Thoughts for the Day, January 6, 2025: A non-eventful day. As it should be.

January 6, 2025

Today, Donald Trump’s election was certified by Congress. This is a perfunctory process Congress is legally required to do under the constitution. It is a process that since the early stages of our country has usually been done without incident.

Today, Vice President Kamala Harris, who was defeated by Trump, presided over the process in the U.S. Senate, as she is required to do by the Constitution.

Today, Harris did not claim election fraud, even though her defeat by 2.2 million votes was much closer than 7.0 million Trump lost by in 2020.

Today, there was no rally at the Ellipse. Harris did not rally her supporters to take over the Capitol and “stop the steal”.

Today, there was no insurrection at the Capitol in which Harris’s supporters desecrated congressional offices, threatened the lives of members of congress, built a gallows, or hanged the confederate flag.

Today, there was not an insurrectionist who sat at Speaker Johnson’s desk with his feet up on the desk rumbling through Johnson’s papers.

Today, ten people did not die because of an insurrection that Harris started.

Today, a hundred officers did not sustain injury because of an insurrection Harris started.

Tonight, congressional members of the Republican party will not condemn the president for his lack of action for three hours while the insurrectionists trashed the Capitol.

Next week, congressional members of the Republican party will not backtrack on their statements of the prior week in which they condemned the president and his followers.

In the next weeks, the president will not be impeached for a second time because of his actions on January 6.

Today was like it has been following every presidential election, except January 6, 2021.

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It may not be against the law, but it is not morally correct, and it is not the right thing to do

The Supreme Court of the United States, specifically Clarence Thomas and Sam Alito, have a moral compass of convenience. Federal Judges across the country have rules and regulations for the receipt of gifts and hospitality which for some unknown reason do not apply to SCOTUS. Thomas and Alito have used the lack of rules and regulations to their advantage. Any other federal judge who accepted gifts and hospitality, such as they have received, would have received disciplinary action up to and including discharge of their responsibilities.

Chief Justice John Roberts is a co-conspirator because he has his head buried in the sand and refuses to clean up the rules and regulations and hold SCOTUS to the same standards of all other federal judges. He needs to grow some cajónes.

It only got worse this past week when the national policy making body of the federal courts refused to reprimand Thomas and Alito. Here are excerpts from a report by the SCOTUS Blog.

The federal courts will not refer complaints that Justice Clarence Thomas violated ethics laws to the Department of Justice for investigation. The national policymaking body for the federal courts on Thursday rejected Democratic lawmakers’ request to refer to the attorney general claims that Thomas violated the law when he failed to disclose luxury travel, the sale of property to billionaire Harlan Crow, and other gifts.

In identical letters to Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, a Democrat from Rhode Island, and Rep. Hank Johnson, a Democrat from Georgia, Senior U.S. District Judge Robert Conrad, Jr., who serves as the secretary of the Judicial Conference of the United States, indicated that Thomas had filed amended financial disclosure forms that, Conrad said, “address several issues identified” in a letter sent to the conference by the two members of Congress last year. Moreover, Conrad added, it is not clear in any event whether the Judicial Conference has the power to make such referrals for Supreme Court justices.

Most non-profits have tighter standards than SCOTUS. SCOTUS gets my Onion of the Day.

A big thank you to my friend George for sharing this article with me.

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The Lions: Halftime adjustments made all the difference

“Ben Johnson not having a good night. Oh well, going to bed”.

Sunday night I received the above text from a friend at halftime of the Lions’ game with the Vikings. The Lions were holding a slim 10-6 lead and the Lions’ offense under offensive coordinator Ben Johnson struggled to get anything going. Luckily for the Lions, Arron Glenn’s defense was playing above expectations as the defense forced Viking QB Sam Donald into many inaccurate throws to wide open receivers.

Like all great coaches, Johnson made adjustments at half time which worked. In the second half, the Lions scored 21 points on three touchdowns by the Lions’ extremely talented running back, Jamyr Gibbs. In the meantime, the defense continued to harass Donald and make him very uncomfortable whenever he went back to pass.

With the victory, the Lions won the NFC North title, secured the number one seed in the NFC with their 15-2 record, secured home field advantage for the remainder of the NFC portion of the playoffs, and most importantly secured a bye for the first round of the playoffs. The Lions have two weeks to rest and recover.

The victory was described best by Mitch Albom. “Controlled it? They choked the life out of it. If Minnesota were coal, it’d be a diamond by now. The previously high-flying Vikings had 12 plays in the red zone Sunday night and never crossed the goal line. Twice they had first-and-goal at the Lions 5 — and got no points!” This is my Quote of the Day

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National Anthem

What is with media outlets not showing the national anthems prior to nationally televised sporting events. As one who stood through many national anthems while officiating high school sporting events, I never got tired of it. It was a regular reminder of the wonderful country in which we live. It was always great to scan the crowd see how people honored the tradition. It was a great way to set the tone for the event I was about to officiate.

To me playing the national anthem is especially important following tragic events. Who can forget the national anthems at NFL games and Yankee Stadium following the 9/11 attack? It gives me chills to think about it.

The national anthems at the NFL Thanksgiving Day games and the Superbowl are must-see TV. So are the MLB and NFL playoff games. For NHL games, I love it when the Red Wings are playing a Canadian team and both the U.S and Canadian national anthems are played. “O Canada” is a beautiful song.

Last Thursday, ESPN blew it, when they chose not to show the moment of silence and the national anthem at the New Orleans Sugar Bowl Game following the terrorist attack that occurred the day before and caused the game to be delayed for a day. They missed showing the crowd chanting USA, USA, USA. It gives me goosebumps when I watch it.

I was also disappointed with NBC last night prior to the Lions/Vikings game. NBC showed the moment of silence for the victims of the New Orleans attack, but they did not show the national anthem.

I hope the backlash ESPN received will cause them and other media companies to relook at their priorities.

See my Videos of the Day for the moment of silence and the national anthem at the Sugar Bowl.

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A record of over 240 views

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Quote of the Day: “Controlled it? They choked the life out of it. If Minnesota were coal, it’d be a diamond by now. The previously high-flying Vikings had 12 plays in the red zone Sunday night and never crossed the goal line. Twice they had first-and-goal at the Lions 5 — and got no points!” Mitch Albom describing the Lions’ victory over the Vikings.

Orchid of the Day: Lions’ Defensive Coordinator Aaron Glenn and the Lions’ defense. Yesterday’s defensive performance against an outstanding Vikings team, was their best performance of the Dan Campbell era.

Second Orchid of the Day: Lions’ captain and middle linebacker Alex Anzalone, who played his first game since breaking his arm earlier in the season. In spite of wearing a composite cast on his arm, Anzalone appeared to be all over the field as he played all but the last snap of the game and lead the team in tackles.

Onion of the Day: SCOTUS for their lack of a moral compass when it comes to gifts and accommodations SCOTUS members can receive.

Lyrics of the Day: A fine little girl, she waits for me. Me catch the ship across the sea. Me sailed that ship all alone. Me never think I'll make it home

Three nights and days I sailed the sea. Me think of girl constantly.
On that ship, I dream she there. I smell the rose in her hair.

Hint: One of the most misunderstood/misinterpreted lyrics of any song I know.

Answer to January 3 Lyrics of the Day is Lose Yourself, by Eminem. In my opinion, it is one of the greatest songs ever written. It won a grammy for Song of the Year, and an Oscar for Best Original Score.

Question of the Day: Is there something wrong with showing the National Anthem on televised sporting events?

Two Videos of the Day: A moment of silence is held at the Sugar Bowl for New Orleans victims

Chilling National Anthem at Sugar Bowl New Orleans

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