Archive for the ‘Democrat’ Category

Democrats and Republicans need to silence the extremists in their parties – KSL NewsRadio

DAVE & DUJANOVIC

UPDATED: MARCH 27, 2023 AT 4:56 PM

FILE - Proud Boys members Zachary Rehl, left, and Ethan Nordean, walk toward the U.S. Capitol in Washington, in support of President Donald Trump, Jan. 6, 2021. Federal prosecutors disclosed Wednesday, March 22, 2023, that a witness expected to testify for the defense at the seditious conspiracy trial of former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio and four associates was secretly acting as a government informant for nearly two years after the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, a defense lawyer said in a court filing. Carmen Hernandez, a lawyer for Rehl, asked a judge to schedule an immediate emergency hearing and suspend the trial until these issues have been considered and resolved. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)Credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS

SALT LAKE CITY Democrats and Republicans live in the same neighborhoods and work the same jobs. However, political extremists have hijacked the dialog and are pitting people who would otherwise agree with one another to contempt for the other.

During the first stop on the statewide, 29-county Connecting Utah tour, Gov. Spencer Cox stopped at Tooele High School.

Republicans are wrong about Democrats, and Democrats are wrong about Republicans, he said.

What were doing now is were only listening to the most extreme voices in those parties. So Republicans are only listening to the craziest Democrats and assuming that all Democrats are like that. Democrats are only listening to the craziest Republicans and assuming all Republicans are like that when the difference between the average Democrat and the average Republican really isnt that big, Cox said as reported by Deseret News.

Boyd Matheson, host of Inside Sources, joins co-hosts Dave & Dujanovic to take a deeper plunge into that statement on political division.

Boyd said the similarities between the two political parties never make the headlines, but the differences between the two drive the narrative of politics and drive the wedge of anger between them.

If you look at a basic Democrat and a basic Republican, they live in the same kind of neighborhood, with the same kind of family structure, with the same kind of job, so theres actually very little difference in terms of their everyday lives, he said.

The only Republicans we hear are the 10% most extreme, Dave Noriega said. The only Democrats we hear from are the 10% most extreme.

Boyd said he thinks the number is more like 3% on each extreme.

We amplify them in our own conversations. We amplify them in the media, and we amplify them on cable news, Boyd said.

By amplifying the extremists in politics, their bad behavior is rewarded, and that continues to drive the wedge, which keeps the non-extremists of both parties (center-left and center-right) from having the needed conversations where there is agreement.

Also, the political extremists go beyond only disagreement; they drive the wedge to reach contempt of the other.

Contempt is that belief in the worthlessness of another person because they disagree with you, Boyd said. And so if I disagree with Dave, and I have contempt for Dave, I can say anything I want about Dave.

I can blow up his social media. I can melt down his Facebook. I can attack his Twitter, and I can still sleep at night, go to church on Sunday and feel good about myself because hes evil.

Okay, so if we are agreeing with the governor where he says, Republicans are wrong about Democrats, and Democrats are wrong about Republicans [then] where do we come together? Dave asked.

While working as chief of staff for Utah Sen. Mike Lee, Boyd said he was baffled how quickly both parties came together on immigration.

We sat in a room and everybody agreed. Democrats, Republicans, everybody agreed. Everyone knows we need to have a border because we are a country. So we need to have a secure border. We need to have a way to tell who comes in and who who goes out.

If Disneyland can tell you, Dave, where your kids are at any point in time in the park for a three-day period, surely, the greatest country on Earth can figure out who comes in and who leaves the country, Boyd said.

But the road to agreement on immigration (or Medicare and Social Security) starts with the courage to try to understand the perspective of the other side, he said.

Dave & Dujanovic can be heard weekdays from 9 a.m. to noon. on KSL NewsRadio. Users can find the show on the KSL NewsRadio website and app, as well as Apple Podcasts and Google Play.

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Democrats and Republicans need to silence the extremists in their parties - KSL NewsRadio

Reckless Trump rhetoric could get someone killed, top Democrat warns – The Guardian US

Donald Trump

House leader Hakeem Jeffries condemns former president over behavior related to expected indictment in New York

Donald Trumps incendiary rhetoric over his expected indictment in New York could get someone killed, the Democratic leader in the US House warned.

The twice-impeached former presidents rhetoric is reckless, reprehensible and irresponsible, Hakeem Jeffries, from New York, told reporters at the Capitol in Washington.

Its dangerous, and if he keeps it up, hes going to get someone killed.

Trump faces indictment in a Manhattan investigation of a hush money payment to the porn star Stormy Daniels. Daniels claims an affair, which Trump denies.

Trumps former lawyer and fixer, Michael Cohen, served jail time after admitting making the payment shortly before the presidential election in 2016, then being reimbursed by Trump when Trump was president. Trump first denied then admitted the payment. Cohen is now a key witness in the Manhattan case.

Trump claims the Manhattan district attorney, Alvin Bragg, is politically and racially motivated. Bragg, a Democrat and the first Black man to fill the prestigious post, is believed to be considering charges including falsification of business records, campaign finance violations and tax fraud.

Trump has falsely predicted his own arrest, mused on wanting to be seen handcuffed and called for supporters to protest. Security preparations have been made around the courthouse in lower Manhattan but no serious protest has emerged.

On Thursday, Trump upped the ante, using his Truth Social platform to post a composite picture of himself wielding a baseball bat next to Bragg.

Norm Eisen, a former White House ethics tsar now a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, responded: Threatening a prosecutor is a crime in New York. In fact MULTIPLE crimes: Harassment in the first degree menacing in the second degree stalking in the fourth or third degree and thats just for starters.

But Trump kept going. Early on Friday, he claimed potential death and destruction in such a false charge could be catastrophic for our country.

He also called Bragg a degenerate psychopath that truely [sic] hates the USA.

Earlier this week, bomb threats were made in lower Manhattan. It was not clear if they were related to the Trump payment case, though one of the threats forced the postponement of a hearing related to a separate court case involving the former president.

On Friday, an envelope containing white powder and marked Alvin was delivered to Braggs office in New York. The powder was found not to be hazardous.

The civil rights leader the Rev Al Sharpton told the New York Daily News the powder delivery was alarming but not surprising given the kind of rhetoric that we heard by some of the supporters of Trump and by Trump himself posing for a picture with a [bat] next to Alvin Bragg.

In Washington, Jeffries said: Weve already seen the consequences of incitement from the former president. He is principally responsible for inciting the violent insurrection that happened on January 6. But clearly he has not learned his lesson.

On 6 January 2021, Trump told supporters to fight like hell to overturn his defeat by Joe Biden, based on his lie about electoral fraud.

A mob attacked Congress, seeking to stop certification of election results. Some rioters sought lawmakers to capture. Targeting Trumps vice-president, some chanted Hang Mike Pence as makeshift gallows went up outside.

Nine deaths have been linked to the riot, including a Trump supporter shot by police, an officer who collapsed the next day, and officer suicides in the following months.

More than 1,000 people have been arrested and hundreds convicted. The Department of Justice has indicated more charges to come.

Trump was impeached but acquitted when enough Republican senators stayed loyal. Despite wide-ranging legal jeopardy, he is the clear frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024.

Senior Republicans including Trumps chief rival for the nomination, the Florida governor, Ron DeSantis, have rallied to his defense over the New York case.

Most have accused Bragg of political bias and linked him to the progressive philanthropist George Soros, an attack with established antisemitic overtones. On Thursday Bragg hit back, telling Republicans to back off.

Using Trumps campaign slogan, which stands for Make America Great Again, Jeffries said: Its also very unfortunate that the extreme Maga Republicans in the House of Representatives continue to back President Trump and his reckless, and his violent, and his hateful and his disgusting rhetoric.

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Reckless Trump rhetoric could get someone killed, top Democrat warns - The Guardian US

Arkansas Republican, Democrat have differing opinions on prison reform bill – 4029tv

Arkansas Republican, Democrat have differing opinions on prison reform bill

Updated: 9:20 AM CDT Mar 27, 2023

Arkansas lawmakers are disagreeing over a planned prison reform bill. The bill would require prisoners to serve the full length of time they were sentenced. They will also be mental health programs and help for people being released back into society.Phil Reed, of 40/29, talked to a Republican and a Democrat to hear what they have to say on 40/29 News On The Record.Sen. Bart Hester, a Republican from Cave Springs, is working on the bill, which he says will be filed Monday. The portion about what he calls "truth in sentencing" has been his focus."When everybody opens up the paper or watches you on the news, and you talk about some guy that's brutalized some child and got 50 years, we all believe he got 50 years," Hester said. "But the reality is in Arkansas that they got one-sixth of 50 years, they're eligible for parole."Hester said Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders wants mental health programs to be in the bill."We're adding some more of that in this week to make sure that when somebody gets out of prison, and we all believe that most people going to prison should get out at some point, that they're ready to be back and functioning citizens in society, and a lot of that will be revolved around mental health," Hester said.Rep. Andrew Collins, a Democrat from Little Rock, said he supports reentry programs."After all, most every person who serves a prison sentence will at some point reenter society, and we need to help smooth that transition best we can because they're going to be part of our society," he said.However, Collins disagrees with the sentencing portion of the bill. He said research shows that longer prison sentences don't effectively deter potential criminals."There are things that are proven to work," he said. "Increasing policing, especially quality policing with well-paid, well-trained officers on the streets. That can actually help prevent crime."Collins said that addressing the root causes of crime by supporting education, families, and communities and providing legal ways to make a living are better and more affordable long-term solutions.

Arkansas lawmakers are disagreeing over a planned prison reform bill. The bill would require prisoners to serve the full length of time they were sentenced. They will also be mental health programs and help for people being released back into society.

Phil Reed, of 40/29, talked to a Republican and a Democrat to hear what they have to say on 40/29 News On The Record.

Sen. Bart Hester, a Republican from Cave Springs, is working on the bill, which he says will be filed Monday. The portion about what he calls "truth in sentencing" has been his focus.

"When everybody opens up the paper or watches you on the news, and you talk about some guy that's brutalized some child and got 50 years, we all believe he got 50 years," Hester said. "But the reality is in Arkansas that they got one-sixth of 50 years, they're eligible for parole."

Hester said Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders wants mental health programs to be in the bill.

"We're adding some more of that in this week to make sure that when somebody gets out of prison, and we all believe that most people going to prison should get out at some point, that they're ready to be back and functioning citizens in society, and a lot of that will be revolved around mental health," Hester said.

Rep. Andrew Collins, a Democrat from Little Rock, said he supports reentry programs.

"After all, most every person who serves a prison sentence will at some point reenter society, and we need to help smooth that transition best we can because they're going to be part of our society," he said.

However, Collins disagrees with the sentencing portion of the bill. He said research shows that longer prison sentences don't effectively deter potential criminals.

"There are things that are proven to work," he said. "Increasing policing, especially quality policing with well-paid, well-trained officers on the streets. That can actually help prevent crime."

Collins said that addressing the root causes of crime by supporting education, families, and communities and providing legal ways to make a living are better and more affordable long-term solutions.

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Arkansas Republican, Democrat have differing opinions on prison reform bill - 4029tv

The three Democratic candidates for District 3 council talk about the … – The Republic

Mike Wolanin | The RepublicJohn Foster, second right, moderates a forum between Democrat candidates for Columbus City Council District 3 Jerone Wood, left, Michael Kinder, second left, and Tony Hayden, far right, during a Columbus Rotary Club meeting at Donner Center in Columbus, Ind., Monday, March 27, 2023.

COLUMBUS, Ind. The three Democratic candidates for Columbus City Council District 3 met in a candidate forum hosted by the Columbus Rotary Club Monday to talk about city projects and plans for the future.

The forum, featuring Democrats Tony Hayden, Michael Kinder and Councilman Jerone Wood, occurred with just about a week left until in-person absentee voting begins for the May 2 city primary.

The winner will face Republican candidate Sue Norman-Chapple in the November general election. Norman-Chapple is running unopposed in the GOP primary.

The three Democratic candidates discussed a variety of topics at Mondays forum, including city projects.

Lot of new projects underway that will soon require funding when the new council takes office, said moderator John Foster. Are you committed to continuing these projects? Are there ones you would like to see discontinued?

Wood replied that hes a strong believer in current projects, including NexusPark.

Im also a big backer of the riverfront project, he said. I really think that could do great things for our city as well, stuff like that. I know thats one project we dont talk about too much. I know it was hot for a while, but I think that thats something that, if we put our funding and our energy behind, along with NexusPark, thats going to put us in a really great direction as a city.

Kinder also expressed support for the two projects.

I think those big projects are what we need to focus on in the next seven years, he said. We have Envision Columbus, again, another great thing that went through with the community, and to focus on those projects and making sure that they are still mapped and aligned with the new world were in now, post pandemic.

Hayden said that he has some questions about NexusPark and other projects, though he is generally supportive of anything that benefits the city. He is in favor of the riverfront project, though he noted that the initiative has been slow moving.

Hes also passionate about transparency and accountability for city projects, including how they will be paid for.

And also being accountable to the citizens, because a lot of people I walk around and talk to, theyre very, still, confused about NexusPark and the need for it, said Hayden. So I just want to have the answers for them and explain the benefits for NexusPark. I like the current projects that were working on, and I cant wait, hopefully Im on the council to see some future projects in Columbus.

For the complete story and more photos, see Tuesdays Republic.

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The three Democratic candidates for District 3 council talk about the ... - The Republic

An indictment would help Trump maybe that’s what Democrats want – NUjournal

Former representative Peter Meijer (R-Mich.) understands the cynical depths to which Democrats will go to win elections. After he voted to impeach Donald Trump for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot, Democrats spent $425,000 on ads to boost Meijers election-denying, Trump-backed MAGA opponent in the GOP primary as a poison pill candidate and helped him defeat Meijer. So, we should listen when he warns that indicting Trump over alleged hush-money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels would be a billion-dollar gift-in-kind from Democrats to Trumps 24 campaign.

Gov. Chris Sununu (R) of New Hampshire another state where Democrats backed a pro-Trump MAGA candidate they then went on to defeat says a lot of the Democrats have misplayed this in terms of building sympathy for the former president.

But have they?

The legal case against Trump is incredibly flimsy. As constitutional lawyer Jonathan Turley correctly points out, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg is taking a charge that has a statute of limitations of two years and trying to bring it back to life seven years later while attempting to litigate a federal crime that the federal government didnt feel needed to be litigated all in the run-up to a presidential election. It is, Turley says, a patently political prosecution. No one not named Donald Trump would be indicted on these charges.

Who knows, maybe a New York jury would find Trump guilty anyway or if it did, maybe the case would be overturned on appeal. It is unlikely Trump would ultimately be convicted of a felony, and thus disqualified from the presidency. But this much is certain: Indicting Trump will cause many Republicans, including some who have been open to a different nominee, to rally around the former president and help him win the GOP nomination. And that may be exactly what many Democrats want.

Democrats have won the past two elections running against Trump. In 2020, Biden won not by convincing Americans they needed more government spending and open borders, but by promising a Trump-exhausted electorate that he would end the chaos and unite the country. Then, in the 2022 midterms, Democrats successfully papered over the serial disasters unleashed on Bidens watch including the worst inflation in 40 years, the worst murder wave since the 1990s and the worst border-security crisis in U.S. history by running against, and in some cases spending tens of millions of dollars amplifying, Trump-backed MAGA candidates. If Trump wins the 2024 GOP nomination, Democrats have good reason to believe they can win a third election running against him.

A Trump indictment would help them do so in two ways: First, it would increase Trumps toxicity with swing voters. A trial would provide them with a daily reminder of his moral turpitude how he allegedly had an affair with a porn star while his wife was pregnant and then paid her to cover it up. And it would give Trump ample opportunities to further repulse them with outrageous diatribes against what he calls the Stormy Horse Face Daniels extortion plot. As Rep. Jeff Jackson, a Democrat from North Carolina, told Fox News, In a general election, were talking about roughly 200,000 swing voters . . . spread across five states, who are going to pick the next winner. . . . I dont think theres any universe in which they see this underlying behavior with respect to the affair and the hush money . . . and give a thumbs up to that.

Second, an indictment would encourage Republicans to nominate the man Democrats consider the most beatable candidate. Most Republicans including those open to supporting another GOP nominee in 2024 dont share the lefts hatred for Trump. A January USA Today/Ipsos poll found that 74 percent of Republican voters had a favorable view of Trump. But right now, 74 percent of Republicans are not supporting Trumps candidacy. Thats because his shameful conduct after the 2020 election, and his disastrous 2022 midterm performance, convinced many that it was time to move on.

If Trump is indicted, that could change. Even Republicans who dont love Trump object to seeing the justice system weaponized to go after political opponents. Most believe Trump has been treated unfairly. They saw former special counsel Robert S. Mueller IIIs investigation into possible collusion with Russia (which turned out to be little more than a conspiracy theory) and Trumps impeachment trials. Then they saw the FBI raid Trumps Mar-a-Lago home over his mishandling of classified documents only to learn later that classified documents from Bidens tenure as vice president had been found in Bidens D.C. office and his Delaware home. And now they see a Democratic district attorney preparing a blatantly political prosecution of the former president to stop him from being reelected.

That could convince enough Trump-skeptical Republicans to back the former president. And that could give Democrats their best shot at winning the White House in 2024.

Marc Thiessen is a conservative author, political appointee, and weekly columnist for The Washington Post.

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An indictment would help Trump maybe that's what Democrats want - NUjournal