Author: Michael A. Ventrella

by

How the GOP can win the presidential race

To follow up on yesterday’s editorial cartoon:

The Republican party has won the popular vote only once in the last six presidential elections (when Bush won by a razor-thin margin). They have a huge uphill battle, and it’s not getting any better for them. The population is changing, and the old angry white man vote is dying.

Look at the electoral college voting patterns. You need 270 electoral votes to win. If we count every state that has voted Democratic in the last six elections, the Democrats start off with 242 votes, and the Republicans have 206. If you count only the last two, the Democrats have 332.

This is bad news for the Republicans, which leaves them with two options: (1) expand their base by appealing to younger voters, women, and minorities; or (2) cheat.

As we have seen, they have decided to go for option 2. Republicans have instituted voter purges and intimidation, creating hardships for those in Democratic-leaning districts and causing long lines to discourage voting. They’ve fought against early voting and other methods which will encourage people to exercise their rights. They’ve gerrymandered districts in ways that keep Democrats from winning.

They’ve created a propaganda machine to convince people that voter fraud is taking place (quite ironically). They’ve passed laws making it harder for people to register and vote. And they’ve challenged the Voting Rights Act in court.

Because, let’s face it, the only other solution would be to actually listen to the will of the people.

Editorial Cartoon of the Day

by

Plea Bargaining and Justice

Not too long ago I found myself facing two jury trials, one after the other, both with the same DA. We spoke about them and agreed that I’d probably win the first one and he would probably win the second one.

The exact opposite happened.justice

And that’s why most cases never go to trial … because everything is a gamble. Both sides would rather have something definite than gamble.

Some people who have no experience with the legal system have a strange idea that plea bargaining does not promote justice, when in fact it works just fine. The District Attorney asks for something way over here, I counter with something way over there, and when we meet in the middle — well, that’s probably where justice is.

Sometimes you have to go to trial. I refuse to take plea deals when they are no better than what I would get if my client would be found guilty. (This is especially true in very serious cases like murder or rape.) And sometimes my client insists on a trial, and the client’s wishes always prevail.

I advise all my clients though that every trial is a gamble. I’ve won cases I was sure I’d lose and lost cases I was sure I’d win, and every lawyer will tell you the same thing. They’ve even done social experiments where two separate juries have watched the exact same trial and have produced completely different verdicts.

Don’t get me wrong — it’s still the best system in the world. But no one should ever think that justice is perfect, that the good guys always win and the bad guys always lose, and that juries are never wrong.

(That’s one of the main reasons I am against the death penalty — I don’t believe there should be a penalty that is 100% irreversible when we don’t have a system that is 100% perfect.)

I went to court this morning ready for trial but my client decided at the very last minute to take the plea I had worked out for him months ago. He finally decided he wasn’t ready to gamble.

How do I feel about that, you ask? Well, personally, I like doing trials, and I like winning. I don’t mind the gamble.

But I’m not the guy going to jail if I lose. And that’s why it is ultimately up to my client to decide.

Editorial Cartoon of the Day

by

Gay Bigotry is Dying, So Why Are the Bigots Still Winning?

The latest polls show that gay marriage is now supported by a majority of Americans with the exception of evangelical Christians, the backbone of the Republican party.

And that’s why only nine states have allowed gay marriage (or as they like to call it, “marriage”).gay+marriage+generic081612

Once more, the people lead the politicians, who are afraid of doing anything that may alienate the loudest voters. The solution, clearly, is for us to be louder.

Posting on blogs and Facebook is good for getting the message out, but like all political action, you have to do more. You’ll be surprised how much politicians pay attention to emails and letters they get. Encourage them to sponsor a bill, and let them know how much you’ll work for and contribute to their future campaigns.

Hell, just get out and vote. For every election, including primaries. We outnumber them. We have the power. But if they vote and we don’t, they win.

That’s what the bigots do. They participate. That’s how they defeated propositions in California and other states that would have banned this discrimination.

So spread the word, let everyone know we won’t stand for discrimination, and then do something about it.

Editorial Cartoon of the Day

by

No, That’s Not the Point

“America has the best health care system in the world! That’s why people from countries with socialized medicine come here!”

I’ve seen this used as an argument against having any sort of “medicare for all” plan in America. It’s a silly argument which completely misses the point: It’s not whether we have the best care, it’s who gets the care. We also have the best hotels in the world, but most of us can’t afford those, either.

Paul Miller

Apparently, people who make this argument think that if we have socialized medicine here, then we will no longer have the best medical care in the world — that our doctors will forget all they know and hospitals will suddenly become backwater chop shops.

Well, no. No one has ever suggested that all doctors have to work for the government. A “medicare for all” plan keeps doctors independent, and they can decide whether to accept patients or not. Hey, just like it works now!

A national health care policy will not stop independent health care. Public schools did not stop private schools. Public defenders did not stop private attorneys. If you’ve got money, there will be nothing stopping you from affording that high-cost health care you want.

Anyone who tells you different is just plain wrong.

Editorial Cartoon of the Day

by

The Slippery Slope

Banning assault rifles obviously means that all guns will be banned eventually.

Just like how allowing gay marriage means we will have to allow people to marry penguins. And how legalizing marijuana means we have to also legalize heroin.

Just like our history! We installed a minimum wage and the next thing you know, the government is setting all salaries for every single person. We gave women the right to vote and now all children get to vote, too. We registered cars and made provisions for their safety which immediately led to all cars being banned.

Because, of course, we have no possible way of doing anything reasonable as a population and can only do the most absurd outrageous outcome at the end of the slippery slope.

Editorial Cartoon of the Day