News Checklist

Just a quick checklist of things that have been in the news this week.  

• The State of Pennsylvania says that it will ignore an order of the US Supreme Court to not count undated ballots (1).  

It must be getting close to election time, because the shenanigans and legal maneuvering have already started; in fact, they've been in full swing for a while.  

I shouldn't be too surprised by this latest chicanery (see definitions) by state officials; nevertheless, I am.  It's one thing to ignore an order of your state courts (as Pennsylvania did in 2020); it's quite another to state that you will disregard an order from the nation's highest court, although such a declaration has been made before (see note).    

This expressly violates the Constitution, which states that federal laws made in accordance with it are "the supreme law of the land...any thing in the laws of any state to the contrary notwithstanding" (2).  

No sweat off the brows off those concerned with elections in "the Keystone State", huh? 

• "Free speech? That's gonna cost ya"

Breaking news from my home state of Connecticut; media personality Alex Jones has been ordered to pay nine hundred sixty five million dollars to families of Sandy Hook victims (on the basis of Jones' claims that the shooting was a hoax).  You read that right; almost a billion dollars (3).  

This despite there apparently being no conclusive proof (at least none presented) that because of Jones' statements, serious threats were made to the safety of the families.  This despite the personality's repeated apologies, and shows of remorse.  

This despite Jones' testimony that he is bankrupt, and cannot pay the fine.  

And all of this despite the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution, which prohibits the imposition of "excessive fines" (4).  

Besides money, what the hell do these families want from Mr. Jones? The answer to this question is quite apparent; they want to shut him up, and shut him down.  Effectively, they appear to have done so.  

• Back to work for the "January 6th Committee" (5)

Yesterday, the Committee returned from a four-month break, apparently to discuss some so-called "damning evidence".  Never mind that most of the members of such committee are now "lame ducks" (see definitions); never mind that once again, no defense witnesses were allowed.  

And why are they doing this; more specifically, why are they doing this now? I'll tell you why; it's because they realize that the public is starting to turn against them.  They are terrified of losing their power; as such, they are trying everything humanly possible to hold on to it.   

The Democrats and their RINO enablers are running scared, and they know it.

• Time to get the Nikes out (and I don't mean the shoes)   

Some of you may know that during the post-World War II years, US military forces were in possession of a defensive weapon called the "Nike".  This was a ground-based missile system designed to intercept nuclear missiles; many Connecticut towns were protected by batteries of such (6).  

Fast-forward about thirty-four years from the end of the Cold War.  As they were never needed, all but a few of the old Nike bases have been dismantled; the ones that remain stand as historical relics. 

Yet today we are faced with a situation which, in earlier times, might have required the maintenance of such stations.  This is due to a bumbling president, a Russian counterpart who believes that the Cold War never ended, and that person's perception that Americans are weak.  It is clear that we are on the doorstep to Armageddon.  

For my part, I think that the Russians need to be diplomatically reminded of the concept behind Mutually Assured Destruction ("MAD"); that is, in a nuclear conflict, nobody wins (because both warring nations will destroy each other).  

Anywho, can anyone give me directions to the nearest fallout shelter?

Definitions- 

1. Chicanery: Noun, deception by artful subterfuge or trickery (7).

2. "Lame duck": Noun, informal; one whose position or term of office will soon end (8).  

Note: Regarding the Supreme Court's ruling in the case of Worcester v Georgia (1832), president Andrew Jackson remarked that "(the Court) has made its decision; now, let them enforce it" (9).

Sources:

1. Nerozzi, Timothy. “Pennsylvania to Count Undated Ballots, Election Official Says, Despite US Supreme Court Ruling.” Fox News, 12 Oct. 2022, www.foxnews.com/politics/pennsylvania-count-undated-ballots-election-official-says-despite-us-supreme-court-ruling. Accessed 14 Oct. 2022. 

2. “U.S. Constitution - Article 6.” USConstitution.net, 24 Jan. 2010, https://usconstitution.net/xconst_A6.html. Accessed 14 Oct. 2022.

3. Collins, Dave, et al. “Alex Jones Ordered to Pay $965 Million for Sandy Hook Lies.” AP NEWS, 13 Oct. 2022, apnews.com/article/shootings-school-connecticut-conspiracy-alex-jones-3f579380515fdd6eb59f5bf0e3e1c08f. Accessed 14 Oct. 2022.

4. “U.S. Constitution - Article 1 Section 8.” USConstitution.net, 24 Jan. 2010, usconstitution.net/xconst_Am8.html. Accessed 14 Oct. 2022.

5. Alic, Haris. “Jan. 6 Hearing to Recreate Trump’s State of Mind During Riot Without Testimony by Former President, Top Allies.” Fox News, 13 Oct. 2022, www.foxnews.com/politics/jan-6-hearing-recreate-trumps-state-mind-during-riot-without-testimony-former-president-top-allies. Accessed 14 Oct. 2022.

6. Personal knowledge.

7. “Chicanery.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chicanery. Accessed 14 Oct. 2022.

8. “Lame Duck.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lame%20duck. Accessed 14 Oct. 2022.

9. “Remembering the Time Andrew Jackson Decided to Ignore the Supreme Court in the Name of Georgia’s Right to Cherokee Land.” SustainAtlanta, 28 July 2016, sustainatlanta.com/2015/04/02/remembering-the-time-andrew-jackson-decided-to-ignore-the-supreme-court-in-the-name-of-georgias-right-to-cherokee-land. Accessed 14 Oct. 2022.