QOTD -- "The Baton Is Now In Our Hands"

 

"...We cannot despair. We cannot despair. The nature of a democracy is such that I think there's a duality. On the one hand, there's an incredible strength when our democracy is intact. An incredible strength in what it does to protect the freedoms and rights of its people. Oh, there's great strength in that. And it is very fragile. It is only as strong as our willingness to fight for it. And so that's the moment we're in. And I say do not despair because in a democracy, as long as we can keep it, in our democracy the people, every individual has the power to make a decision about what this will be. 

"And so let's not feel powerless. Because then we have been defeated. And that's not our character as the American people. We are not one to be defeated. We rise to a moment and we stand on broad shoulders of people who have fought this fight before for our country. And in many ways let us look at the challenge then that we are being presented and not be overwhelmed by it. The baton is now in our hands, to fight for, not against, but for this country we love..." -- Vice President Kamala Harris, speaking in Royal Oak, MI, yesterday at an event with former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney.

(Cartoon:  Daryl Cagle, caglecartoons.com)

 

Sunday Reflection: A Reminder and A Birthday

'Your vote is your voice, and your voice is your power." -- Vice President Kamala Harris, reminding the audience at each of her rallies how important their vote will be to keep our democracy out of the hands of the anti-democratic extreme right, led by the fascist Malignant Loser. Don't cede your power by sitting out the election, truly the most significant one in modern times.

Happy birthday to Vice President Harris!

 

QOTD: "Trump Tanked It"

Vice President Harris in battleground state Arizona yesterday, talking about last spring's bipartisan immigration bill that the Malignant Loser killed because he wanted an issue to run on:

“It was the strongest border security bill we have seen in decades. It was endorsed by the Border Patrol union. And it should be in effect today, producing results in real time, right now, for our country.

But Donald Trump tanked it. He picked up the phone and called some friends in Congress and said, ‘Stop the bill,’ He prefers to run on a problem instead of fixing a problem. And the American people deserve a president who cares more about border security than playing political games and their personal political future.”  (our emphasis)

The Vice President needs to hit the Malignant Loser hard on his cynical and dishonest stance on the border. His undermining of the immigration bill is yet another example of putting his own interests (i.e. winning the election and avoiding prison) above those of the country.

Quotes Of The Day -- The Bright New Future Vs. The Ugly Old Past

 

From Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign kickoff speech in Wisconsin yesterday:

“I took on perpetrators of all kinds. Predators who abused women. Fraudsters who ripped off consumers. Cheaters who broke the rules for their own gain. So hear me when I say, I know Donald Trump’s type.”

____________________

“Ultimately, in this election, we each face a question: What kind of country do we want to live in?  Do we want to live in a country of freedom, compassion and rule of law, or a country of chaos, fear and hate?

"We each have the power to answer that question.  The power is with the people."

 

U.S.: Russia Has Committed Crimes Against Humanity

Earlier today at the Munich Security Conference, Vice President Kamala Harris formally accused Russia of crimes against humanity for its shelling of civilian populations, and other despicable crimes. It's the first time the U.S. has made a formal declaration of that kind against Russia for its aggression:

'In a marquee address at the Munich Security Conference, Harris detailed that Russia is responsible for a 'widespread and systematic attack' against Ukraine’s civilian population, citing evidence of execution-style killings, rape, torture and forceful deportations — sometimes perpetrated against children. As a result, Russia has not only committed war crimes, as the administration formally concluded in March, but also illegal acts against non-combatants.

'Their actions are an assault on our common values, an attack on our common humanity' the vice president said, referencing images of bodies lying in the streets of Bucha and the sexual assault of a four-year-old girl by a Russian soldier. 'Barbaric and inhumane.'

Harris then declared: 'The United States has formally determined that Russia has committed crimes against humanity.'

The Biden administration will continue to assist Ukraine in its investigation into these alleged crimes, she said, vowing that the perpetrators and 'their superiors' will be 'held to account.'”  (our emphasis)

The world community has witnessed the illegal and immoral actions of the Russian military in Ukraine at the behest of thug and war criminal Vladimir Putin. Various international organizations are collecting evidence of Russia's crimes that Harris touched on, with the aim of presenting a case of war crimes to the International Criminal Court in the Hague, Netherlands. Last November, Amnesty International said that Russia was likely "committing crimes against humanity in Ukraine." The U.S. formally accusing Russia of crimes against humanity should move the legal case forward at a faster clip.

(photo: Thomas Kienzle/AFP/Getty) 

 

QOTD -- Safe

 

"This is a family that lost their son and their brother through an act of violence, at the hands and the feet of people who had been charged with keeping them safe. ... This violent act was not in pursuit of public safety. It was not in the interest of keeping the public safe, because one must ask, was it not in the interest of keeping the public safe that Tyre Nichols would be with us here today? Was he not also entitled to the right to be safe?" -- Vice President Kamala Harris yesterday at the funeral of Tyre Nichols in Memphis, TN.  Nichols died on January 10 after being beaten by police at a traffic stop three days earlier.  During her remarks she called for Congress to pass the "George Floyd Justice in Policing Act," a modest first step in addressing police reform.  The bill passed the then- Democratic- controlled House last year, but was stalled by Republicans in the Senate.

(photo: Andrew Nelles / NY Times)