cd664c81654283344d1874691a4f

[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1968_Democratic_National_Convention_protests

[4] https://www.npr.org/2024/01/26/1227078791/icj-israel-genocide-gaza-palestinians-south-africa

[5] https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/feb/28/biden-netanyahu-israel-gaza-war-2024-election

[6] https://www.racetothewh.com/

The Struggle for the Soul of America: We Are the Ones We’ve Been Waiting For

Posted on March 1, 2024 by Author: Bruce Berlin

(Note: On Tuesday, Margaret and I began a month-long trip to Panama. So, my blog posts may be sporadic and possibly shorter this month. I’ll do the best I can, under the circumstances, until I return at the end of the month.)

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court granted cert to Trump’s appeal of the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision that he does not have complete immunity from criminal liability for acts taken as president. The Court has scheduled oral argument for April 22, which means a decision would not come down until late May or, perhaps, the end of June when the Court’s 2023-24 session concludes.

Assuming Trump loses his appeal (which seems likely, but you never know with this Supreme Court), the D.C. insurrection trial will probably not begin before late summer or early fall. It’s highly doubtful a decision would be rendered before the November election. Clearly, a victory for Trump.

Bill Kristol recently referred to a quote from Judge Learned Hand’s 1944 Spirit of Liberty speech regarding what this truly means:

I often wonder whether we do not rest our hopes too much upon constitutions, upon laws and upon courts. These are false hopes; believe me, these are false hopes. Liberty lies in the hearts of men and women; when it dies there, no constitution, no law, no court can even do much to help it.[1]

If you had any doubt before, it’s now crystal clear the Supreme Court does not uphold the principles enshrined in the Constitution or serve the interests of the American people. The same may be said of the Congress as well. If it had adhered to Constitutional principles, Trump would have been found guilty by the Senate after he was impeached by the House in 2021. And even the Department of Justice cannot be relied upon by the American people. If it had served the people’s interests, Trump would have been brought to trial long before now for fomenting the January 6^th insurrection.

Yet, there is a silver lining here. All those who still believe in democracy – Democrats, Never Trump Republicans, and Independents – now know that they, including everyone reading this and myself, must double their efforts to ensure the re-election of Biden and save our democratic republic. By the time the election rolls around next fall, very few voters will have any question about Trump’s efforts to provoke the January 6^th insurrection and overturn the 2020 election. Of course, Trump’s loyal followers will stand by “their president” no matter what. That’s what cults do.

As Ben Franklin said on the last day of the Constitutional Convention on September 18, 1787, we have a republic, “if you can keep it.” It is now up to us, the American people, after 237 years, to make certain that we keep it. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.

Bruce Berlin

Subscribe to this blog at https://breakingbigmoneysgrip.com/my-blog-3/. Join the movement to revive our democracy. Together we can save the soul of America.

[1] https://twitter.com/BillKristol/status/1737454546073309352

The Struggle for the Soul of America: Biden, I Wouldn’t Bet Against Him Yet

Posted on February 24, 2024 by Author: Bruce Berlin

Joe Biden is in the race of his life. For an old guy, he still has some pretty good legs on him. The way he’s running right now, I wouldn’t bet against him despite my warning in last week’s blog post.[1]

First, take a look at how much campaign money Biden has raised. At the end of January, his campaign had $56 million on hand. Donald Trump only had $30 million on hand. In addition, much of Trump’s funds are going to pay off legal fees while Biden’s are all going into his campaign for re-election.[2] Of course, money isn’t the only important factor in this race.

Second, Biden does not have any serious competition for the Democratic nomination. Trump, however, is still fending off a primary challenger, former Gov. Nikki Haley, which is another drain on his campaign chest.[3] While she doesn’t have any real chance of winning the Republican nomination at this point, Haley’s increasingly sharp attacks on Trump make him more objectionable and help strengthen Biden’s case for his re-election.

Just the other day, Haley “jabbed Trump for taking three days to acknowledge Navalny’s death and then for failing to condemn Russian President Vladimir Putin for it. She’s cast her former boss as “ weak in the knees” when it comes to Russia. She’s slammed him for criticizing NATO at a time when many in the West see Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as a threat to European stability. And…, Haley unleashed some of her most pointed criticism yet of Trump’s relationship with Putin:

“Trump is siding with a dictator who kills his political opponents,” Haley said. “Trump sided with an evil man over our allies who stood with us on 9/11. Think about what that told them.”[4] Not only does this get Biden off the hook, but it labels his opponent as a supporter of evil and further illustrates Trump’s preference for Russian autocracy over American democracy.

Third, the Republicans have been trying to undermine Biden’s re-election campaign for some time by impeaching the president. But their effort just ran into a brick wall with the FBI’s arrest of their star witness, Alexander Smirnov. He was arrested on charges of providing the FBI with fraudulent information. An FBI informant for over a decade, Smirnov was further discredited after a DOJ report Tuesday indicated he was not only lying to the FBI about Biden but had “contacts with multiple foreign intelligence agencies.”[5]

Those contacts included someone who controlled “groups that are engaged in overseas assassination efforts,” as well as a “high-ranking Russian foreign intelligence service officer.”[6]

Fourth, the recent demise of the Republicans’ own border security bill due to Trump’s opposition exposes their strict immigration demands as a sham. It demonstrates their fealty to the former president is greater than their desire to fix one of our country’s most critical problems. Biden was willing to give the Republicans just about everything they wanted regarding border security in order to fix our southern border problem. Trump rejected the bill so he could still use the lack of border security as a campaign issue. Now the tables are turned, and Biden and the Dems can use it against Trump and his Congressional lackeys.[7]

Then, fifth, there’s the abortion issue. The recent Alabama Supreme Court decision ruling frozen embryos are ‘children’[8] will only increase the indignation and voter turnout of the majority pro-choice electorate which overwhelmingly favors Bien and the Dems. Calling the ruling “outrageous and unacceptable,” Biden asserted that the decision was a direct result of the overturning of Roe v. Wade.[9]

Sixth and finally, Wednesday’s Quinnipiac University poll found that 49 percent of registered voters said they support Biden, compared to 45 percent who chose Trump. Despite his age and steadfast support of Israel in its war against Hamas, Biden leads Trump by four points.[10]

Of course, there is a long way to go between now and the November election. But, right now, all things considered, I wouldn’t bet against Biden.

Bruce Berlin

Subscribe to this blog at https://breakingbigmoneysgrip.com/my-blog-3/. Join the movement to revive our democracy. Together we can save the soul of America.

[1] https://breakingbigmoneysgrip.com/my-blog

[2] https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/21/us/politics/biden-trump-campaign-money.html

[3] https://www.cbsnews.com/news/nikki-haley-announcement-2024-race-donald-trump-south-carolina/

[4] https://www.politico.com/news/2024/02/22/in-south-carolina-haley-is-running-hard-on-russia-00142552

[5] https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/republicans-scramble-save-biden-impeachment-informant-1234972867/

[6] Ibid.

[7] https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/republicans-kill-border-bill-sign-trumps-strength-mcconnells-waning-in-rcna137477

[8] https://www.npr.org/2024/02/21/1232742485/alabama-supreme-court-frozen-embryos-ivf-in-vitro-fertilization

[9] https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/biden-blasts-alabama-supreme-courts-outrageous-unacceptable-frozen/story?id=107454671

[10] https://news.yahoo.com/biden-holds-4-point-lead-194943812.html?.tsrc=fp_deeplink

The Struggle for the Soul of America: Biden Quietly Conditions Aid to Israel as Opposition to His Mid-East Policy Grows

Posted on February 17, 2024 by Author: Bruce Berlin

(Correction: Last week I incorrectly wrote that the Border Patrol union supports “Biden after previously twice backing Trump…” Actually, the Border Patrol union did not endorse Biden. Rather, it supported Biden’s bipartisan border security bill which the Senate recently voted down.)

In what some are calling “historic”, President Biden recently issued a presidential memorandum requiring countries receiving U.S. military aid to comply with international humanitarian and human rights laws.[1] Biden’s order gives Secretary of State Antony Blinken 45 days to obtain “credible and reliable written assurances” from all countries in active conflicts receiving our aid that they are complying with these laws.[2]

Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren responded to the president’s directive, noting, “This is a sea-change in terms of how you approach U.S. military aid and its impact on civilians.”[3] The order authorizes a swift cutoff of military aid to countries, including Israel, that violate international protections of civilians. While Israeli officials were briefed on Biden’s memorandum before its pronouncement, that does not seem to have diminished Israel’s military onslaught in Gaza.[4] Hamas’s horrendous attack on Israel last October does not justify the extreme vengeance that Israel has inflicted on the people of Gaza.

Richard Haass, the former longtime head of the Council on Foreign Relations, has urged Biden to go even further in separating himself from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel’s blanket bombardment of the Gaza Strip. Haass has proposed that the president deliver a speech — possibly to the Knesset, the nation’s parliament — where he’d lay out his vision directly to the Israeli people.[5] In addition to ending the war in Gaza, Biden’s grand bargain would tie an accord between Israel and Saudi Arabia to substantial steps toward Palestinian statehood.[6]

The pressure on Biden to take decisive action to establish a permanent ceasefire and end the conflict is mounting. Most Democrats now disapprove of Biden’s handling of the war, including nearly three-quarters of voters under 30.[7] If he is to win re-election in the fall, the president needs to regain their support soon.

Another critical constituency that Biden needs to win back is the Arab American vote. That community feels “a bone-deep sense of betrayal” by Biden. He has “infuriated Arab Americans by resisting their demands that he call for an immediate cease-fire.” Their anger has given rise to the ‘Abandon Biden’ movement around the country, but most importantly in Michigan. With as much as 5% of the vote in Michigan, Arab Americans could prevent Biden from winning that crucial state, and possibly result in the president losing re-election.[8]

Yet another constituency dismayed with Biden’s support of Israel’s all-out attack on Gaza is the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME), one of the country’s oldest and most prominent Black Christian denominations. The leaders of the AME recently called for the U.S. to end its financial aid to Israel, labeling the country’s military campaign in Gaza “mass genocide.” Some “Black clergy members said the war could weaken an already fraught relationship between Mr. Biden and Black voters, Democrats’ most loyal voting bloc.”[9]

When will Biden wake up and realize what’s at stake? While I do not doubt his concern, even anguish, over the slaughter Israel has perpetrated in Gaza, action speaks louder than words. If Biden does not soon act decisively to end America’s participation in that onslaught, he will forever be remembered as the primary accomplice to Israel’s massacre of thousands of Gazans; he will lose the presidency in November; and he may very well be held responsible for the downfall of American democracy.

Bruce Berlin

Subscribe to this blog at https://breakingbigmoneysgrip.com/my-blog-3/. Join the movement to revive our democracy. Together we can save the soul of America.

[1] https://www.wfmj.com/story/50435951/biden-order-attaches-human-rights-conditions-to-us-military-aid-easing-democratic-rift-over-israel

[2] https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/biden-outlines-new-conditions-for-us-military-aid-amid-criticism-over-support-for-israels-gaza-campaign/

[3] https://www.wfmj.com/story/50435951/biden-order-attaches-human-rights-conditions-to-us-military-aid-easing-democratic-rift-over-israel

[4] Ibid.

[5] https://news.yahoo.com/biden-urged-deliver-speech-israel-162549617.html?.tsrc=fp_deeplink

[6] https://foreignpolicy.com/2024/02/13/biden-israel-palestinian-statehood-grand-deal-middle-east-saudi-arabia-gaza-hamas/

[7] https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/19/us/politics/biden-israel-gaza-poll.html

[8] https://news.yahoo.com/arab-americans-feel-bone-deep-100213072.html?.tsrc=fp_deeplink

[9] https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/16/us/ame-church-us-israel-aid.html

The Struggle for the Soul of America: Trump’s Border Betrayal

Posted on February 8, 2024 by Author: Bruce Berlin

One of Trump and the Republican Party’s top priorities is the urgent need to protect our southern border. They have been hammering Biden and the Democrats for years about their failure to secure the border and stop massive illegal immigration into the States from Mexico. To that end, the GOP has been planning to make the lack of border security a major issue in this year’s elections.

Then finally, after months of negotiations, Senate Republicans and Democrats reached a bipartisan agreement on a border security bill over last weekend.[1] Suddenly, Trump opposed the deal[2] hoping to keep this campaign issue front and center while urging Republicans to turn their backs on their own solution. By tying Ukraine’s military assistance to tough border security, Republicans believed that the Democrats would never accept the compromise, allowing them to continue blaming the Dems for the uncontrollable surge of migrants at the border.[3] It appears they were very mistaken.

But it gets even worse for Trump and his GOP lackeys. In both the 2016 and 2020 elections, the U.S. Border Patrol union endorsed Trump for president due to his hardline stand on immigration reform. The union has repeatedly slammed Biden for his handling of our border with Mexico. But on Monday the labor organization which represents 18,000 agents endorsed the Border Act of 2024 stating it is “far better than the current status quo.”[4] At the same time, Trump denigrated thousands of hardworking union members by contending that “only a fool, or a radical Left Democrat, would vote for this horrendous Border Bill.”[5]

Due to Trump’s opposition and the stranglehold he has on his party, the bipartisan bill did not pass.[6] Ironically, that will hand Biden and the Democrats a big campaign issue. They can now rightly claim that the Republicans killed the solution to one of America’s most pressing problems. Immigration/border security polls alongside the economy as the two most important issues to voters this year. And the Democrats plan to make sure the public knows who was responsible for not solving the problem when the opportunity presented itself.[7]

Trump’s flipflop on border security may well hurt his election chances in another important way as well. Obtaining endorsements from major unions provides presidential candidates with significant support. In addition to campaign contributions, unions supply campaign volunteers, lists of voters, and more. Millions of Americans either belong to a union or have friends or relatives who are members.

The Border Patrol union’s support of Biden after previously twice backing Trump[8] sends a strong message to working-class voters. It may help convince other unions to get on the Biden bandwagon, too. In the last year the UAW, the very large autoworkers union, endorsed Biden, as did the AFL-CIO with its 12.5 million members.[9] The powerful Teamsters which endorsed Biden in 2020 is now deciding whom to support this year. That Trump is losing favor with the workers of America is a good sign for Biden and our democracy.

Bruce Berlin

Subscribe to this blog at https://breakingbigmoneysgrip.com/my-blog-3/. Join the movement to revive our democracy. Together we can save the soul of America.

[1] https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-senate-unveils-118-billion-bipartisan-bill-tighten-border-security-aid-2024-02-04/

[2] https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4448556-trump-calls-border-bill-a-death-wish-for-republican-party-dont-be-stupid/

[3] https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/06/us/politics/border-republicans-ukraine-bill.html

[4] https://news.yahoo.com/conservatives-balk-u-border-patrol-234523412.html

[5] https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4448556-trump-calls-border-bill-a-death-wish-for-republican-party-dont-be-stupid/

[6] https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/senate-vote-border-bill-aid-02-07-24/index.html

[7] https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/immigration-emerges-key-2024-wedge-issue-trump-vulnerability/story?id=106635907; https://news.yahoo.com/biden-determined-stunning-trump-backed-051927272.html

[8] https://www.mediaite.com/politics/border-patrol-union-that-endorsed-trump-comes-out-in-favor-of-bill-he-staunchly-opposes/

[9] https://aflcio.org/press/releases/afl-cio-votes-endorse-president-biden-re-election; https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2024-01-24/uaw-backs-biden-in-major-2024-endorsement

The Struggle for the Soul of America: We’re in for a Wild Election Year!

Posted on January 30, 2024 by Author: Bruce Berlin

There’s never been anything like the 2024 election year. Every other day I hear a different scenario of how the presidential election could be radically changed.

First, Biden and Trump are the two oldest candidates to ever run for president of our country. One or both of them could die or become incapacitated before election day. Neither looks like they’re in great shape.

Second, the courts could find Trump ineligible to run under Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment and knock him out of the race. Section 3 bars anyone who has “engaged in insurrection or rebellion” against the country from holding federal office.[1]

The Colorado Supreme Court has already held Trump ineligible to be on its primary ballot based on Section 3.[2] The former president immediately appealed its decision to the U.S. Supreme Court which will hear oral arguments very soon on February 8^th. Prominent conservative legal scholars who are members of the Federalist Society, an influential conservative advocacy group, agreed that the Court could disqualify Trump under the Fourteenth Amendment. They wrote that Section 3 is “self-executing, operating as an immediate disqualification from office, without the need for additional action by Congress.” They then concluded that Trump could be rendered ineligible for election.[3]

From a liberal perspective, Bruce Ackerman, Yale Professor of Law and Political Science, offered a different angle in reaching a similar conclusion. He contends that “originalism,” that is, the meaning of the Fourteenth Amendment as it was intended at its origin, requires Trump’s exclusion from the race for president.

Ackerman argues that the Colorado court “found that Trump’s support of the Proud Boys, which played a key role in the Jan. 6 riot, represented a paradigm case of “insurrection” as it was originally understood at the time the amendment was enacted.” And, that understanding is supported by “leading originalist scholars and jurists.”[4]

Additionally, Trump’s three appointments to the Supreme Court, “Justices Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett,…proudly proclaim(ed) their adherence to “originalism” at their Senate confirmation hearings.” Ackerman notes it was also their “basis for repudiating Roe v. Wade and the constitutional right to an abortion in Dobbs.”[5]

In effect, these three justices are trapped by their own doctrines. How could they use originalism to deny women the right to an abortion and not apply it to deny Trump the right to run for president? Ackerman believes that “if the three Trump appointees stick to their originalist principles and vote to disqualify him from office, the justices would actually strengthen American democracy and might help ease the country’s sharp divides — while also bolstering a beleaguered Supreme Court.”[6]

Whatever the Court decides will apply to all fifty states, not just Colorado. Given the Colorado presidential primary, along with those in 15 other states and territories, is March 5^th, just five weeks away, the Court should decide pretty quickly. A decision to throw Trump off the ballot would drastically change the election and might even result in widespread protest and violence. That last factor could play a role in the Court’s decision as well.

This is just one of several wild cards in this year’s election. I will explore others in the coming weeks and months.

Bruce Berlin

Subscribe to this blog at https://breakingbigmoneysgrip.com/my-blog-3/. Join the movement to revive our democracy. Together we can save the soul of America.

[1] https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-66690276

[2] https://apnews.com/article/trump-insurrection-14th-amendment-2024-colorado-d16dd8f354eeaf450558378c65fd79a2

[3] https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-66690276

[4] https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/01/25/supreme-court-originalism-trump-ballot-eligibility-00137666

[5] Ibid.

[6] Ibid.