Thoughts for the Day, January 22, 2025: Another promise for transparency

Jocelyn Benson wants to put transparency first

Per multiple media sources, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, a Democrat is launching a campaign Wednesday to become the state's next governor.

In an interview with The Detroit News, Benson said she wants to be known as "the governor who puts transparency and efficiency at the forefront."

I am not holding my breath on her keeping her campaign promise if she is elected. When it comes to transparency in Michigan’s government, a good fart will improve the air.

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Trump II

Yesterday I read a blog that analyzed the many executive orders that Trump singed on day 1. The author explained how many of the executive orders will end up in court and based on legal precedent the courts will rule against the executive orders as they did to many of Trump’s executive orders in Trump I.

I shared the blog with a friend, who like me, had a much different opinion regarding the outcome of the executive orders in Trump II.

In Trump II there are no guardrails. There will be none coming from his staff or Congress. The hope is that the courts will control Trump II. My friend and I don’t see that happening.

In Trump II, Trump will demand that his staff carry out his executive orders. Those who don’t will be fired.

In Trump II, courts will rule against many of the executive orders, but Trump will ignore the federal courts. The recent ruling by SCOTUS gives the president immunity from prosecution if he is doing his job as president, Trump will use this as his ultimate protection from all lower federal court decisions.

In Trump II, knowing that some employees will hesitate to do something that the courts have ruled against, Trump will grant immunity from arrest and prosecution to any federal employee carrying out his executive orders. He can also grant preemptive pardons as an additional safeguard.

Since the president can grant immunity and pardons to anyone, it will be easy for the president to find staffers who are more than willing to carry out his orders.

This is how Trump II is going to operate in the next four years. Because of the SCOTUS ruling giving the president immunity when carrying out the job as president, the president has no guardrails.

Trump will take presidential power to a level never seen in this country. The only hope to reign Trump in will be congress with their powers to impeach and remove from office. This will not happen with the current congress. Until such time as the Democrats regain control of both chambers of congress, there will be no guardrails for Trump II.

Don’t be surprised if Trump finds a way to stay in power following the end of his term, even though he will be 82 years old.

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More on the pardons

My Quote of the Day from Representative Jamie Raskin during a hearing of the Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement.

“The chairman began by saying that the point here is to restore the rule of law... restore the rule of law... Can you even pretend to do that if you stand by and support Donald Trump who on day one — as the chairman of the committee just said — day one of his presidency, pardoned fifteen hundred insurrectionists including hundreds of people who violently assaulted and attacked American police officers. Let's just take one person who is free today, Julian Khater, who had been convicted after having every due process protection, the right to counsel, the right to cross-examine witnesses, the right to introduce evidence, but they had him completely," said Raskin.

"They knew exactly what happened. Most of this was videotaped so the whole world could see it….Well, Julian Khater repeatedly violently assaulted our officer protecting us in Congress, Officer Brian Sicknick, who then proceeded to have several strokes and died on January the 7th, 2021, the next day. The family of Officer Sicknick is absolutely devastated and demolished by what's just happened.”

"And now you have the temerity to come forward and say this is about public safety? How much safer are we now with these fifteen hundred criminals at large in Washington D.C. and going out into the country? Are you vouching that these people are not going to be attacking any other police officers?..Are you vouching that they're no longer a threat to public safety? What an outrage! What a scandal…The chairman began by saying that the point here is to restore the rule of law... restore the rule of law... Can you even pretend to do that if you stand by and support Donald Trump who on day one — as the chairman of the committee just said — day one of his presidency, pardoned fifteen hundred insurrectionists including hundreds of people who violently assaulted and attacked American police officers?

I will never give up writing about the atrocity of January 6, 2021. Trump giving pardons to those who were found guilty of committing violence against the police officers is a slap in the face to law enforcement throughout the country. The Republican members of congress who were in the building on the January 6, 2021, and are now turning their backs on the law enforcement officers who were protecting them, are a disgrace.

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The exodus of the Lions’ coaching staff is in full swing

Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is the new head coach of the Chicago Bears.

Defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn is expected to be named as the new head coach of the New York Jets.

Defensive line coach Terrell Williams is the new defensive coordinator of the New England Patriots.

There is a silver lining as it relates to losing Glenn. Under changes to the NFL's Rooney Rule adopted in November 2020, teams that lose minority assistants to head-coaching positions receive two compensatory draft picks. The picks are slotted at the end of the third round, after other compensatory choices are awarded, and come in consecutive years.

In Glenn's case, the Lions will receive extra third-round picks in ‘25 and ‘26, with the exact slot to be determined later this spring.

I am sure this is not the end of the exodus.

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Follow-up on my previous point about the length of the Michigan/Northwestern basketball game on Sunday which lasted over 2 hours and 35 minutes

From the Detroit Free Press today, when Michigan basketball and Northwestern went into overtime on Sunday afternoon at Crisler Center, it took nearly 32 total minutes to play five minutes of game action. When considering the review that went more than three minutes at the end of regulation, it was upwards of 35 total minutes to get through the final 5:18 of the game. To make matters worse, in overtime Northwestern attempted five shots and Michigan only four, while the Wildcats shot 15 free throws and Michigan got off 10 tries.

It capped a game that saw 68 free throw attempts, 46 personal fouls (more than one per minute) and had players and coaches on both sides pulling out their hair out of frustration.

The NCAA needs to make changes to the replay rule. Here are some suggestions.

1. Limit the times a coach can call for an official review of any play to two per game.

2. Limit automatic official reviews to flagrant fouls, clock violations, and three-point shots.

3. Set a time limit on official reviews such as 60 seconds. If it cannot be decided within 60 seconds, the call on the court stands.

4. Eliminate automatic reviews for calls occurring in the last two minutes of the game.

5. Clarify what constitutes a foul. Use the advantage/disadvantage guidelines. If the contact didn’t result in an advantage or disadvantage for a player, play on.

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Quote of the Day: See above from Jamie Raskin

Orchid of the Day: Leah my ‘badass” wife. Leah used the historic winter storm in Gulf Shores to do something very few people have ever had the opportunity to do. Today she walked the beach of Gulf Shores for two miles like she does every morning, however this morning she did it in six inches of snow.

Onion of the Day: The never-ending fires in California.

Lyrics of the Day: Stuck around St. Petersburg When I saw it was a time for a change. Killed the Tsar and his ministers Anastasia screamed in vain. I rode a tank Held a general's rank When the blitzkrieg raged And the bodies stank

If you think you know the title of the song and the artist/group, feel free to provide your answer in the comment section below.

Answer to January 21, Lyrics of the Day: For What It’s Worth by Buffalo Springfield

Question of the Day: Should I believe Jocely Benson and her campaign promise to put transparency in the forefront will be any different than Whitmer’s promise to do the same?

Video of the Day: In memory of Garth Hudson who died late last week. He was the last surviving member of the Band.

The Band - The Weight [Woodstock]

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