Armenia and Azerbaijan Have Signed a Peace Deal

Armenia and Azerbaijan have signed a peace deal that ends the conflict between the two former Soviet Republics since the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991 in the South Caucuses region. I had posted about an agreement reached between the two States in an earlier phase. After the Muslim Azeri dictator defeated the separatist ethnic Armenian Christians in an enclave, Nagorno-Karabakh, that was the basis of the conflict and the failure of Russian peacekeepers to protect the ethnic Armenians that Armenia was defending, the peace deal has become necessary to defend Armenia against a feared Azeri invasion of the Armenian corridor between Azerbaijan to its east and an Azeri exclave on its western border. The American-mediated agreement extends United States influence at the expense of Russia’s role that it had exercised since the end of the Cold War and breakup of the Soviet Union. An aspect of the deal are the rights to the transportation route from Azerbaijan to Turkey through the afore-mentioned Armenian corridor. The deal thus respects Armenian sovereignty and territorial integrity. It also ends the Organization for Security and Cooperation’s Minsk Group co-chaired by the U.S., Russia and France on Nagorno-Karabakh, from which most of the over 100,000 Armenian residents fled. There was no agreement about their right to return or their property losses. Both Armenia and Azerbaijan have become more diplomatically distant from Russia with Armenia, having been let down by its Russian ally, and Azerbaijan angered over the Russian shootdown of an Azeri civilian airliner over Ukraine during Russia’s aggression against that former Soviet Republic that I had posted about. As I have posted, Armenia has been turning toward Europe and the West. Azerbaijan has been forging closer ties with Turkey, which is Armenia’s western neighbor and which is a traditional Russian enemy. The Azeri friendliness with both Islamist Turkey and Iran, which borders both Armenia and Azerbaijan to the south, added pressure on Armenia to conclude the best deal it could to protect the traditional Christian State’s sovereignty.

Foreign Digest: El Salvador, Nicaragua, Cuba, Belarus, Venezuela, Lebanon, Bosnia and Herzogovina

El Salvador: El Salvador amended its Constitution to remove the limit on presidential terms, which had been one term, and extended the term office from 5 to 6 years. The current President, who as I have posted is becoming increasingly authoritarian, is in his second term, despite the previous one-term limit. Life presidencies have been a hallmark of growing autocracy in Latin America, whether the elected leaders are leftist or populist far-right like the Salvadoran strongman. Nicaragua: The Marxist Nicaraguan dictatorship recognized Russian sovereignty over conquered Ukrainian lands, despite the Russian Federation’s recognition of the former Soviet Republic of Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, making the Central American State’s regime one of the few to legitimize aggression. Cuba and Belarus: Communist Cuba has been arresting more dissidents for their peaceful dissent against the Caribbean State’s tyrannical dictatorship. Meanwhile, Belarus has been modernizing Cuban missiles. The former Soviet Republic of Belarus was complicit in Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. Belarusian support for Cuba is an example of cooperation among what I call the “Axis of Rogues,” which work together to oppose liberty, representative government, the United States and the West, which their dictatorial governments recognize as threats to their tyrannical rule. Venezuela: The arrests and imprisonment of many political prisoners under harsh conditions by the Venezuelan Socialist dictatorship have become so frequent that even Venezuela’s Communist Party has increasingly been speaking out against the tyrannical regime in the South American State. Lebanon: The Lebanese Government voted unanimously to disarm Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shi’ite terrorist organization backed by the Islamist Republic of Iran that also has a political party that has sometimes dominated Lebanon’s politics and that has American blood on its hands. Bosnia and Herzegovina: The Bosniak Republic leader’s sentence of imprisonment for violating the constitution has been confirmed. Electoral Commission has voted to remove him from office, which will take effect after appeals have been exhausted. Elections must then be called within 90 days. But he is refusing to give up power. The pro-Russian ethnic Serbian nationalist who favors succession from Bosnia and Herzegovina and union with Serbia and who denies the genocide committed by Serbs is under United States sanctions for corruption. Bosnia, a former Yugoslav Republic, is divided into a Croat (Catholic Slavic) and Bosniak (Muslim Slavic) republic and a Serbian (Orthodox Slavic) republic, with a relatively weak central government ruled by a European Union-appointed High Representative. The arrangement was part of the 1995 Dayton Accords negotiated by the U.S. under the Clinton Administration that ended the civil war, but ratified the genocidal “ethnic cleansing” inspired by Yugoslav and Serbian Communist dictator Slobodan Milosevic, who was trying to create a “Greater Serbia” amidst the bloody breakup of Yugoslavia into its religious and ethnic components.

Update on the Trump Administration’s Anti-Migrant Policies and the Resistance to Violations of Liberty

The Trump Administration, after claiming it had no legal control over hundreds of Venezuelan refugees it had deported without due process to El Salvador, despite a contractual arrangement that obligated the United States to pay for their incarceration in a Salvadoran prison built for “terrorists,” where they were confined in inhumane conditions that clearly violated human rights, has exchanged the Venezuelan refugees for Americans held by Venezuela. I have posted that El Salvador’s right-wing populist pro-Trump President has become increasingly authoritarian, as human rights organizations have observed. The Central American State’s Head of State is in his second term, despite a constitutional limit of one term, as I have posted. Thus, the Venezuelan refugees, who were baselessly accused of membership in gangs, but never criminally charged, were used as bargaining chips in exchange for Americans held by Venezuela’s Socialist dictatorship, which, therefore, was a propaganda victory for Venezuela. The oppressive South American State’s regime was able to portray itself as rescuing its countrymen from persecution caused by the U.S. and its ally. The Trump Administration’s deportations of Venezuelan and Afghan refugees seeking asylum, for example, undermine U.S. foreign policy because the U.S. justly condemns and sanctions dictatorships for repression, but deporting refugees with a credible fear of persecution contradicts the policy, as the deportations falsely imply the refugees’ fear is baseless. Instead of targeting its efforts against those who are a security threat, the Trump Administration, is deporting migrants while they are shopping, attending school, seeking employment, working, receiving medical care, attending religious services at places of worship, attending legal and immigration hearings, and even appearing for naturalization process appointments. The Administration is thereby discouraging these activities, which, in some cases, represent a violation of freedom. In one extraordinary response to Trump Administration raids in churches, the Roman Catholic Bishop of San Bernardino is exempting Catholics from the obligation to attend Mass in his California Diocese if they have a genuine fear of being deported. Discouraging migrants from attending their immigration hearings or naturalization process is counterproductive to the Trump Administration’s claimed goal of enforcement of immigration laws, but reveals the true purpose of demagogy based on xenophobia. I have been posting how Christian and other religious organizations, secular human rights organizations, immigration lawyers, businesses, communities and States have resisted the Administration’s anti-migrant policies. As I have noted, the violation of the freedom and rights of any person is a threat to the violation of the freedom and rights of everyone, as Americans believe that every human has a birthright of liberty.

Foreign Digest: Russia and Afghanistan

Russia: A European Union report finds that Russia has used banned chemical weapons of mass destruction in Ukraine many times during its full-scale invasion since 2022 of the former Soviet Republic. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization has agreed to send more arms to Ukraine to defend against Russian aggression. A Russian hacker ring has been targeted by international law enforcement, including by the United States and several Western European States that are NATO and EU members. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom UK attributed to Russian military intelligence services other cyberattacks and acts of sabotage on it and fellow NATO members, the U.S, France and Estonia. NATO and the EU condemned the Russian attacks on allies of Ukraine. The EU vows a response, beyond their multiple rounds of sanctions. The former Soviet Republic of Azerbaijan is suing Russia for the downing of a civilian airliner in December and its failure to apologize or offer any compensation. The shootdown is in addition to Russia’s shootdown of the Malaysian civilian airliner in 2014 over Ukraine I posted an update about earlier this month. Afghanistan: The UN is requesting a pause on repatriations of asylum-seeking Afghan refugees to Afghanistan, especially those at risk of persecution, arbitrary detention and torture. The Trump Administration has ended legal protections for Afghan refugees, including those who worked with the U.S. and its coalition that overthrew the Taliban regime in 2022. The oppressive Islamists had harbored al-Qaeda, the Islamist terrorist organization responsible for the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks on America that killed nearly 3,000 people, more than any other terrorist attack in world history. The Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021 after the U.S. and its coalition allies abandoned their Afghan Government allies who had taken power after the Taliban had been overthrown, but only Russia recognizes them diplomatically as the legitimate government of the Central Asian State, as I had posted earlier this month. The Taliban have been targeting Afghans who worked with the U.S. and its allies for persecution, including death. Trump’s betrayal of the Afghans, which has outraged American veterans of the War on Terrorism, undermines U.S. security.

Foreign Digest: Russia, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Georgia, Hungary, the European Union, Venezuela and Cuba

Russia and Afghanistan: The Russian Federation has become the first State in the world to recognize diplomatically the Islamist Afghan Taliban regime as the legitimate government of Afghanistan. The Taliban had harbored the al-Qaeda terrorist organization, until being overthrown by a United States-led international coalition in 2002, after the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks on America killed nearly 3,000 people, the most in history. The Taliban returned to power in 2021 after the U.S. and its allies withdrew and the Afghan Government collapsed. The Taliban pledged not to allow Afghanistan to become a haven for terrorists again, but they have engaged in deadly reprisals against former Afghan Government officials and have oppressed Afghans, particularly women and religious and ethnic minorities while imposing strict Islamist law. Communist China praised Russia’s recognition of the Taliban. Russia and Ukraine: European Court of Human Rights ruled in four cases brought by Ukraine and the Netherlands that Russia has committed atrocities in the former Soviet Republic of Ukraine since its full-scale invasion in 2022, including destruction of property, kidnapping of children, torture, rape and murder, and was responsible for the downing in 2014 of a Malaysian civilian airliner over Ukraine that had departed from the Netherlands, killing nearly 300 people. Russia had supplied the missile to the separatists it had fomented that year, after seizing Crimea from Ukraine. Russia never properly investigated the shootdown and refused to answer to the inquiry, both of which were themselves violations of the European Convention on Human Rights treaty had Russia signed. The European Court is part of the Council of Europe, which expelled Russia in 2022 after its aggression against Ukraine, but to which Russia remains legally subject. The United Nation’s aviation ministry had found in May that Russia was responsible for shooting down the passenger jet. Ukraine and many private individuals have cases before the European Court. The UN and the International Criminal Court have also ruled against Russia for its aggression. Russians were convicted in a Dutch criminal court in abstentia for the shootdown of the civilian airliner. As I have posted, Russian tyrant Vladimir Putin is an ex-Soviet intelligence agent intent on restoring the Soviet Union. Georgia: Daily protests have continued in Georgia for well over 200 days against the pro-Russian and increasingly authoritarian Georgian Government of the former Soviet Republic in the South Caucuses. The desire of most Georgian people to join the European Union and be aligned with the West and the United States, as opposed to Russia, was highlighted by the abundance of American flags carried by demonstrators on American Independence Day. Hungary: The European Union report has found no progress made by the autocratic far-right anti-migrant Hungarian Government on eight areas, such as the fight against corruption, the independence of the media from public service, and the promotion of a safe civic space. Hungary is the least free and most corrupt member of the 27-member EU. Though an ally of the U.S. through the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the former Soviet satellite’s ruling party is pro-Russian. European Union: The center-right-led EU Commission President Ursula van der Layen, of Germany, easily survived a no-confidence vote in the European Parliament brought by the far-right 360-175. She leads a broad coalition that includes centrists and the center-left. Some far-left members also backed the no-confidence vote. In parliamentary systems, a government must have the support of a majority of the members, expressed in a vote of confidence. Van der Layen dismissed the effort as based on conspiracy theories from anti-vaxxers and apologists for Putin. Venezuela: A UN report has found a situation of a total emergency, increased repression, and state impunity by the Socialist dictatorship of Venezuela. There were over 500 state killings and over 2,600 arbitrary arrests, the UN report found, in the South American State. Cuba: A Cuban political prisoner who was the leader of the opposition to the Communist dictatorship of Cuba, died last week after a hunger strike against the inhuman treatment of political prisoners in Cuba and lack of basic freedoms. The Communists have ruled the Caribbean Island State since 1959, murdering tens of thousands of opponents and repressing the Cuban people to keep power.

Measles Outbreak Update: Highest Total Cases in America in Decades

The measles outbreak in America as reached nearly 1,300 cases, which has passed the total for 2019, when the United States lost its status of having eradicated the preventable contagious virus that is particularly dangerous for children. It is the worst year for measles in America since 1991, before eradication by 2000. Fourteen States still have outbreaks, with Texas being the worst focal point, from which the contagion as spread to other States, and where there have been three deaths. The outbreak in America and thousands of cases in outbreaks in Mexico and Canada has been transmitted especially through Mennonites. The ethnic German Anabaptists have close-knit communities and low vaccination rates. In America, the vaccination rate is less than 93%, which is below the 95% needed to prevent outbreaks and to protect the relatively few who cannot be effectively vaccinated for medical reasons. The vaccine for measles, which used to be the leading cause of deafness, is 97% effective, as demonstrated by the eradication of the disease in many countries around the world, and safe, as proven by numerous scientific studies. The only study to suggest a link to autism was fraudulent, but some people on the far left and the far right, as well as libertarians, nevertheless oppose the measles vaccine and other vaccines, or at least vaccine mandates, as I have posted. As I have also posted, Russian disinformation against vaccines has increased vaccine hesitancy for measles and other preventable diseases and therefore caused more cases of such diseases and deaths in Europe and America as a kind of biological warfare by Russian tyrant Vladimir Putin, a former Soviet intelligence agent, against the West and its allies. The Trump Administration has undermined vaccines as an essential tool for public health in several ways because of leftwing Democrat Health Secretary Robert Kennedy’s conspiracy theories, instead of encouraging vaccination as the most effective tool against deadly contagious diseases like measles.

Independence Day Thoughts on the American Revolution and a Legislative Check on the Executive

As Americans celebrate Independence Day, which is observed on the date of the Declaration of Independence, which explained the reasons for the passage by Continental Congress two days before of the resolution of independence from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland of the Thirteen American Colonies as States, some thoughts on the American Revolution are currently relevant. The American Revolution had begun in response to a tax levied on the colonists in 1765 by the British Parliament to pay for defense against the French, who held parts of North America. The American colonists did not object either to defense against the French, or paying taxes, but resented the lack of representation in Parliament that deprived them of their ability to consent to taxation and its particular from of imposition, unlike their fellow British subjects in the British Isles. In the U.K. Britons were represented by over 600 Members of Parliament, but Americans, who numbered around a third that of Britons, were not represented at all. There were not even any non-voting delegates from any of the American colonies, including the other British North American colonies or possessions around the world, or even a collective delegate for the North American colonies, which the Americans regarded as unfair. The distance of thousands of miles and the slow pace of travel meant that the Members of Parliament had no familiarity with the American Colonies whose interests they represented in abstentia. The British Parliament had been founded in the 13th Century through the Magna Carta, which limited the absolute power of the King. It was strengthened after the Glorious Revolution of 1688 that deposed an absolutist monarch and further limited royal power. After an interregnum of anarchy, civil war and republican government, and a restoration of monarchy, through the unwritten British Constitution, the King governed through a prime minister, with the Parliament acting as the national legislature. But King George II influenced his Prime Minister to rule tyrannically, as did his colonial Royal Governors. Instead of resisting such abuses, the Sovereign’s supporters in Parliament became complicit in enacting authoritarian laws against the rebellious Americans, over the loyal opposition of the Whigs like Edmund Burke, the father of modern conservatism. The lack of a legislative remedy encouraged the American Colonists to change their goal at the start of the Revolution from a peaceful protest in favor of equal recognition of their natural rights toward independence from the United Kingdom. The Declaration of Independence expressed a litany of the abuses committed by the British monarchy against the American Colonists. Thus, the British oppression of the American Colonists represents an example of the danger when the Executive Branch of government is authoritarian and the Legislative Branch fails to act as a check on it. As Americans observe the start of the 250th year of their independence from the British they would profit by recalling the Spirit of 1776 and defending vigorously against the current threats to equality, liberty and representative government by an autocratic federal Executive and a complicit Legislature.

More Anti-Trumpist Conservative Republican Organizations

Since last year, more organizations have been founded by conservatives and Republicans against populist Trumpist policies, namely protectionism, nativism and isolationism, which are anathema to conservatism, and in favor of true conservative policies. The Reagan Caucus: A relatively grassroots organization, the Reagan Caucus (ReaganCaucus.org), focuses on promoting traditional conservative principles and opposing each of the populist Trumpist policies, and particularly supporting the election of conservative Republican candidates who do not share Trumpist views. The Cost Coalition: The Cost Coalition was formed recently, as a project of the bipartisan American Values Alliance. Led by Terry Holt, campaign staffer and former spokesman for President George W. Bush and House Speaker John Boehner, the Cost Coalition focuses on the cost of Donald Trump’s protectionist tariffs, which it identifies as “the biggest middle class tax hike in modern history.” Austin Weatherford, the senior congressional staff person for United States Representative Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, is another prominent Republican staffer for the organization. Our Republican Legacy: Our Republican Legacy (ORL Team & State Chairs | Our Republican Legacy) was founded last year by numerous prominent Republicans and conservatives to promote five traditional conservative Republican principles that the GOP has retreated from under the influence of Trumpism: unity, the Constitution, fiscal responsibility, free enterprise and peace through strength. ORL was founded by former Vice Presidents Dan Quayle and Mike Pence, former Speaker of the House John Boehner of Ohio, the late Senator Alan Simpson of Wyoming, former Senator John Danforth of Missouri, Secretary of Defense William Cohen of Maine, and several other former members of Congress. It was recently relaunched under the joint leadership of Danforth, Cohen, former Montana Governor and Republican National Committee Chairman Mark Racicot, and former U.S. Representatives Charlie Dent of Pennsylvania and Barbara Comstock of Virginia. ORL is staffed and advised by former Washington State Republican Chairman Chris Vance, former Reagan and Bush Administration Treasury official Greg Wilson and former congressional staffers. The organization already has 17 State Chairmen, including one for Pennsylvania, many of whom are current or former elected officials, former congressional or federal or state administration staffers or Republican officials, as well as a former North Carolina State Supreme Court justice. There has been cross-promotion between ORL and Principles First, the grassroots organization I had posted about previously that hosts an increasingly popular alternative to the Trumpist Conservative Political Action Committee conference, and the Reagan Caucus, as it is critical for principled conservatives, though they focus on different niches and hold reasonable differences in perspectives and political strategies, to work together to stand for conservative principles versus Trumpist populism and toward the greater goal of taking back the GOP and especially the conservative movement from Trumpism. The American people deserve a center-right alternative to both the left and Trumpism.

Foreign Digest: Venezuela and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization

Venezuela: The center-right Venezuelan opposition leader, Maria Cortina Machado, noted last week that the Socialist dictatorship of Venezuela is producing drones with Iranian technology. The South American State is thus the only State in the Western Hemisphere, other than the Unted States, that can produce drones. Venezuela’s could possibly reach Florida. Machado observed a growing threat from the Islamic Republic of Iran, the world’s worst state sponsor of terrorism, which has signed 400 accords with Venezuela. Iran, which foments Islamist revolution around the Islamic world, committed two terrorist attacks in Argentina in the 1990s. Late last week, the ex-head of Venezuela’s military counterintelligence pleaded guilty to narco-terrorism charges in the United States federal District Court in New York after having been extradited from Spain in 2023. He funded the Colombian Marxist narco-terrorists. Venezuela’s relationships with Iran and the Columbian terrorists are examples of why I include it in what I call the Axis of Rogues, including Russia, China, North Korea, and their allies. North Atlantic Treaty Organization: The 32 members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), including the U.S., pledged to increase the defense spending from 2% of gross domestic product to 5% within 10 years, with 3.5% for military spending and 1.5% for broader security (e.g. infrastructure, cyber, hybrid, and resilience). Although Donald Trump sought to take total credit for the increases in NATO spending during his times in office, the members had pledged in 2013 when Barack Obama was President to increase their spending to 2% which most of them had reached, and some members, especially those in Eastern Europe, had already begun increasing their spending in the face of the growing threat of Russian imperialism, more than Trump’s misleading claims that member States were not “paying” into NATO. Members, including the U.S., pay relatively little into the administration of NATO; their spending is independent of the organization. NATO was formed early in the Cold War to protect Western Europe against the Soviet Union. It has been the most successful defensive pact in history, having prevented the Soviets and their Russian successors, who are trying to restore the Soviet Union/Russian Empire, from any major military attack against its members. Ever since Trump travelled to the Soviet Union during the Cold War, he has complained that American allies supposedly have not spent enough for their defense, as if their increased spending would proportionately decrease U.S. spending. Moreover, he implies that American spending to defend its allies is a kind of favor to allies that only benefits them, instead of recognizing common interests and ignoring the many defensive benefits to the U.S. of having allies. The only time the NATO alliance’s defensive provision that an attack on one is an attack on all has been invoked was after the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks on America.

Pope Leo XIV Chooses a Refugee as His First Episcopal Appointee in America

Pope Leo XIV has appointed a refugee who fled Communist persecution in Vietnam as a child with his family as the Bishop of Sand Diego, the American Pontiff’s first appointment of a Bishop in America. Pope Leo, the Bishop of Rome, has clearly preached against divisions and in favor of unity and has emphasized Christian love for the poor and marginalized, including migrants and refugees. His first episcopal appointment thus sends a clear message. The new Bishop of San Diego and his auxiliary Bishops will stand with refugees at their asylum hearings on June 20, International Refugee Day. The presence of clergy is a favorable factor for refugees seeking asylum who must prove a credible fear of persecution. As I have posted, the Trump Administration has ended legal protections that had been granted to certain groups of refugees already present and ended legal pathways for refugees seeking asylum in America, while conducting mass deportations of migrants, including some present legally, and even without due process, including refugees seeking court hearings for their asylum claims, for which it has been criticized by various Christian denominations, as well as by employers; lawyers, human rights advocates, and law enforcement officers; and by liberals, libertarians and conservatives.

Latin American Digest: Bolivia, Argentina, Cuba, Columbia, and Nicaragua

Bolivia: The Bolivian Government has barred the former left-wing authoritarian President from being a presidential candidate in the August 17 Bolivian presidential election. Bolivia is led by the same Socialist party as the former President, who served three five-year terms, despite a constitutional term limit of two terms and was forced from office by a popular uprising in 2019 when he sought a fourth term. After a period in which a center-right leader held power as the constitutional successor, the Socialists were elected in 2020 to lead the South American State, but the current President and the former President had a falling out. The former President, who has been fomenting civil unrest, is being investigated for crimes. Another member of the ruling party will stand as a presidential candidate instead. Argentina: The former leftwing Peronist President last week was sentenced to prison for corruption and barred for life from holding office. She had been elected as President of the South American State in 2007 and served until 2015, succeeding her husband, who had served the previous four years. She was elected Vice President four years later, serving a four-year term and continued to be the leader of the left-wing party that is one of the legacies of Peronism, named for the Argentine fascist leader Juan Peron. Columbia: Some of the offshoots of the Marxist narco-terrorists since who fought a civil war in Columbia from 1964 until a peace deal in 2016 have continued fighting. There was a deadly flare-up of fighting by one group a few months ago in one part of the South American State near the Venezuelan border and another flareup by another group recently in the southeastern part of Columbia. The war killed tens of thousands of people. Cuba: The United Nations issued a report last week on the many Cuban violations of human rights in its prisons. Communist Cuba holds many political prisoners. After a deal reached with the United States, in which Cuba released some of its political prisoners, two prominent ones were returned to prison. Today, all of the Catholic Bishops of the Caribbean Island State called for structural, social, economic and political changes that are urgently needed amidst the suffering of the Cuban people. Nicaragua: Former Nicaraguan President Violeta Chamorro died yesterday in exile in Costa Rica at the age of 94. She was elected President in 1990 and served until 1997. Her election ended the civil war that was caused by oppression by the Marxist Sandinista regime that seized power in 1979 after a guerilla war, led by Daniel Ortega, the leader of the Sandinistas. During the Cold War, the Soviet Union backed the Sandinista regime while the U.S. backed the rebels after it became clear the Sandinistas would not share power. Chamorro, like the Sandinistas, had opposed Nicarabua’s Somoza dictatorship that had murdered her husband, the publisher of La Prensa, the only independent newspaper still published in the Central American State. She had been appointed by the Sandinistas as one of two right-wing representatives to the Ortega-led junta that officially ruled until Ortega’s election as President in 1985, but when it became apparent they had no real power, she and the other conservative resigned in 1980. She is credited as President with maintaining a constitutional republic, reestablishing international banking relationships and ending hyperinflation. Ortega was elected President again in 2007, promising not to rule as a dictator again, but he has instead been tyrannical, as I have posted. Chamorro fled the increasing persecution in Nicaragua in 2023.

Foreign Digest: Netherlands, Iran and Syria

Netherlands: The rightwing Dutch Prime Minister resigned earlier this month and the far-right anti-migrant party left the governing coalition because its demands for severely limiting the grant of asylum to refugees were not met by the other coalition parties. The main center-right and two other parties had formed a coalition government for the Netherlands after the far-right party won the most votes and seats in the Dutch parliamentary elections, but fell short of the required majority to govern alone, as I had posted. There will have to be new elections and likely another protracted negotiation to form a coalition government. The Netherlands is an ally of the United States as a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Iran: The International Atomic Energy Agency censured the Islamic Republic of Iran last week for violating its nuclear non-proliferation obligations. It is the first time in decades that the UN watchdog composed of a number of member States has censured Iran. Iran claims its nuclear program is only for peaceful means, but the world’s worst state sponsor of terrorism has enriched uranium beyond the threshold needed for energy production and could assemble nuclear weapons within months. Iran’s threat to increase enrichment in response prompted strikes on its nuclear program by Israel, which the Islamic Republic has repeatedly threatened. As with previous Iranian attacks on Isreal this year, the U.S. and some of its allies are intercepting Iranian missiles and drones targeting the Jewish States. Iran’s Shi’ite theocracy foments Islamist revolution throughout the Islamic world, backing guerillas and terrorists, particularly in Gaza and the West Bank, Lebanon, Yemen, and Iraq. Syria: The United States struck Islamic State targets in Syria last week. The IS is an offshoot of al-Qaeda, the Sunni Islamist terrorist organization responsible for the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks on America that killed a record 3,000 people. The U.S. has maintained since the Syrian Civil War left a power vacuum a small force in northeast Syria against the IS and al-Qaeda and also sometimes strikes Iranian-backed militia when attacked by them. The American forces are being kept there since the fall of Syria’s Assad regime under the leadership of the new Islamist-led government that is cooperating with the U.S. against the IS.

Update: Measles Outbreak in America

Because of vaccine hesitancy caused by anti-vaccine disinformation, the measles outbreak in America continues to worsen, after the disease had been domestically eradicated by the 2000s. There have been nearly 1,100 cases, many hospitalizations and at least 2 deaths. Most cases were of children who were unvaccinated. There are now 30 States reporting cases, between the main outbreak that started in Texas and others. Measles, the most contagious virus, is not the deadliest disease, but can cause serious illness and death, and was the leading cause of deafness before a vaccine was developed. Numerous scientific studies have confirmed the safety and effectiveness of the measles vaccine. Because not everyone can be effectively vaccinated against contagious diseases because of immunity deficiencies, those who cannot are protected if a high percentage of others in the community are vaccinated. America, Europe and Central Asia have been suffering an increase in measles and other diseases that had nearly been locally eradicated because of vaccines. Far-left, far-right and libertarian ideologies oppose vaccination, or at least vaccine mandates, while Russia has deliberately spread anti-vaccine disinformation in the West in an effective biological warfare campaign. Christian and conservative beliefs in personal responsibility toward the community compel vaccination to protect the vulnerable.

Foreign Digest: Venezuela, Romania, Cuba, Poland

Venezuela: There were multiple arrests of opposition figures by the Venezuelan Socialist dictatorship ahead of and during the elections last week. The opposition boycotted the elections because the South American State’s regime does not allow free and fair elections. As I have posted, it did not accept the results of the presidential elections in July, in which the center-right opposition easily won, according to the documentary evidence the opposition secured, international observers, many Latin American States, the United States, and its allies. The boycott was successful in denying legitimacy to the dictatorship, as the rate of abstention exceeded 85%. Romania: The presidential election held a week ago was confirmed by Romania’s election authorities and the new President has been sworn in. He is moderately conservative and is pro-European and pro-Ukrainian. The defeated Russian-backed far-right anti-Ukrainian Trumpist candidate conceded, but then alleged fraud. As I have posted, the first-round vote in December was annulled because of heavy Russian interference on behalf of an unknown candidate with no party and no spending, who came in first, but was later charged with election crimes and barred from running. The Trumpist candidate defeated last week had promised to name the barred candidate prime minister. Romania has thus demonstrated how to thwart attempted Russian interference, instead of acquiescing to it, like the U.S. did in 2016 and again in 2024. Romania, a former Communist and Soviet satellite state, is a strategic U.S. ally as a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Cuba: Donald Trump removed temporary protected status from 300,000 Cuban refugees in America, in addition to Venezuelans, Afghans, and others seeking asylum from persecution. Cubans fleeing the Communist tyranny on their Caribbean island State had previously been less restricted than other refugees. Because of their experience of suffering under socialism and dictatorship, Cubans who become naturalized U.S. citizens usually are conservative, register as Republicans and vote for GOP candidates, including Trump. Thus, Trump’s nativist policies, in addition to undermining American security, the economy and the budget, deprive America of the benefit of those who especially appreciate freedom. Poland: The Polish presidential election was held today. The centrist pro-European pro-Ukrainian Mayor of Warsaw backed by the ruling center-right-led coalition was leading against the far-right party candidate whose party was put out of power last year because of its increasing authoritarianism. The far-right candidate was backed by the Trump Administration against the pro-Western candidate. Poland, a former Communist and Soviet satellite state, is a strategic U.S. ally as a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Memorial Day Thoughts on Sacrificing Life for Liberty

The purpose of the observation of the federal and state holiday of Memorial Day is to remember with gratitude the sacrifice of United States military servicemen of their lives in wartime service to America. Note this commemoration is an observation, not a “celebration,” despite, as I have posted, its popular treatment as a typical holiday, but instead is intended as a day of mourning and appreciation. Those who gave the ultimate sacrifice loved not only their country, i.e. the land and its people, but especially the freedom upon which America is based. There are two thoughts that arise, therefore, on this day. The first is that there are currently serious threats to liberty and the second is that there is a disturbing contradiction in too many Americans’ appreciation of sacrificing, or at least risking, life for liberty. A growing autocracy, threats to the separation of powers, the independence of the judiciary and to the rule of law directly threaten the freedom of everyone. But if anyone’s liberty is threatened, then everyone’s is. The current harsh policies toward migrants and especially toward refugees seeking asylum from persecution abroad are an example, because U.S. citizens, legal residents and those with protected status have been arrested and detained or even faced deportations without adequate due process. This violation of the human rights of migrants and refugees exposes the contradictory attitude of nativism and xenophobia in the name of American patriotism, not only because it violates the American Creed that holds that every human is created equal and thus has a birthright of freedom, but because of a broader hostility toward those who migrate to America, even as refugees fleeing persecution and death. Those who do are regarded with suspicion, if not prejudged as criminals, terrorists, or subversives. Even when they are obviously fleeing oppression, many Americans scold them for risking their lives for liberty, despite the slogan from the American Revolutionary period of “Give me Liberty or give me Death,” and the purpose of Memorial Day to remember gratefully those who sacrificed their lives for freedom. Parents who risk their lives and even die while bringing their families to safety and liberty, for example, should be no less regarded. Although it is prudent to encourage safer means of migration and to make such means more accessible, it is immoral and un-American to raise a wall to people who have no other means of escape from persecution. If Americans truly believe that liberty is worth risking or sacrificing life for, then they should admire, instead of despise, refugees who are proving by their flight from tyranny their belief in freedom and the American Creed. Let us recall and be grateful to those servicemen who gave their lives to America, without resentment to others who similarly demonstrate similar willingness. May God bless America.

Foreign Digest: Afghanistan, South Africa, Lebanon, and Venezuela

Afghanistan: The Trump Administration announced last week that it is conducting a comprehensive review of the “catastrophic” Trump-Biden withdrawal of United States-led coalition forces from Afghanistan in August 2021 that led to the collapse of the Afghan Government and the return to power of the Taliban Islamist regime that the coalition had overthrown in 2022. The Taliban had harbored the Islamist terrorist organization al-Qaeda, responsible for the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks on America that killed nearly 3,000 people, the most in history. The Trump Administration will re-review the withdrawal likely to place maximum political blame on then-President Joe Biden, a liberal Democrat, and minimize the responsibility of Donald Trump. As I have posted, Trump legitimized the Taliban militia by negotiating with them, undermined the Afghan Government by excluding them from the negotiations, released 5,000 Taliban prisoners, and concluded a deal with the Taliban that promised a U.S. withdrawal in exchange for a Taliban pledge not to harbor terrorists again. By the time Biden took office, the Taliban controlled more territory than they had since 2001. Biden was constrained by Trump’s agreement with the Taliban from resisting the Islamist militia’s military takeover while it had destroyed the morale of the Afghan Government forces, though, like Trump, Biden favored withdrawal from Afghanistan, even though there were only 2,500 American troops stationed there in a non-combat role and there had been no U.S. fatalities since February 2020. The Taliban are intertwined with terrorists, as I have posted. I had posted that al-Qaeda’s leader then took residence in the Afghan capital, where he was better able to communicate with the terrorist organization’s operatives, but the U.S. under Biden conducted missile strikes and killed him after the withdrawal from Afghanistan. The withdrawal was disastrous, as the Taliban supplanted an ally in the War on Terrorism and the withdrawal was a loss of prestige, even though the U.S. had succeeded in its main goal of preventing another al-Qaeda attack on the scale of September 11, but not “catastrophic,” as American forces were withdrawn safely, except for one attack by the Islamic State terrorist organization, an offshoot of al-Qaeda, and some Afghans were evacuated, including some who had worked for the coalition, and some material was also evacuated or destroyed before the Taliban seized it, but the Taliban did regain power and seized much material, and have oppressed Afghans and targeted many who worked for the Government or coalition with persecution and death. As I have posted, Trump made it difficult for Afghans to be obtain U.S. visas by undermining the visa program in a number of ways. In his second Administration, he has stripped Afghan refugees of protections and even decline refuge to Afghan Christians. South Africa: The American Episcopal Church announced last week it is ending its 40-year partnership with the federal government for resettling refugees because it is immoral that the Trump Administration lets in white (Afrikaner) South Africans on exaggerated claims of persecution, but not people of other races, ethnicities or religions. As I mentioned earlier in this post, Trump denies protection to Afghans at risk of persecution or death by the Taliban regime that are the de facto rulers of Afghanistan, including those who worked for the U.S. in the War on Terrorism, and even Christians, or Venezuelans persecuted by the Socialist regime, among others. Lebanon: The Lebanese President, a Christian, as required by the Arab State’s Constitution, announced last week that Lebanon would disarm Palestinian militia and terrorist organizations in Lebanon. The President had already announced a policy against Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shi’ite terrorist organization and political party that is sponsored by Iran. Venezuela: The center-right opposition to the Socialist dictatorship is urging a boycott of today’s parliamentary and gubernatorial elections as a “farse.” The Socialists, who were elected 25 years ago and became increasingly authoritarian, lost the presidential election in July 2024, but refused to publish the details of the results and declared themselves the winners to remain in power. The United States and many of its allies and many Latin American States across the political spectrum at least did not recognize the results or even recognized the opposition candidate as the President-elect. Venezuela is also attempting to conduct elections in Essequibo, the part of Guyana claimed by the Venezuelan regime, despite international rulings in favor of Guyanese sovereignty over the oil-rich area. Guyana has banned voting by its residents in the Venezuelan election.

The Center-Right Candidate Has Defeated the Far-Right Pro-Russian Trumpist in the Romanian Presidential Election

The independent reformist Mayor of Bucharest, a center-right pro-European candidate, has won the Romanian presidential runoff election today, defeating a far-right Trumpist pro-Russian candidate, despite Russian interference on behalf of the latter. The mayor the former Soviet satellite’s capital and largest city, Nicosur Dan, had placed second in the first round two weeks ago, but because the Russian-backed candidate had not won a majority of votes, a runoff election was necessary among the two candidates receiving the highest number of votes. In the first round, there had been some unity around the center-left ruling party candidate, who was supported by some conservative parties, but Romanians preferred Dan, who has a record of opposing corruption, because Romania is among the more corrupt States in Eastern Europe, a region that has a high rate of corruption, instead of the usual parties that have governed Romania since the fall of Communism in 1989. As I had posted since December, the first-round presidential election results that month were annulled by the Romanian Supreme Court because of evidence of heavy Russian interference that boosted an unknown candidate with no party and no campaign spending into first place. That Russian-backed candidate, who was charged with election law violations and banned from standing for office, was promoted by the pro-Russian candidate in today’s election as a possible prime minister. The powerful Romanian President, as the Head of State, has responsibility for foreign policy and certain other matters, but is not the head of government. Pro-European parties had won the majority in the parliamentary elections, as I had posted. But because Romania is a member of the European Union, the Romanian President could have blocked EU support for Ukraine, as the pro-Russian candidate had promised to do, as the 27-member organization requires unanimity among its council of Heads of State. Dan opposes Russian aggression and supports continued aid to Ukraine. He favors closer ties with Europe and the West. Most Romanians preferred not to return to being under Russian influence, like most other Eastern Europeans also prefer, including Ukrainians and Georgians. Russian tyrant Vladimir Putin is a former Soviet intelligence officer trying to restore the Soviet Union/Russian Empire. The Russian-backed presidential candidate admired both Putin and Donald Trump. Isolationist or pro-Russian Trumpist Americans, including J.D. Vance, had criticized the anullment of the December election. Romania, which has demonstrated how to thwart Russian interference effectively, has now joined Poland, Austria and Germany within the last year in voting for center-right candidates versus far-right candidates, who are usually anti-migrant and often pro-Russian.

Pennsylvania 2025 Primary Election

Pennsylvania holds its primary elections on Tuesday, May 20. On the ballot are nominations by the Republican and Democratic parties for satewide judicial offices, and for nominations for county, district judge, constable, municipal and school district offices, as well as nominations for precinct election officials. Nominations will be made for one seat each on the two state appeals courts, the Superior and Commonwealth Courts. Polls are open from 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM, but no-excuse mail-in voting and absentee ballot voting are available, if the deadline for applying has been met. In some districts, voters will be voting on ballot questions. As the Keystone State’s primaries are closed, only members of each party may vote in their own party’s primary, but all voters may vote on ballot questions. Since the rise of Donald Trump and Trumpism in the Republican Party, many Republicans and conservatives have left the GOP, registering in Pennsylvania as non-partisan, as third party members, or even as Democrats, while some of us have remained Republicans so we can vote against Trumpist candidates, because Trumpism is not conservative, but a populist mix of protectionism, nativism, and isolationism. Whether in the Republican or Democratic party primary, conservatives should either vote for the least Trumpist or least liberal candidates, respectively, or if there are not any such acceptable candidates, write in the names of principled conservative, qualified candidates of good character, instead of acquiescing to candidates whose views are anathema to conservatism and thereby encouraging more populist candidates or candidates of poor moral character. Unless election reforms like jungle primaries, ranked choice voting or approval voting are adopted in Pennsylvania, as they have been elsewhere, principled conservatives should seriously contemplate founding a center-right party, like the pre-Trump Republican Party, or as exists in many foreign States, where it is often successful in parliamentary elections against both the far-left and the far-right/Trumpist populist parties.

Germany Has a New Center-Right Chancellor

The conservative Friedrich Merz was sworn in last week as Germany’s Chancellor, after his center-right bloc of parties formed a coalition government with the leading center-left party that had led the previous government. Merz’s Christian Democrats and their conservative Bavarian allies had won the most votes and seats in the parliamentary elections a month ago, but were short of a majority. By forming a coalition with the center-left, the conservatives thereby are keeping the main far-right (neo-Nazi) anti-migrant pro-Russian party out of power. The new Chancellor is pro-European Union and pro-Ukrainian. After long favoring the transatlantic alliance with the United States, Merz advocates for greater European self-reliance and stronger security, particularly through the EU, for which Germany has the largest economy and thus to which the central European State is its largest contributor, because of the unreliability of the Trump Administration. Germany is an ally of the U.S. as a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Germany joins Poland, Austria and the EU in being governed by a center-right party leading a coalition that kept out both the far right and far left, despite gains in votes for their populist candidates, as the majority of voters opposes the two extremes.

Foreign Digest: China, Canada, Australia, Romania, and Nicaragua

China: Communist China recently seized a Vietnamese-claimed island in the Spratley Islands in the South China Sea. The islands are contested by several Asian States. China, which illegally claims the South China Sea, has been assertive in its territorial claims to the Spratleys. It had already seized the Paracel Islands, which were claimed by Vietnam. Chinese forces yesterday also violated the airspace and territorial waters of Senkaku, a Japanese island claimed by China, even surveilling it with a helicopter, to which Japan issued a diplomatic protest. Canada: Canada’s conservative party lost the Canadian parliamentary elections a week ago, after having led the polls at the start of the election campaign a few weeks ago because of Donald Trump’s disrespectful pressure to force Canada to join the American Union and his unnecessary imposition of tariffs on Canadian exports to America. The ruling center-left party, which won the most votes and seats, will continue to govern Canada, likely in again coalition, as it is slightly short of the necessary majority to govern alone. They were seen by Canadians as more capable of standing up to Trump than the conservative leadership, unlike some of the conservative provincial premiers. The conservative party leader, a Trumpist who broke with the American tycoon over sovereignty and tariffs even lost his own seat. Canada, a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, has been a strong ally of the United States. Australia: The ruling center-left party easily won the most votes and a majority of seats in the Australian parliamentary elections, as Trump’s tariffs weighed heavily against the conservatives, as in Canada. Similarly, the center-right party leader even lost his own seat. Australia is a non-NATO American ally and a member of other pacts with the U.S. Romania: Today, as Romanians began voting in the first round of the rescheduled presidential elections, Russians hacked the election system, causing a temporary delay. As I had posted, a little-known independent pro-Russian candidate won the first round in December without having spent much in campaign funds because of heavy Russian interference. The result was overturned because of the Russian interference and campaign expense irregularities, for which he was charged and banned from running for the presidency, as I had posted. A center-right party’s candidate had come in second, but that party and other conservative parties formed an electoral bloc with the ruling center-left party behind the Prime Minister, whom it is supporting in today’s vote. A different pro-Russian anti-European anti-NATO candidate is expected to win the most votes, but not nearly enough for a majority, thereby necessitating a run-off election among the top two candidates. The run-off is scheduled for May 18. Romania is a NATO ally of the U.S. Nicaragua: Nicaragua’s Marxist Sandinista dictatorship is withdrawing from UNESCO because of a freedom of the press prize awarded to the main opposition newspaper, La Prensa (the Press), published in exile. I have posted on the increased repression in the Central American State.

The Trump Administration’s Shameful UN Vote Against Condemning Russian Aggression

A resolution condemning Russian aggression against Ukraine passed the United Nations General Assembly last month with overwhelming support, despite a vote by the United States against it. The resolution, sponsored by Lithuania and Luxembourg , passed 105-9, with 33 abstentions. There was significant support from every continent, especially Europe, the Americas and Western allies generally, and especially from former Soviet Republics and satellites in Europe and other former Communist States. Even pro-Russian Georgia, Hungary, Slovakia voted in favor and even Communist Vietnam and Laos and Marxist Angola, as well as formerly pro-Russian States that have recently turned away from Russia, namely Armenia and Cyprus. There was also significant support from Arab and Muslim States. The abstentions of Communist China and Cuba, Marxist Mozambique and the Central Asian former Soviet Republics were even a noteworthy departure from previous voting patterns. The Trump Administration’s vote against was joined only by a rogue’s gallery: Russia; Belarus, a dictatorship complicit in Russian aggression; Communist North Korea, which has sent arms and troops to Russia; Marxist Nicaragua; Eritrea, one of the most repressive States in the world; and Sudan, Mali and Niger, all led by military juntas that seized power in coups, the latter two of which are pro-Russian. Trump’s excuse for the shameful vote against a resolution upholding the most fundamental aspect of the UN Charter defending independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity against aggression, was to avoid being seen as favoring the Ukrainians while trying to mediate peace with Russia. But the excuse is contradicted by its strong diplomatic support of Israel at the UN while trying to mediate peace in the Holy Land. The Trump Administration, though not favoring Russian aggression, has been unable clearly to articulate opposition to it as a matter of principle and longstanding U.S. foreign policy. Russian tyrant Vladimir Putin, a former Soviet intelligence officer, is trying to restore the Soviet Union, which was split up in 1991 when its Republics, including Ukraine, became independent, and the Russian Empire. Russia had recognized Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, but invaded in 2014, seizing Crimea and fomenting a separatist rebellion in easter Ukraine and then launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter! On this greatest Christian feast, as we celebrate the Resurrection of Christ our Redeemer, let us consider that Our Lord sacrificed Himself for every repentant sinner of every nation. Therefore, we are called to love everyone, not only those of our own kind, or those privileged to live in our land. Life and liberty are the birthright, given to us by God, of every human being, as we Americans, who yesterday celebrated the 250th annviersary of the start of the Revolutionary War, believe. God bless you and God bless America.

Foreign Digest: France, Zimbabwe, Hungary, Georgia and the Gaza Strip

France: The anti-migrant pro-Russian far-right French party leader was convicted and sentenced for embezzlement of European Union parliamentary funds. She was banned from standing for President for 5 years. Her populist party had lost the parliamentary and EU parliamentary elections, despite gaining votes and seats in each body. France is governed by a centrist coalition government backed by the center-right and the EU is ruled by a center-right-led coalition. The far-right French leader’s party is in the EU parliamentary group with other far-right anti-migrant populist parties, several of which are also pro-Russian. She is favored by the Trumpist far-right. Zimbabwe: There was a protest against the corrupt socialist authoritarian President of Zimbabwe, whose party has ruled since independence from the United Kingdom in 1980. There were mass arrests of the protestors. Hungary: There have been more mass protests against the far-right anti-migrant pro-Russian corrupt autocratic Hungarian President. As I have posted, a center-right party has emerged as the leading opposition to the Hungarian strongman who has ruled the former Soviet satellite State for 14 years and who is a darling of the Trumpist far-right. Georgia: There have been more mass protests against the pro-Russian authoritarian Georgian Government because of its fraudulent re-election last year and decision to end the former Soviet Republic’s candidacy for the European Union. The Russian Federation invaded the south Caucasus State in 2008, setting up puppet states in two breakaway territories and keeping Russian troops there. Georgians prefer closer ties to Europe and the West. Gaza Strip: There were more protests against Hamas, the Iranian-backed Islamist terrorist organization that rules the Gaza Strip, and its policy of war against the neighboring Jewish State of Israel.

Former Vice President Mike Pence to Receive the Profile in Courage Award for Fulfilling His Constitutional Duty and Standing up to Trump’s Pressure to Overturn the Election Results

Former United States Vice President Michael Pence will receive the 2025 Profile in Courage Award. The former U.S. Representative and Governor of Indiana was Donald Trump’s recommended Republican vice presidential nominee in 2016. The GOP ticket was elected through massive election fraud, through deception, intimidation, illegal campaign finance activity and foreign interference, including by a hostile foreign power, Russia, which Trump and his campaign invited, welcomed and accepted. Once in office, the conservative Pence mostly was silent during Trump’s term, even though the Framers of the Constitution imagined the Vice President, whose only constitutional role is as President of the Senate, as a check on the President, not a sycophant. Pence seldom objected, even internally, while Trump engaged in dishonesty and corruption, was unable to put America’s interests above his own, violated the Constitution and implemented policies anathema to conservatism. After Trump was defeated for reelection in 2020, but was unable or unwilling to accept the results, he and his supporters pressured Pence as President of the Senate to reject the count of the Electors for Trump’s opponent, Democratic nominee Joseph Biden, on the false basis of election fraud claims that every Republican elections official and judge had rejected. Trump and his supporters demanded Pence exercise a role beyond presiding over the joint session of Congress on January 6, 2021 to count the votes and thus certify the results, but to impose his arbitrary judgment against the counting of valid ballots by Electors for Biden. Some Trumpists even threatened to kidnap or kill Pence and other congressional leaders. Inspired by Trump’s lies and inflammatory statements and aided by his refusal to send forces to restore order and allow the constitutional process to continue, they attacked the Capitol in an effort to thwart the counting of the ballots to keep Trump in power. Trump was later impeached for his incitement of insurrection in the most bipartisan impeachment by the House and votes of conviction by the Senate, but by that point his term had already ended and he was acquitted. Several hundred insurrectionists were charged with federal crimes and pleaded guilty or were convicted and sentenced, including to imprisonment on various charges from trespassing on federal property to theft, assault of law enforcement officers and even seditious conspiracy, but Trump commuted or pardoned them, as he still baselessly insists he won the election and that the convictions were partisan, etc. But Pence steadfastly resisted the pressure from Trump and threats from Trump’s violent supporters and remained steadfast to his constitutional duty by declining to reject unilaterally the Electoral College votes for Biden and presiding over the certification of the vote for the Democratic nominee and thus the defeat of Trump and himself for reelection. Thus, with two weeks remaining in their terms, the Vice President had finally and decisively exercised his constitutional check on Trump and thereby allowed the transfer of power and defended the republic from usurpation by an autocrat determined to remain in power by any means. Pence endured harsh criticism and threats by Trumpists for defending the integrity of the presidential election. He sought the Republican presidential nomination in 2024, running on a principled conservative platform and maintaining, as the other candidates agreed, except for Trump, that he had done the right thing in courageously resisting Trump’s pressure to abuse his power, but the Trumpified GOP nevertheless rejected him and other anti-Trump and non-Trumpist conservative candidates. Pence has since bravely continued to speak out in favor of conservative principles and against Trump’s non-conservative nominations and policies, both personally and through the conservative organization he founded, Advancing American Freedom. The prestigious Profiles in Courage Award is presented by the family of former President John F. Kennedy, inspired by the book the Democrat had authored, Profiles in Courage, about American political leaders who risked their political careers to resist political pressure and to do what was right for America.

More Republican and Conservative Pushback against Trump and Trumpism

There continues to be more resistance to Donald Trump and Trumpism (the populist mix of protectionism, nativism, isolationism and imperialism) by Republicans and conservatives, including pushback from Republicans in Congress and state elected GOP officials, as I had posted previously, the latter of which I shall post about separately. These examples are in addition to the federal judiciary’s stiff resistance from demands by Trump and Trumpist officials and members of Congress for it to abandon its constitutional role of inerpreting the Constitution and law and to conduct judicial review of Executive Branch actions to let the Chief Executive rule as an autocrat. Trump’s anti-vaccine nominee for CDC Director was recently forced to withdraw because of opposition from non-Trumpist Republican Senators. The informal rejection of another Trump nominee maintains the Senate’s constitutional Advice and Consent power, which had been undermined by Trumpist demands for the Senate to approve every nominee, contrary to the point of the constitutional checks and balances between the Branches of government. The Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman, a Republican, and Ranking Member, a Democrat, jointly requested the Department of Defense’s acting Inspector General to conduct an inquiry into the Signal scandal, in which Trump’s most senior security and defense officials and the Vice President participated in discussions of attack plans against the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen who have been obstructing international shipping on a non-secure private platform and mistakenly included a journalist. The Committee letter was addressed to the acting IG because Trump had fired all the Inspectors General to diminish accountability. The Pentagon’s acting IG will conduct an inquiry into the Signal scandal. Four Republican Senators voted in favor of a Democratic-sponsored resolution to terminate Trump’s emergency declaration against ally and major trading partner Canada to justify the imposition of tariffs, a tax on imports paid by domestic importers and usually passed along to customers, on Canadian goods. The resolution passed. Another GOP Senator sponsored a bipartisan bill to reclaim congressional authority on tariffs, which has been delegated by the Legislative Branch to the Executive Branch. Trump has imposed tariffs not only on Canada, but on every ally, as well as many other foreign countries, because Americans prefer to buy more imports, either because they are less expensive than similar domestically produced goods, are not domestically produced, or are of better quality than domestic goods, not because of unfair trade practices by the foreign countries. Protectionism, the policy of imposing tariffs not for security or human rights reasons or as punishment for unfair trade practices, but to “protect” domestic production. This, protectionist tariffs are tax increases that limit economic freedom, discourage competition and thus efficiency and improvement of products, damage relations with foreign States and invite retaliatory tariffs from them, and decrease global prosperity. Congress has delegated authority to the President to declare emergencies to impose tariffs without express congressional authority, a power that has led to abuses by Trump in both terms of declaring emergencies on flimsy or non-existent grounds, even against close allies and trading partners. I shall continue to post about Republican and conservative pushback against Trump and Trumpism.

More Christian Resistance to Trump and Trumpism

There continues to be resistance by Christians against Donald Trump and Trumpism, the populist mix of protectionism, nativism, isolationism and imperialism, characterized by dishonesty, corruption, disloyalty, cruelty and authoritarianism. Like a significant portion of Republicans and conservatives, many Christian organizations and leaders have spoken out or taken steps to push back against the most immoral Trump Administration policies, as I had posted previously. Several examples stand out as noteworthy. There was a lawsuit filed by 27 religious groups against the Trump Administration over threats to make arrests of migrants in places of worship, including in cases in which there was no imminent danger. The compromise of the safety of religious sanctuary for migrants has a chilling effect on their freedom to worship. Similarly, the Trump Administration has adopted a policy of arrests of migrant children in schools, which discourages parents from sending their children to receive education. A group of 100 Christian leaders signed a letter against Trump’s mass deportations and cuts in foreign humanitarian aid. The aid is not only an act of charity, but a means to advance American prestige, and encourage stability, prosperity and liberty. The Trump Administration cuts of aid are creating a need that is being filled by a major adversary to global security, liberty and representative government, namely Communist China. Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church, has repeatedly condemned hatred and inhumane treatment of migrants and refugees fleeing persecution, war, terrorism or disaster. While acknowledging legitimate state concerns for security, the Argentine Bishop of Rome encourages lives to be saved, and migrants and refugees who do not pose any threat to be welcomed and integrated. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a strongly worded statement against Trump’s harsh policies against migrants and have filed suit over the withdrawal of U.S. funding for settlement of refugees granted legal status assigned to the USCB and other charities by the U.S, which relies upon religious (often Christian organizations) and other private organizations to resettle migrants. Trump’s withdrawal of federal funds to the contracted organizations is an unconstitutional impoundment by the Executive Branch of funds appropriated by the Legislative Branch. Among the federal funds withdrawn by the Trump Administration were even reimbursements for previous expenses incurred by the organizations. I shall continue to post about Christians resisting Trump and Trumpism, as well as resistance by Republicans and conservatives.

The Worst Measles Outbreak in America in Decades

Through vaccination, the United States had nearly eradicated the measles virus, the most contagious disease, by the early 2000s, but an increase in vaccine hesitancy has rendered the American people vulnerable, particularly unvaccinated children, which has led to multiple outbreaks of measles and other nearly eradicated contagious debilitating and deadly diseases, as I have posted. The worst outbreak in America in decades is currently in Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Kansas, with nearly 600 cases and at least two deaths since late last year. Most cases are not reported, however. Nearly all the victims were unvaccinated, mostly children. There are currently smaller outbreaks in other States, including Pennsylvania. As I have posted, the vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella, like vaccines against other preventable diseases, is scientifically proven to be safe and effective. But some far-left and far-right idealogues and some libertarians, do not believe in the proven science, or at least in mandatory vaccination to safeguard those who are unable to be vaccinated for certain health reasons. Their erroneous beliefs, amplified by Russian disinformation, have decreased heard immunity in Europe and America and caused many outbreaks of preventable diseases that had once been endemic, but through vaccination campaigns in the last Twentieth Century, had become rare. The Trump Administration’s Secretary of Health, the infamous anti-vaccine liberal Democrat Robert Kennedy, Jr., ordered a study of the safety of the vaccines, even though abundant studies have disproved theories of links to autism, for example, or any other significant adverse effects, instead of vociferously promoting vaccination as the most effective means against measles. Instead of contributing to the spread of disease, it is responsible and moral, and thus Christian and conservative, to protect not only oneself and one’s family, but the community, especially those members of which who cannot be vaccinated, by receiving all recommended vaccinations.

Annual Blog Visit Report

There were hundreds of visits to my blog in the last year, according to StatCounter, which has been tracking visits to my blog for 16 years, even with my strict definition of visits. I count only pageviews at least one hour apart as separate visits, do not count the many visits for which StatCounter could not identify the specific blog page that was visited, do not count my own visits. As I have noted in previous annual reports, StatCounter tracks far fewer visits than the blog host, Blogger, as visitors increasingly use blocking tools to avoid tracking or at least specific search parameters, but StatCounter tracks them in much more specific detail. Despite the strict definition and the blocking, there have now been nearly 7,800 visits to my blog. As usual, at least a plurality of them come from America, with a significant number of them coming from around the world. As has been the trend in recent years, more visits land on my blog homepage than to specific posts. There are many repeat visits. Note: the glitch that has prevented line spacing and indentation, and thus paragraphs, as well as the posting of hyperlinks, has continued. Thank you for visiting my blog. Please continue to visit regularly, as I plan to continue to address the challenges facing America, the world and conservatism in these difficult times.

Foreign Digest: Gaza Strip, Armenia and Greenland

Gaza Strip: There were protests last week against Hamas, the Iranian-backed Islamist terror organization that governs the territory. The oppressive Hamas has used Gaza as a launching pad for terrorist attacks on Israel, which prompted a devastating Israeli response. The Palestinian Authority, which governs the West Bank, has declared that it will rule again in Gaza, after Hamas had split from it. As in both territories, which are inhabited mostly by Arabized Muslims, there is a significant Arabized Christian minority. Armenia: The Armenian Parliament overwhelmingly approved membership in the European Union last week as the former Soviet Republic pulls further out of the Russian orbit, following last year’s takeover by neighboring Azerbaijan of the ethnic Armenian enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh, over with the two southern Caucasian States had fought two wars, while Russian peacekeepers proved ineffective in defending the Armenians of the enclave. Around 100,000 Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh fled to Armenia afterward, as I had posted. Mostly Christian Armenia and Muslim Azerbaijan recently signed a peace agreement that requires parliamentary ratification. Armenia recognizes Azeri control of the territory and does not claim any right of return of displaced persons, while the deal settles or withdraws compensatory claims and does not allow private claims, while not addressing war crimes. The agreement rejects any third-party peacekeepers, including the Russians and thus also an EU border monitoring mission. Azerbaijan demands Armenia amend its constitution to remove the clause claiming Nagorno-Karabakh. Border transportation connections will have to be negotiated separately, including any link between Azerbaijan and its exclave west of Armenia. Greenland: Four of Greenland’s political parties have formed a broad coalition government across the political spectrum, led by the leader of the center-right pro-business party that is moderately pro-independence that won the most votes and seats in the parliamentary elections earlier this month. The result was a repudiation of Donald Trump’s desire to acquire Greenland. The staunchest pro-independence party will not be part of the coalition. The self-governing arctic territory of Denmark, an ally of the United States as a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, hosts a strategic U.S. military base. The neo-imperialist Trump has also threatened to retake the Panama Canal from Panama and has been pressuring Canada to join the American Union as a state. While denying Russian imperialism, isolationist Trumpist Republican J.D. Vance contradictorily claims Russia and Communist China are coveting Greenland as a justification for its acquisition by the U.S. While on Danish and Greenlandic soil at the American base last week, Vance undiplomatically criticized Denmark as not a good ally, despite Denmark’s participation in the Cold War and the War on Terrorism with its dispatchment of combat troops, as well as the current Western opposition to Russian aggression. The combination of Trump’s protectionism and his imperialism mark a return to the long-rejected economic system of mercantilism that had been practiced in colonial times by the British Empire and the other European powers, which was one of the causes of the American Revolution.

Foreign Digest: Syria, Hungary, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Turkey, and Italy

Syria: There were demonstrations in Syria recently both against sectarian divisions and in favor of the Russian military withdrawal from Syria after an uprising in Latakia Province by pro-Assad forces earlier this month. The Mediterranean province is the base of the Alawites, the minority Shi’ite Muslim sect, of which the Assad family, who ruled the Arab State tyrannically for over 50 years, was a member. Russia had backed the Assad regime during the Syrian Civil War, until its fall in December. There were protests across Syria last week against the divisions and in favor of national unity. The de facto Syrian government reached deals with the Kurds and Druze, who each have their own militias and have achieved a degree of autonomy, to integrate the ethnic and religious minorities into the national Syrian state. Hungary: There was a mass protest last week against the authoritarian far-right anti-migrant pro-Russian Hungarian Government, led by the center-right opposistion leader who is the leading contender in the Hungarian presidential elections against the longtime autocratic President. Nicaragua: Christian Solidarity Worldwide reports that Catholic Priests are now constrained by the Marxist Sandinista Nicaraguan dictatorship to receive weekly permission to celebrate Mass and for the content of their preaching to receive approval, under threats of detention or exile. Public processions and other public expressions of faith have already been banned. Evangelical Protestants also face restrictions of the freedom of religion in the Central American State. I have posted about religious repression in Nicaragua and political repression against opposition leaders and the prohibitions of civil, political or religious organizations and the exiling of clerics and others critics of the regime. Venezuela: The center-right opposition leader Maria Cortina Machado and her bloc’s presidential nominee, Edmundo Urrutia Gonzalez have asked the United States for protections for Venezuelans who are not members of a criminal gang or associates of the Socialist dictatorship after Trump Administration of the United States declared a Venezuelan gang terrorists and agents of the regime that are invading America and deported hundreds of Venezuelans it accused of being members of the gang, without any allegation of any crime committed and without due process, including refugees who followed the law to seek asylum from persecution. There was also a protest last week by family members of the accused, who claim their relatives are not members of any gang. Meanwhile, there was a United Nations report on repression by the Socialist dictatorship in the South American State. Turkey: The arrest last week of the Mayor of Istanbul, who is the most prominent opposition leader, on corruption charges by the Islamist authoritarian President has sparked mass protests in Turkey. As Istanbul, the largest Turkish city, has been expanded to include the entire province of Istanbul on both the European and Asian sides of the Bosporus Straight, the ancient city’s mayor is the equivalent to a governor in terms of the size of his district. The Mayor of the former Byzantium/Constantinople is the leading presidential challenger to the incumbent President. Italy: The Italian Government has banned the use of asterisks and schwas in Italian schools, which were used by some in place of gender-based forms of the Italian language. As I have posted, gender is a grammatical term for the masculine or feminine forms of words in certain languages.

Foreign Digest: Romania, Philippines, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Greenland

Romania: Romania last week banned the candidacy of the pro-Russian anti-migrant neo-Nazi presidential candidate who came in first in the first round of the Romanian presidential elections in December, which were overturned because of heavy Russian interference on behalf of the unknown independent who spent no campaign funds, as I had posted. They have been rescheduled for May. The ban was upheld by the Romanian high court. Another far-right candidate who opposed the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization was also banned for her views that were incompatible with her constitutional duties. Philippines: The former President of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte, “the Filipino Trump,” was arrested on a warrant from the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity for his policy of encouraging the murder of suspected drug dealers. Thousands of Filipinos were killed, including those who were not drug dealers. President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. cooperated with the arrest. His running mate and Vice President, who is Duterte’s daughter, was impeached for threatening to kill Marcos, as I had posted. Serbia: There have been mass protests by Serbians against the corrupt, authoritarian pro-Russian Serbian President. Bosnia and Herzegovina: The President of the Republica Serpska, the Bosnian Serb entity of the multi-ethnic State of Bosnia and Herzegovina, was charged with attacking the constitutional order. Serb-dominated Yugoslavia had fought a war against Bosnian independence, like most of the other former Yugoslav Republics that sought independence from Communist Yugoslavia after 1991. The war resulted in a partition into Serbian and Croatian-Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim) autonomous entities in Bosnia. Serbia is often accused of interfering in some of its former constituent parts. Greenland: A center-right party that favors gradual independence for the self-governing Danish country of Greenland won the most votes and seats in the Greenlandic parliamentary elections last week. The party, like the other leading parties across the political spectrum, whether they are pro-independence or not, is opposed to Donald Trump’s pressure for the arctic island to become United States territory. It will have to form a coalition with other parties, as it was well short of a required majority to form a government. The pro-American party failed to meet the threshold to win any seats in the assembly. Trump has threatened to seize the island by any means, including by force. There was a protest at the U.S. Consulate in Nuuk today. Denmark is an ally of the United States as a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The U.S. already has a military presence in Greenland. The imperialist Trump has also threatened to use force to take the Panama Canal and is pressuring Canada to join the American Union as a state.

Assurances Given by Trump Nominees as Concessions to Skeptical Republican Senators

Several of Donald Trump’s nominees were unfit for reasons of character, inexperience or irrational views. His nominee for Attorney General was forced to withdraw, and there were several Republican votes against a few nominees, who were nevertheless confirmed by the GOP-majority Senate, despite mostly Democratic opposition. A few of them had to give assurances to skeptical Republican Senators to win their votes to confirm them in the exercise of the Advise and Consent Clause, which is one of the checks and balances of the Constitution. Many Trumpists had urged the upper chamber of Congress to give up the exercise of its power to let Trump chose whomever he wished, no matter how unqualified. The assurances were a small consolation to anti-Trump Republicans and conservatives who were horrified by Trump’s selections, although some of the appointees are already backing away from their promises. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent promised tougher sanctions on the Russian Federation, but after his appointment said that he would either increase or decrease sanctions, depending on Russian willingness to negotiate an end to its aggression against Ukraine. Anti-vaccine Health Secretary Robert Kennedy gave an assurance he would revise the recommended vaccine schedule. Although he has encouraged consideration of vaccination because of the measles outbreak in Texas and New Mexico that has sickened well over a hundred people and killed two, he ordered a study of any link to vaccines and autism, even though numerous studies have already disproven any link. The only study that had ever suggested a link between a chemical formerly included in the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine was a fraudulent study conducted by someone who wanted to produce his own vaccine. That study was withdrawn by the health journal that had published it. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard gave an assurance to punish leakers, after having expressed sympathy for one who leaked a massive amount of classified information during the War on Terrorism and fled to Russia. Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Kash Patel promised that his deputy would be a career agent, as has been the practice throughout the FBI’s history for reasons of experience and morale for the agents, but Trump instead appointed an ex-Secret Service agent who is a conspiracy theorist, failed Republican nominee and radio talk-show host. Continued vigilance by Congress and the public will be necessary to monitor this dishonest Administration.

Foreign Digest: Russia, Romania, the Sahel, and Turkey

Russia: Russian hackers conducted cyberattacks against Italy for a week recently, in express retaliation for the Italian President’s accurate comparison of the Russian aggression against Ukraine with the aggression by Nazi Germany before the Second World War. Italian government ministries, ports, banks and other targets were struck by denial-of-service attacks, but the Italian countermeasures rendered the attacks mostly futile. Russia frequently engages in cyberattacks against Europeans and Americans. Italy has been one of the most-struck States by cyberattackers in the world in recent years. Romania: Romania arrested Russian-backed coup plotters and expelled Russian diplomats for espionage to support the coup attempt. The plotters planned to change Romania’s Constitution, name, flag and national anthem and withdraw from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the defensive pact led by the United States. The European Court of Human Rights denied the far-right presidential candidate’s appeal of the annulment of the first round of the presidential election in December because of heavy Russian interference. As I had posted, the unknown independent who did not spend money won the most votes. The pro-Russian candidate was recently charged with election-related crimes. Center-right parties have formed a bloc with centrist and center-left parties for the rescheduled presidential elections behind a single candidate. The Sahel: For the second consecutive year, there has been more terrorism in the Sahel (the savannah region south of the Sahara Desert in Africa) than any other region in the world. The surge in terrorism is occurring despite military coups in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger that overthrew elected pro-Western governments, supplanting them with military dictatorships that rejected Western defensive support and accepted instead support from Kremlin-associated Russian mercenaries, based on the justification that the previous governments were not adequately defeating the Islamist terrorists. Turkey: The Marxist terrorist Kurdish party, the PKK, has announced that it is giving up its bloody armed struggle against Turkey, a NATO ally of the United States led by an Islamist autocrat. Although the Kurds have been allies of the U.S. in Iraq and Syria against Islamist terrorism in the War on Terrorism, some of them are themselves terrorists. The Kurds are the largest ethnic group in Turkey. Like Turks, they are overwhelmingly Muslim. The end to the conflict between them and Turkey could help ease tensions between Turkey and Kurds in Iraq and Syria.

Abolish Daylight Saving Time, Not Standard Time

There is widespread opposition to the twice-a-year waste of time and money to change the clocks, but there is division of whether to remain on Standard or Daylight Saving time and the tradeoff between more daylight in the morning versus the evening, respectively. It may be tempting to agree with either change to avoid the cost and disruption to sleep, but one of these options is better than the other. Because the main reason to oppose changing the clocks is the disruption to sleep and the consequent harm to health and safety, as I have posted every year, Standard time is optimal because our bodies' circadian rhythm is based on it. Therefore, the United States should remain on Standard time to promote health and safety, in addition to saving time and energy.

Trump’s Appeasement of Russian Aggression against Ukraine Abandons U.S. Security Policy and Forfeits American Leadership of the Free World

For the third anniversary of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine last week, Ukraine sponsored a resolution in the United Nations General Assembly condemning Russian aggression and calling for Russia to withdraw, which passed 93-18. Even traditional Russian ally Serbia voted in favor of the resolution, while other pro-Russian States did not vote or abstained. The United States, under the Russian-backed Trump Administration, voted against the resolution, together with Russia, North Korea, Belarus and other repressive States. The U.S. instead offered a neutrally worded resolution that did not blame Russia for starting the Russo-Ukrainian War, which also passed. Russia invaded Ukraine in 2014, seizing Crimea and launched a full-scale invasion in 2022, trying to conquer the entire former Soviet Republic and taking much of the Russian-speaking areas in eastern Ukraine where Russia had fomented a separatist war. Russia had formally recognized Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. The United States and its major Western European allies had guaranteed Ukraine’s security in exchange for Ukraine giving up its Soviet nuclear weapons arsenal, as Russia had demanded. Russian tyrant Vladimir Putin is an ex-Soviet intelligence officer trying to restore the Soviet Union and Russian Empire. Trump is abandoning the longtime American policy of opposing aggression as a fundamental principle of international security, freedom and prosperity. Instead, he is trying to appease Russia, which backed his candidacies for president in 2016, 2020 and 2024, by forcing Ukraine to accept Russian theft of its territory in exchange for a cease-fire, with no U.S. security guarantee to prevent further Russian aggression. Trump’s demand that Europe provide security guarantee to Ukraine would forfeit American leadership of the Free World. He would thus encourage more aggression by rewarding it, and deny freedom to Ukrainians living under Russian occupation. Trump tried to coerce Ukraine into signing a deal to give up its mineral rights, with no express security guarantee and then publicly berated the Ukrainian President in the Oval Office in the most undiplomatic manner ever in American history. There have been condemnations of Trump’s appeasement policy from conservatives in America and abroad, as well as from others across the political spectrum, and reiterations by U.S. allies of strong support for Ukraine. The U.S. cut its support for repairing the Ukrainian electrical infrastructure, which Russia targets in a terrorist fashion to plunge Ukrainian civilians into the cold. There were pro-Ukrainian protests in America, as well as against leading pro-Russian Trumpists Vice President JD Vance and Elon Musk, the businessman and government contractor who was Trump’s biggest campaign contributor and who is a special employee in the Trump Administration exercising broad powers without full security clearances or Senate confirmation.

Foreign Digest: Romania, Venezuela, Philippines, Brazil, Germany, Austria and Russia

Romania: United States Vice President JD Vance, a Trumpist Republican, recently criticized Romania for overturning its presidential election in December, but the election results, in which an unknown independent candidate who did not spend any money came in first, was tainted by significant Russian interference on behalf of the pro-Russian anti-migrant neo-Nazi party. Therefore, a new election will be held in May.Foreign interference renders an election fraudulent, like that of Donald Trump in 2016 and again in 2020, whose election was heavily backed by Russia. Vance baselessly claims the 2020 election, which Trump lost, was fraudulent, but now contradicts himself in expecting Romania to accept election fraud. His only consistency is backing pro-Russian candidates. As I have posted, three center-right parties, which formed a government with the ruling center-left after parliamentary elections in the meantime, will jointly support a candidate. A center-right candidate had come in second in the overturned election. The far-right candidate was charged last week with multiple election violations. Romania is an ally of the United States as a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Venezuela: The Carter Center, which sent observers to Venezuela for its presidential election in July, has determined that the center-right opposition candidate, former diplomat Edmundo Gonzales Urrutia, was the winner of the election. The Carter Center again noted the fraud committed by the Socialist dictatorship on behalf of the President who was seeking reelection. The Socialist have ruled the South American State for 25 years after being elected and then becoming increasingly authoritarian. Venezuela is becoming increasingly aggressive against Guyana, most of whose territory it claims, despite international rulings in favor of Guyana that Venezuela had previously recognized. Philippines: The Vice President of the Philippines was impeached late last month for threatening to assassinate the President. She is the daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte, the “Filipino Trump,” who backed the presidential candidate with her on the ticket, instead of trying to seek another term. The Philippines, a key ally of the U.S. versus Communist China, hosts bases it allows the American military to use. Brazil: The far-right populist former Brazilian President was charged last week with attempting a coup. The Trump-like former President was already barred from office for five years for corruption. Germany: The conservative bloc of parties won the most votes and seats in the German Parliamentary elections last week, defeating the ruling center-left bloc and the far-right, but well short of a majority. The center-right Christian Democratic Union and their conservative Bavarian allies will have to form a coalition with the center-left party of the outgoing Chancellor. There was Russian interference on behalf of the pro-Russian anti-migrant far-right neo-Nazi party, which also benefitted from support by Vance and Elon Musk, as I had posted about last month. Austria: Three centrist parties, including the main center-right party, the main center-left party and a centrist party, have agreed to form a coalition government, keeping out the anti-European pro-Russian extreme right party that had won the most votes and seats in the parliamentary elections five months ago, as I had posted. The coalition will be led by a chancellor of the center-right party. Russia: There was a protest by the Russian opposition based in Germany. Basic freedoms are not tolerated by Russian tyrant Vladimir Putin, the ex-Soviet intelligence officer who came to power 25 years ago and became increasingly authoritarian. The opposition have either been murdered, imprisoned or driven into exile.

George Washington’s Birthday: Be Inspired by Washington to Defend the Separation of Powers

As I do every year, I post that the United States federal holiday, which is called “George Washington’s Birthday,” is called by most States by other names, such as “Presidents’ Day,” and popularly referred to the same way States do, and never celebrated on Washington’s birthday of February 22. I note the day was not only intended to honor only the Father of Our Country as President, but as the General who led the American patriots to victory in the Revolutionary War and as a Founding Father, among his other accomplishments. By diluting the purpose of the holiday by emphasizing the presidency and the other Presidents, it distracts from the focus of appreciation of Washington’s accomplishments and his exemplary model. Furthermore, because of the professional media and popular focus on the other Presidents, it is necessarily divisive, and because scoundrels are included, inappropriate and demoralizing, instead of uplifting. I therefore propose every year that the name and focus of this federal and state holiday should be restored. But because of this current focus on other Presidents and on the presidency, it is relevant to recall Washington’s presidency in one aspect that is particularly relevant today to understand the false notion of the office that has gradually developed. The First President, like everyone after him until 1840, for President or even for Elector, did not campaign for the presidency. Therefore, he did not have a platform or “agenda.” The Framers of the Constitution had intended the office of the Chief Executive to execute the laws approved by the Congress, which represents the People and the States, not to be the proponent of laws, except to make recommendations to the Congress based on his observations and judgment, while the President’s duty is primarily to serve as the Commander in Chief and chief diplomat. Furthermore, as the Union of States was formed for unity and for defensive and foreign affairs purposes, most domestic matters were left to the States. A fundamental principle of the Constitution is the Separation of Powers of the Branches of government and the system of checks and balances between the branches. Although the Chief Executive has certain powers, most matters must be debated and approved by the Legislative Branch because the Congress is the representative body of the People and the States who formed the Union because the Framers, after the experience of the Colonies under the British Monarchy feared the danger of an autocratic ruler. Thus, the current argument by Donald Trump’s administration and supporters that because the People voted for him, which is not true because the People vote only for the Electors who elect the President, that his platform must be accepted in full, the Senate must accept all his nominees, and he may rule autocratically by decree, is constitutionally baseless. Voters elect only candidates to any public office, not candidates’ or their parties’ platforms, based on the qualifications of the candidates. In other words, elections for public office are not literally referendums on issues. Even if a candidate has a general platform that a plurality of voters who elect him favor, he may offer greater specificity once in office or even change his mind, but even if a public official intends to carry out an entire specific platform, it is the prerogative of the Legislative Branch to consider and enact any part of the it that constitutionally must be enacted by law. The President is only owed deference on nominations to inferior administrative or advisory offices to the extent of his confidence in a nominee, but the Senate’s Advice and Consent power is intended as a check against the Executive’s power to appoint any unfit or unqualified nominees, or any who hold unconstitutional views. The President has a constitutional obligation to “take care the laws [enacted by Congress] are faithfully executed.” He thus does not have absolute power over inferior officers when there are statutes that limit presidential powers, and especially cannot impound (decline to spend) money lawfully appropriated by Congress. The Legislative Branch also may require the performance of certain duties by Executive Branch officials or constrain them from engaging in certain acts. The Judicial Branch, not the Executive Branch, has the constitutional power to judge the constitutionality of laws and executive acts. George Washington provides America and the world with a great example of a constitutional republican executive who defers to the legislature and judiciary, instead of usurping their powers and ruling autocratically. Americans would benefit from recalling Washington’s example today and be inspired to defend the constitutional principle of the Separation of Powers as a safeguard of liberty.