Trump may accept results but never concede he lost, aides say

 Honestly I could care less if Donald Trump ever accepts the outcome of the election or won't concede. It just doesn't matter what that over grown petulant man child does where the former is concerned.  The constitution decides on when the change of office will occur. His temper tantrums not withstanding.  He can eat as much fast food as he wants and send just as many mean tweets. But, on 20 January 2021 Joe Biden will be the President of the United States and Donald Trump will another private citizen. 

 There is a growing expectation among President Donald Trump’s advisers that he will never concede that he lost re-election, even after votes are certified in battleground states over the coming weeks, according to multiple people familiar with the president’s thinking.

“Do not expect him to concede,” one top aide said. More likely, the aide said, “he’ll say something like, ‘We can’t trust the results, but I’m not contesting them.’”

Another adviser said that after the legal battles and recounts, the closest the president is likely to get to a concession is, “he’ll acknowledge the results and that we’ll never know how accurate they are.”

Heidi Schreck Examines Failures of American Gov't in 'What the Constitution Means to Me'

 

Actor and playwright Heidi Schreck uses the Broadway stage to show how the Constitution fails to protect all Americans. “When I was a teenager, I would travel the country giving speeches about the Constitution at American Legion halls for scholarship money,” she explained. “That is the inspiration for the play, revisiting this 30-year-old contest and seeing what I can learn about my own life through the document.”

Trump attempts to bypass Congress on coronavirus relief, though his power to do so is unclear

For those living outside the U.S. Only the U.S. Congress has the power to tax and spend. Meaning that without legislation passed by the the House and the Senate no president has the unilateral authority to allocate funds in this way. It's completely unconstitutional.  

Journalist Breaks Down Anti-Lockdown Arguments | NowThis

In US news and current events today, 'f you are not concerned about your responsibilities and you're only concerned about your rights, you're just selfish.' Listen to journalist Justin King break down the anti-lockdown arguments amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Trump offers 'large sums' for exclusive access to coronavirus vaccine

As Americans have known for the last three years and the wider world is now seeing.  Donald Trump's narcissism, lack of empathy and greed knows no bounds.  Unlike all previous occupiers of the Oval Office, Donald Trump refused to divest his business interests or place them in a blind trust.  Instead he, from his first day in office was in violation of the constitutions emolument clause which clearly states elected and government officials cannot profit from government contracts during their time in office.   

Noting the headline: Trump wants exclusive access to coronavirus  vaccine.  To believe that he, Donald Trump is doing this for truly  altruistic reasons would be complete folly.  His concern for Americans beings and ends with how to increase his and his families wealth. 


German government tries to fight off aggressive takeover bid by US, say reports

The Trump administration has offered a German medical company “large sums of money” for exclusive access to a Covid-19 vaccine, German media have reported.

The German government is trying to fight off what it sees as an aggressive takeover bid by the US, the broadsheet Die Welt reports, citing German government circles.

The US president had offered the Tübingen-based biopharmaceutical company CureVac “large sums of money” to gain exclusive access to their work, wrote Die Welt.

According to an anonymous source quoted in the newspaper, Trump was doing everything to secure a vaccine against the coronavirus for the US, “but for the US only”.

Why fixing the US bail system is tricky

Lawmakers, activists, and reformers want to end cash bail, the practice of requiring a defendant to pay money to be released from jail before trial. Mounting evidence has shown that cash bail unfairly affects low-income minorities who don’t have the money to pay for release before their trial. As a result, defendants languish in jail while waiting for court dates. While in jail, many of them lose their jobs, housing, and parental rights, all of which can weaken their community network, erode domestic relationships, and cost the government money to keep them in jail.

Can Trump Really Pardon Himself?

Take a look at the US Constitution and you’ll find that the president has fairly broad power to pardon individuals accused, charged or convicted of crimes against the federal government. President Trump’s use of pardons early in his presidency, some believe, sends signals to his allies that Trump is willing to pardon them if they’re convicted of a crime in one of the several investigations surrounding the 2016 elections. The president has also repeatedly claimed that he could even pardon himself.

Abe says it is his duty to revise constitution

Shinzo Abe and the Liberal Democratic Party gain a majority of seats in the recent upper house elections giving them, when including New Komeito and smaller nationalist parties a 2/3 majority. Abe's first turn as Prime Minister ended when he was forced to resign over his insistence of revising Japan's constitution to the detriment of other pressing issues facing the country.  Shinzo Abe and his allies think in the long term and now they may have achieved their long sought after goal. Restoring Japan to its pre World War II status as a major economic and military power.

Shinzo Abe is a member of a prominent Japanese political family his grandfather Nobusuke Kishi served as minister of munitions during World War II was arrested and briefly imprisoned, released and went on to become Prime Minister.  His views on the Second World War come through his grandfather a man he greatly admired.  Like many of his fellow travelers he believes history has distorted Japan's imperialist history starting with the occupation and annexation of Korea, the invasion of Manchuria and the rape of Nanjing to Japan's role in the war.  Never mind that many in his party and cabinet believe the rape of Nanjing never took place or that the imperial army never committed war crimes.  In 1974 a group of politicians and like minded supporters formed a group whose goal is to restore the dignity of  emperor and Japan following the humiliation of its defeat in World War II and the imposition of its pacifist constitution by the United States.  That group with  30,000 members is now called Nippon Kaigi.

      

Less than two days after winning that election Shinzo Abe has declared that the most import issue facing Japan isn't its declining birth rate, aging population or a struggling economy. No, the most important issue is the revision of the constitution. Thus restoring Japan's supposed loss of dignity and allow Japanese military forces to once again in engage in military adventurism.

An emboldened Shinzo Abe called Monday for debate on Japan’s pacifist constitution, which he said it was his “duty” to revise after scoring a strong win in weekend elections.

Voters backed the hawkish prime minister, despite a lacklustre economic performance, handing his Liberal Democratic Party and its allies control of more than half of the upper house of parliament.

Analysts say with the support of small nationalist parties, Abe may now have the numbers to push through a change to the constitutional bar on Japanese troops waging war.

“We have always set a goal of revising the constitution…that is my duty as president,” Abe said.

“But the party does not have more than two-thirds of seats in both chambers by itself, so I don’t expect the draft would pass as is,” he said, referring to the parliament’s lower house as well, and suggesting compromise was needed. “So I hope debate will steadily deepen.”

Donald Trump Thinks He'll Tell Japan What To Do Because He's Donald Trump

Donald Trump the Republican nominee for President has shown, one that he doesn't know anything foreign policy and two he knows less than nothing about Japan and its constitution which constrains its military.   For Donald Trump's information Japan does pay for the U.S. to station its military personnel in the country.    Of course there's the Tokyo treaty which sets out the terms for the U.S. Japan defense treaty.

Japan earmarked 189.9 billion yen ($1.7 billion) to host U.S. military bases in Japan in fiscal 2015 through March 31 as part of the costs necessary to station nearly 50,000 U.S. personnel.

“A lot of people like to say, oh, Trump wants Japan to arm. I don’t want them to arm. I want them to reimburse us for at least the cost,” said Trump, a 69-year-old billionaire.

Trump became the sole candidate in the nomination race after Ohio Gov. John Kasich, the last contender, said Wednesday he has suspended his campaign.

“I have great relationships with Japan,” Trump said.

Just so the know nothing Trump can understand I'll make it simple:  America wrote Japan's postwar constitution which limited its military to a self defense force and includes article 9 which prohibits Japan from engaging in military adventurism.  

Editorial: Diet distorts Constitution by passing security bills into law

Mainichi Shinbun

The Diet's enactment of the security-related legislation, opening the way for Japan to exercise the right to collective self-defense, has raised serious questions about the fate of Japan's democratic politics. Numerous members of the public, including those who staged demonstrations against the legislation in front of the Diet building and elsewhere, undoubtedly have questions over the legislation, feel angry and are worried about the laws.

The House of Councillors passed the bills, which will drastically change Japan's basic national policy that the country has nurtured since the end of World War II, into law at a plenary session without addressing numerous questions and inconsistencies.

With the enactment of the legislation, Japan can exercise the right to collective self-defense, and the overseas activities of the Self-Defense Forces (SDF) will be drastically expanded.

Ruling coalition legislators, who belong to the legislative branch of the government, would not listen to the opinions of constitutional scholars and other experts who raised suspicions that the legislation violates the Constitution, which is the country's supreme law.

Abe heckled at ceremony in Okinawa on 70th anniversary of battle

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was given an unwelcome greeting by the people of Okinawa at a ceremony commemorating the battle for the island which cost 10's of thousands of lives.   Protesters greeted Abe over his insistence that U.S. Marine Corp Futenma air station be moved not off of the island but to rural Henoko.   The Japanese government treats the people of Okinawa like shit.  Insisting that the island host the majority of U.S. forces stationed in Japan in one of the countries smallest prefectures. 

Abe and his ruling Liberal Democratic Party have this unrealized dream ( more like a fool's earned.) that Japan must be stored to the stature it held prior to World War II.  They truly believe that Japan was and continues to be humiliated by the Constitution imposed by the U.S. following Japan's surrender at the end of the war.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was heckled Tuesday at a ceremony to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of the Battle of Okinawa, the bloodiest episode in the Pacific War, as anger flared over the U.S. military’s continuing presence.
In a highly-charged ceremony on Okinawa also attended by U.S. Ambassador Caroline Kennedy, Abe was openly heckled by locals angry at the size of the United States’ presence on the subtropical islands.
Shouts of “Go home!” could be heard as the prime minister took the podium. It is relatively unusual for a Japanese prime minister to be jeered by the public.
Abe, who appeared rattled, told the audience Japan had for decades enjoyed the dividend of peace after the horrors of World War II.
  

“People in Okinawa have long been asked to carry a big burden for our security,” he said. “We will continue to do our best to reduce it.”
Okinawan Gov Takeshi Onaga was warmly applauded by the 5,000-strong crowd after using his speech to denounce “the heavy burden” of American bases in Okinawa, host to more than half of the 47,000 US service personnel in Japan.
“Some 73.8% of U.S. military facilities in Japan are still concentrated in our prefecture, which makes up only 0.6% of the country’s land area,” he said.

  

Pro Article 9 Demonstration In Japan: Sunday May 31

In Desperation The LDP Publishes A Manga In Support Of Changing The Constitution

Shinzo Abe and the ruling Liberal Democratic Party are so desperate to change Japan's pacifist constitution that late last month published a manga aimed at younger voters giving them a simplistic reasons why the constitution should be amended allowing its armed forces to once again be deployed outside the country.   The constitution written by American's following Japan's defeat in World War intentionally included Article 9 which clearly prohibits the Japanese Self Defense Forces from operating outside of country.   

Many within the ruling party believe that Japan was humiliated and forced to become a second rate world power all thanks to "foreigners."  Meaning those afwal American's.   

 The comic book, released late last month and entitled “Honobono Ikka no Kenpo Kaisei tte Nani” (“The Honobono (Warm) Family Asks: What are Constitutional Revisions?”), calls into question the usefulness of a Constitution written by Americans whose main purpose, it says, was to “make Japan powerless” 70 years ago.
At one point in the story, the characters, initially unaware of the charter’s origin, hear the story of its creation and lament Japan continuing as a “defeated nation.”

A defeated nation? That's correct given that Japan's military rules decided to conquer Asia and attack America all in the hope the Americans would see Japan's military adventurism as a fait accompli.

They are startled to learn that while their Constitution has not been amended once in its 70-year existence, Germany has revised its basic law 60 times, France has changed its Constitution 27 times, South Korea’s has seen nine changes and the U.S. has revised its Constitution six times over the same period.
In making the comparisons, the comic contends that Japan faces the world’s most onerous process in changing its charter.
To amend the Constitution, a proposed change must first be approved by a supermajority of two-thirds in both chambers of the Diet. It must then be put to a public referendum subject to a simple majority of votes cast.
But in comparing the processes of some other nations, the manga falters, as at least two countries — Spain and South Korea — employ similar rules for revising their documents. Others — including the U.S. — have stringent rules when it comes to constitutional reform.

Using America as an example:  Constitutional Amendments are proposed all the time in the House of Representatives and Senate.  To get a single amendment passed 2/3 of the members from both chambers must vote yes. Then the proposed amendment is sent to the states where 38 of them must approve it in their state legislatures.  Because there is no time limit imposed on when the amendment must be adopted it can take years before an amendment is added to the U.S. Constitution.  That's why there have only be 17 added since the approval  of the original Bill of Rights.

Shinzo Abe And The LDP Are Hoping That Japanese Soldiers Will Soon Be Able To Die In Pointles Wars

Shinzo Abe and his chicken hawk compatriots in the LDP are scurrying around like squirrels searching for food in their  efforts to change  Japan's pacifistic Constitution so that it  can be manned up.    You know, so that members of the Japanese Self Defense Forces can die for Americas hegemonic foreign policy initiatives.  All done at the behest of America's major corporations.  

Japan’s conservative ruling party is gearing up for a new push to achieve its long-sought goal of revising the country’s U.S.-drafted post-World War II constitution. Its first challenge: winning over a divided public.

Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers and other supporters rallied Friday ahead of Sunday’s Constitution Day holiday, when Japan’s democratic and war-renouncing charter took effect 68 years ago.

The party, led by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, has resumed meetings of its constitution revision panel after a 2-year recess, and this week started distributing a cartoon pamphlet to raise public awareness and drum up support.

Backers of a revision denounce the 1947 constitution as one imposed by the United States, which occupied Japan from the end of World War II until 1952. They say it’s outdated and inadequate for today’s society.

This Is What Happens When You're a Unilateral Ass

When Shinzo Abe was first elected Prime Minister in 2006 his myopic policy focus was on changing article 9 of the Japanese constitution. You know, the part about peace and Japan won't engage in foreign wars.  As with any singular uncompromising stance Shinzo was soon out of a job.

Six years later he made a triumphant return to the Premiership with policies focusing on economic recovery. Keeping his ultra nationalistic bs in the background.  But like a moth drawn to the flame Shinzo just couldn't help himself and the old let's burn the constitution down crap once again came to the fore.  And just like before there seems to be a problem with his all you need is more army policy.

When is cabinet approved the shift towards self defense they consulted on one, Not the other political parties and certainly not the voting public.

   Japanese PM’s approval ratings drop following Abenomics finance strategy and reinterpretation of pacifist defence policy

Abe has rapidly become one of the best-travelled prime ministers in Japanese history. He told reporters at a news conference last month that he has been “working up a sweat” as he travels around the globe, in search of allies to help counter a rising China and energy deals to help power the Japanese economy.
But there might be another reason Abe likes to be overseas: the reception he gets abroad is increasingly warmer than that at home.
As Abe zipped around Latin America, the news website Japan Today asked its readers whether Abe’s average of two trips abroad each month this year is too many. One respondent said, “In fact, it might not be a bad thing if Abe stayed out of Japan completely.”

The Japanese people don't share Shinzo's vision of the world one in which Japan is now sending its armed forces into conflict overseas.  For some really odd reason they like peace. Imagine that.

Here's A "Surprise" Japan Has A Right To Self Defense (video)

Since the 1990's Japan's Liberal Democratic Party has dreamt of changing Article 9 of Japan's constitution which restricts the use of its military. In Shinzo Abe's first term as Prime Minister is myopic focus on forcing through these changes led to his resignation after just one year in office. Given a second chance he kept his ambitions for changing the constitution in the background until a few weeks into his second year in office. With decent approval ratings the Abe government is now pushing really hard for these changes, yet they seem impervious to concerns not only from Japanese voters but, other Asian countries as what these changes really mean and how they will affect its world standing.

Shinzo Abe like a majority of the LDP membership dream of return to the past when Japan was a major military power conventally forgetting just what was wrought by that power.

Japan has an "innate right" to defend itself, a special advisor to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told CNBC on Monday, following steps taken last week to move the country away from its pacifist constitution.


Last week, Abe's 14-member advisory panel issued a report urging the government to revamp Japan's security policy by removing the long-standing ban on collective self-defense known as Article 9 of the constitution, which would mean Japan help its allies abroad. Abe vocalized his support for the reform.

"In this world no one nation - even the mightiest the U.S. - can defend itself alone, so you have to team up with other like-minded peers in order to defend yourself," Tomohiko Taniguchi, special advisor to Abe, told CNBC Asia's "Squawk Box" .

"What's being discussed is something that every nation in the world has an innate right. For historical reasons it's been only Japan that's banned the Japanese armed forces from getting involved in collective actions," he added.

Abe eases weapons export rules

When Shinzo Abe first held the premiership his policy focus was on the revision of Japan's constitution which prevents Japan's formation of a military has might be recognized by definition if not reality.  Thus Japan's military are known as the Self Defense Force,  be it land, navel or air forces.  Another policy adopted by the Japanese following World War II was the banning of arms exports. 

Given a second chance at leading Japan Shinzo Abe spent his first year following his reelection focusing on economic issues but as his first years anniversary passed Abe returned to his true policy obsession amending Japan's pacifist constitution allowing Japan to have a true military true the ruse of collective self defense.  While these two policies  at first glance don't seem to be connected for Shinzo Abe and the Liberal Democratic Party they are.  They believe that the constitution imposed upon Japan by the Americans was just another humiliation.   

The Cabinet on Tuesday approved eased principles and guidelines for weapons exports, ending a strict ban that lasted nearly 50 years as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe sets the stage for Japan to play a more active role in global security.
The newly adopted three principles on the transfer of defense equipment prohibit Japan from exporting arms to countries involved in conflict and to those that violate U.N. resolutions. However, Japanese firms will be able to export weapons when the deals pass government screenings, a major policy change from the previous rule of banning arms exports to all countries, apart from a few exceptions.
The new principles state that Japan will continue to embrace the basic philosophy of a pacifist state that abides by the U.N. Charter, but the change in rules has sparked concern that the nation’s trade in weapons could expand in the future.

Don't believe for a minute that all these restrictions which the government has proposed will be enforced its all for show, an illusion  all meant to fool the world that Japan will act responsibly in its dealings involving arms shipments.