Justice Would Be Better Served with Some Tweaks

Justice is best placed outside the reach of corruption. This being so, I would argue we need to tighten up our rules on grand juries. They exist not to determine guilt, but to gauge whether there is enough evidence to warrant a trial.

I turn to the Sixth Amendment, which says: "In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury." Since it speaks of a "public trial," I wonder why grand juries are allowed to go behind closed doors.

Upon checking, I learn there are at least four reasons: 1) Witnesses could be subject to intimidation; 2)  The closed session encourages candid testimony; 3) The closed session shields the accused from harm if they are not charged; 4) The closed session helps prevent outside influences on the grand jurors.

Well, tell me how the reasons for keeping grand juries secret differs from what could be argued for the trial itself. Witnesses in the trial itself could be subject to intimidation or retaliation. Having the trial itself as a closed session could encourage candid testimony without fear of public scrutiny. Keeping the trial secret could prevent harm to the accused if they are tried but not convicted. A closed court trial could avoid outside influence on jurors, ensuring impartial decision-making. 

What's the difference? I'm not seeing it.

But, if it is too much of a step to throw open grand juries to the public, perhaps we could at least take these measures. A discussion with AI suggests:

1) Requiring public disclosure of evidence presented in cases where no indictment is issued, while protecting sensitive information and witnesses

2) Replacing grand juries with preliminary hearings, which are public and allow both sides to present evidence before a judge.

3) Creating oversight mechanisms, such as a neutral third party reviewing grand jury proceedings for fairness. 

Our criminal system -- our trial system -- must not itself evade justice. It is crucial that it have some openness. When things are done without checks and balances -- when there are no restraints -- corruption often raises an ugly head.

Police Entitlement

Police entitlement
That's when police become immune
From prosecution
When you cannot object to anything they do
For if you do
They'll punish you through and through

Police entitlement
Looks like this, my friend:
An executive order signed by Donald Trump
Making police agencies fatter and more plump

Police entitlement
And the coming of a police state?
Make the police all powerful
Make the police all great

All Electric. All Everything.

All Electric. All Everything.
That's the way they advertised this car
For it was the best vehicle of all
And by far -- yes, by far

It was the fastest car on the road
And the one with the most torque
It was the best car for play
And the best one for work

Zero to sixty the fastest
And the most stylish car on the lot
All Electric. All Everything.
The best car to be bought

All Electric. All Everything.
It lived up to its motto
No car was ever so cool
As was this model

Recovery

Recovery from the demagogue
From the man who wreaks havoc on our land
Recovery from Donald Trump
Will not come easily, understand?

A price is paid
And the price is high
When democracy is half lost
You don't come this far
Without there being a great cost

But bless our land
And let it heal
And pray that it will
Pray for democracy
And that we'll have it still

The Soft-Talker

The soft-talker, the hard-dealer
Trump is both, you know
Such an easy manner
Sets us at ease, it's so

He starts up the art of the deal
Oh, so soft and kind
Charms you with his personality
But, in the end, he leaves you in a bind

He hits you hard
He packs a punch
Hard enough to lose your lunch

He swings at democracy
The free press and Bill of Rights
Look out, America
Or he'll read you your last rites

He strikes blows against Greenland
Panama and Canada
And if you don't picture him just right
He'll gladly break your camera

Just a soft talker
But one who packs a punch
He pummels you into submission
After calling you honeybunch

Eduardo Flores-Ruiz -- Like any Immigrant -- Deserves a Trial

Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, his is an interesting case. He's the guy whose case was being tried by Judge Hannah Dugan. She's accused of improperly shielding him from ICE officers who arrived at her courthouse to arrest him.

To begin with, Flores-Ruiz faces criminal charges for assault and battery and also for unlawful reentry into the United States after being deported. Then there's his immigration case: ICE wants him deported but since he is able to prove he's been here for more than two years, it isn't that easy. Eduardo Flores-Ruiz partially fits under the so called "expeditated removal" rules of a 1996 Bill Clinton-signed law that provides for some immigrants to be removed without trial. He slipped back into the country unlawfully, so on that point, the 1996 law has him. But the 1996 law says if you've been in the country for at least two years, you escape the grasp of that 1996 law. He has been back in the country for more than two years.

His criminal and immigration cases become intertwined.

The good thing about the Eduardo Flores-Ruiz case is that the courts are being allowed to sort it out. Justice should always be in the hands of the court. In America, no one should be deprived of due process. 

It Isn't Pretty, and it Isn't Right

Here's the thing, and it isn't pretty and it isn't right: The State can deport immigrants without giving them due process. Trace this troubling development back to 1996 when President Bill Clinton signed into law the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA).
It's a law that establishes what is called "expedited removal," in which, if the immigrant hasn't been in the U.S. too long and certain conditions are met, ICE is free to remove them from U.S. soil without bringing the matter to an immigration court.

I confess I am surprised to learn there are situations where Trump can legally evict immigrants without having to go through immigration courts. Of course, it depends on what you call legal. IIRIRA is but a law created by Congress; it should not be superseding the Constitution, which says everyone has the right to a trial.

President Clinton and Congress at the time set the Constitution aside, preferring to operate by their own rules. And, since then, there has been more and more fudging as to who can be given the boot without being given a trial
 
Creeping injustice. The door has opened, and a tyrant is running through it.

This is not the America our forefathers founded. I believe most Constitutional scholars are united in believing immigrants have the right to due process. And, not only is the Constitution clear on this matter, so is the Declaration of Independence, warning us that there are certain unalienable rights that are bestowed not by government, but by God.

So, when the State hauls a person off without giving him or her a trial, it might be legal under an act of Congress, but it is not legal under the Constitution. Just saying.

Beyond Crazy

Shucks, you guys. I do not know if Kilmar Abrego Garcia was a good guy or bad guy. We have courts for that. I am just saying let him have a trial. Was he a member of MS-13? One authority of the MS-13 gang reports that if you are a member, the gang requires you to have MS-13 tattooed on your body somewhere. Kilmar had no such tattoo. You might argue that he did, and point to the picture President Trump showed the public, which shows the letters and numbers "MS-13" tattooed on his knuckles. Good try, Donald, but your claim has been debunked in the most serious fashion. You presented an authentic picture of his knuckles, but you altered it. Evidence shows you inserted the letters and numbers "MS-13." That's called framing someone. You guys, we cannot -- should not -- support a president like this. For the president of the United States to be framing someone is beyond crazy.

Don't Marginalize the Constitution

Don't marginalize the Constitution.
Don't say it doesn't apply.
Don't say the immigrant is outside its bounds—
Please, don't even try.

Don't limit the Constitution.
Don't suggest it's out of its lane.
Don't take that venerable document
And throw it off the train.

The immigrant, too, is protected
By the Constitution of our land.
The words "people" and "person" are used,
Not "citizen"—understand?

Go ahead and try to change it.
Try to diminish that document, if you will.
But the Constitution remains the law,
Even though you think it's ill.

Diminish It

Let's do what we can to limit the Constitution,
To diminish it,
To say it doesn't belong.
It has no place with foreigners,
This document,
This document you once treasured as song—
Diminish it,
Reduce it,
And make it leave us alone.
It doesn't belong here.
It's out of its zone.

Freedom Doesn't Pick and Choose

Freedom doesn't pick and choose
It has no favorite status
It isn't built that way
It has not such apparatus

Freedom is for everyone
Its arms stretch around the crowd
It loves the weak and homeless
As much as it loves the unbowed

No, freedom doesn't pick and choose
It loves everyone the same
It the lover of all
It calls everyone its flame

Tons of Mail

I got tons of mail today
Letters from everywhere
Some from Micky Mouse
Some from Donald Duck
And some from Yogi Bear

Seems everyone wants a piece of me
I get their letters all the time
Asking if I'll work with them
When it comes showtime

Some want to be co-stars
Some would like just minor roles
But being on the stage with me
Is one of their biggest goals

Anyone

Anyone can loosen the laws
Anyone can become king
Just cry in a voice that says you will change
Our flaws and everything

Even a white-headed fool
Even a man like that
He could come to lead our nation
What do you think of that?

Trump could rise up --
Indeed he has
Trump could rise up tall
Bringing our nation degeneration
Bringing our nation's fall

To the End

To the end, he was a saint and a soldier
Fighting for truth and light
His soul remained strong in vigor
Even as his body slipped into the night

Pope Francis was a saint
A saint before the earth
He was a noble soul
A soul of great worth

And as we face his passing
And as we face his death
We honor him for fighting for truth
Right up to his last breath

Arrested and Despised

Arrested without cause
Despised without reason
There are so many hunters
And migrants are always in season

Arrested without cause
Is what I said
Picked up while at church
And away he was led

Despised without reason
I said that too
Most are no more criminal
Than me and you

So, arrested without cause
Despised without reason
We seem to find them
Very displeasing

Arrested and despised
And thrown in a prison
And without due process
We make that decision

Off to El Salvador
When no justice waits
Innocent people
Are turned into inmates

Strange Looks

My books are not selling
But I will keep hoping, keep trying
The sales charts are empty
And that keeps me a sighing

A poet, a poet
A man who writes rhymes
Hopes people will like his books
And buy them sometimes

So, he keeps writing
He keeps pitching his books
Even when people ignore him
Or give him strange looks

Frightened, They Are

Frightened to come to the border, they are
Frightened to show their faces
Trump is shaking his fist at them
They are not in our good graces

Never have they been so unwelcome
Never so scared away
Immigrants dare not come to America
For that was another day

The borders are empty of immigrants
Not a one to be seen
None wants to show his face
To the Americans, so mean

Donald Trump is the man
Who scared them all away
He says he doesn't like them
And says they cannot stay

Maybe a few might tiptoe across
Only a few are brave
But most of them fear the wrath
Of the angry knave

Write It Honestly

A page is turned everyday
A new one then appears
Write on it everything
Both the pleasures and the tears

Write about your loves
And the things you do not like
Write a story of everything
Good and bad alike

Don't worry about the sales
The book you write it not for that
The pages of this book
Are for the one underneath your own hat

Put honest words to paper
Day by day be true
Someday you may want to read them
Someday before you're through

There comes a time we all look back
To see the good and bad
But if our minds are blocked from parts
Let me tell you why that's sad

You cannot change what you don't confess
You can't let go of what you refuse to see
So, when you write that book that's in your mind
Write it honestly

The Trump Way to Help

Biden went on in
Helped Ukraine in the war
But when Trump came along
He wanted to know why for

He counted up the help Biden gave
Tallied and totaled the cost
Then billed Mr. Zelenskyy
Being as cold as a winter's frost

Next time someone yells "help"
Help them all you can
But then bill them for your troubles
That's the Trump way to stand

Prisoners of War

Prisoners, then
Prisoners of war
Captured in "battle"
Are those we are taught to deplore

Cast them in prison
In a far-away land
Let them rot
Under that command

Prisoners of a war
They didn't know they were in
They were just living their lives
And living without sin

Ripped from the streets
Ripped from their homes
The "justice" of war
Buries them beneath stones

Husbands and workers
Sons and students too
Captured and imprisoned
In a war they never knew

Let Them Go Mano-a-Mano

The electric car: if you want it to take over the world, put it on the racetrack - Maybe the Indy 500, or the Daytona, but let it race side-by-side with the gas-guzzlers.

Equality, you know. Fair play. Competition. Let them go head-to-head, mano-a-mano. The electric is going to win its share, maybe even dominate. Nothing would be as big of a shot-in-the-arm for EVs as a chance to prove they are better.

End the discrimination. Remember the day when Black people could not ride on same bus with Whites? Well, this is a little of the same thing. Cut the discrimination. 

Remember the day when Blacks weren't allowed in the major leagues, but were relegated to the Black leagues, instead. This is a little of the same, a little of the same. We have Formula E racing for EVs, but they aren't allowed in NASCAR and such events.

I dare you to put these bad boys on the same track as the ICE cars. If you do, the world will see EVs are the superior machine. Then, watch that translate from the racetrack to the highways in the form of superior sales. 



 

Something I'd Like to Say

I have a thought I'd like to share
Just something I'd like to say
So, if you wouldn't mind and if you will
Sit down and listen to me today

I want to tell you about our country
The one George Washington battled for
The one that Abraham Lincoln championed
In the days of the Civil War

America, we call it
And in America waves the flag
It is the flag of freedom
For we've always worn that tag

From the days of Washington
And from the days of Lincoln
Our land has always been the land of the free
But if we're not careful
And if we're not mindful
We'll lose that liberty

The day is upon us
The day has come
When freedom could leave us
With the setting sun

So, be mindful
Be careful
Be vigilant, please
We can hold on to our freedom
But it won't be with ease

We Shake Our Heads and Cry

Wow!
Be amazed, so amazed
Trump will shock again and again
Surprise, surprise
For he amazes to no end

Crazy guy
Crazy world
We shake our heads and cry
Crazy, crazy, crazy
My-oh-my oh-my

Aiding and Abetting the Enemy

Aiding and abetting
Will it someday come to that?
I'll be accused, and you'll be accused
Of wearing the aiding-and-abetting hat

You've got to understand we're at war
At least, Trump says we are
Fighting off the immigrants
I know that sounds bizarre

But Trump picks his fights
And he's picked to fight with them
He's declared war on the immigrants
And he's pretty sure he'll win

Now, what if we support the immigrant?
What if we're on his side?
They're our nation's avowed enemy
So, helping them Trump won't abide

Don't dismiss what it is
That I have to say
For it appears he deported at least one college student
Who refused to think his way

He cites national security
In deportation rules a lot
Freedom of speech to him
Is just a lot of crock

And he's gone after those who've challenged him
Saying they belong in jail
Who's to say he won't come after you and me
And throw us in jail without bail

They List Her as a Deadbeat Socialist, But ...

Says a meme and comes my answer. First what the meme said:
"AOC
"Never had a child
"Never been married
"Never run a business
"Never run a home
"Never managed people
"Never had a professional job
"Never served on a local committee
"No real life experience
"Your basic deadbeat socialist"
And, here's how I replied to the meme:
"I'm single and have never had a child, so you're going to find it hard to tell me those things should disqualify a person from public office. And there are a lot of us who have never run a business. We don't qualify for public office, then? Never had a "professional" job? The common, working-class person is also disqualified from elected office? Now, next up: "No real life experience." The common Joes and common Janes have more "real life experience" than all the rich folk the Trump administration is packed with. We know what it's like on the bottom. We know how hard it can be to pay the bills. We know what hard work is. Those are the things "real life experience" is made of. Call her a "basic deadbeat socialist" if you want, but at least she's made of humanity instead of money."

 Bully on the Block

The U.S. became the bully
That fateful day
A new president, a new agenda
He sent our old image packing away

No more Mr. Nice Guy
Trump was big and tough
And to play in his playground
You had to be ready to play rough

No longer the world's big brother
We became the bully on the block
"Don't mess with us, don't mess with us"
That became the talk

Not a kinder, gentler nation
But one to be feared
Don't look for help from us anymore
That's not the way we're geared

Once benevolence ruled the land
Helping others back then was cool
But now America's place in the world is different
Now it just wants to rule

 A Book of Poetry

Quite a book of poetry out
Titled More to Come
Fifty-six poems for you
That's a decent sum

Just go to the Amazon Store
There you'll find online
That I really am a poet
And even know how to rhyme

Just type in the name of the poet
Mine is John Edwin Jackson
And for only $4.75
You get poems that are relaxing

 We've Always Believed in Justice

We've always believed in justice
It's always been that way
Justice across America
Justice in the USA

But these days, it's abandoned
Not even considered a right
Not for immigrants
For them, there is no such light

What is justice if it isn't just?
What is it if it isn't there for all?
If we abandon justice
Our nation will surely fall

Rid Ourselves of the Immigration Courts?

The verdict is in from some of you. Immigrants have no rights; they came here illegally and are not citizens.

So, let's think this out: If they don't have rights, that means we don't have to give them court hearings, and if we don't have to give them court hearings, we don't need immigration courts.

Yes, if we have decided justice is no longer necessary -- if court trials are just an antiquated practice -- yes, let's rid ourselves of them. Close them. Shutter them. Burn them if we have to.

Elon Musk has this thing called DOGE. He could go after the immigration courts, adding up all the billions we could save by shedding ourselves of them. He has already banished USAID; let the immigration courts be next. They are just in our way, right? As I said, immigrants have no rights. They aren't Americans. They aren't citizens. Pack them on a plane and send the off to a prison deep in the heart of El Salvador -- without trials, without due process. Get rid of them and get rid of all the smelly, foul justice they think they are entitled to. 

Of course I do not really believe this line of thought. But I do wonder but what many would endorse it, saying, yes, we should do away with the immigration courts because these people came illegally and therefore have no right to due process.

America was never this, never a land without justice. But times are changing.

(The Trump Essays)

Why Would They Come to America?

Why would a company come to the U.S. right now?
Why would it take that gamble?
It would be entering an uncertain economy
One that just might tumble

Recessions mean poverty
Poverty means you don't buy
Listen to the rules of economics
For they surely apply

 It Speaks of His Values
"The value of untapped coal in our country is 100 times greater than the value of all the gold in Fort Knox." -- Donald Trump

While there is no way to determine if what the president says is correct - it's speculative and rhetorical - it reflects his values.

Money. Wealth. Capital.

I don't even need to say that much. You already know money is what he values. The problem is, it fails to give value to other things - things that should be important to us as a society.

Climate change? It shows no concern.

Pollution? No problem. Let the lungs of Americans be damned. (Trump -- The Essays)

Always a Doctor in the House

There's always a doctor in the house these days. Always. Well, as "always" as a computer is handy, as "always" as the Internet is within reach.

Doctors ask a string of questions to determine what your illness is. You can do the same with AI. Start by giving it your symptoms, and it will spit out all the possible illnesses associated with them. Ask it more questions. You can ask it questions all day long without it kicking you out of its "office."

The follow-up visit can be as early as the same afternoon. Oh, and AI makes house visits, specializes in them, in fact. House visits are what it is all about.

Ask it what home remedies might exist. It will spit out the answers. Ask it what prescription meds there are. It will spit out the answer. Of course, you can't get those prescription meds until the doctor orders them, but knowing what is available is a head-start.

The whole thing is a head start. You can be miles ahead when you visit the doctor if you have first had an office visit with AI. And if scheduling a visit to a doctor leaves you with a date too far down the road, you can get started on the road to treatment well before you enter your doctor's office. Need to make adjustments in your diet? Doc AI can advise. Need to add an exercise routine? Doc AI can advise.

Doc AI is there for you, all day and all night. There's always a doctor in the house.

 Government by Billionaires

Government by billionaires
Millionaires too
Not just Trump himself
No, the rich are not a few

Howard Lutnick
The Commerce secretary
He's got billions
And it's not from the tooth fairy

Linda McMahon
Over at Education
She's a billionaire
Her money she doesn't ration

Then there's Scott Bessent
Who's the Treasury boss
When it comes to money
He's never at a loss

And I don't need to remind you
Of Mr. Elon Musk
He's the world's richest
From morning until dusk

It's the richest administration
In modern history
It really is not secret
No, not a mystery

Government by wealthy folks
They're all so filthy rich
Millionaires and billionaires
You can't tell which is which

Words of Warning

Words of warning
Words against
A tyrant named Donald Trump
A poet's collection
A poet's thoughts
Of a guy he'd like to thump

History Knows No Hiatus

History knows no hiatus
It never skips a beat
And those who will listen to it
Will find it hard to cheat

But there is an absence of mind
An absence of reality
If you ignore the past
And the lessons it gives to thee

A hiatus from truth
A hiatus from reason
And when truth arrives
You're gone for the season

So, turn to the past for wisdom
Turn to the lessons of time
Everything is there at the table
If you'll only sit and dine

 The Nation Bows

He was elected and now the nation bows before him
King for more than a day
Who knows for how long he'll stay

And the people?
So many there are who love him
So many who bow and revere
But he will be the death of this nation
That's what the rest of us fear

Presidents were never meant for this
No, not to be kings and all
And they weren't meant to be worshipped
No, not at all

Tyranny's Flag

Justice flies a flag
Freedom does the same  
But when tyranny flies a flag
It's just a game

Follow the Trump flag, if you will
Follow it if you're a fool
That banner of tyranny will have your allegiance
If your eyes are covered with wool

 Listen to Karoline Leavitt

Listen to Karoline Leavitt as she trashes Kilmar Abrego-Garcia, who was deported to El Salvador last month. Abrego-Garcia's lawyers note a judge had ruled that since gangs were after him, he should not be sent back to El Salvador.

Kind of a protective order, that.

But who are we to believe -- Abrego-Garcia's lawyer or Donald Trump's press secretary?

Eyes aflame, Leavitt lists what she says are four facts:

Fact #1: Abrego-Garcia "was a member of the brutal and vicious MS-13 gang."

Fact #2: There was "credible evidence proving that this individual was involved in human trafficking."

Fact #3: "This individual was a member -- actually, a leader -- of the brutal MS-13 gang."

Fact #4: "Foreign terrorists do not have legal protection in the United States of America."

Never mind that the first and third facts are the same. Maybe that "fact" was so important it needed to be repeated, right? At any rate, after reading these "facts," most of you are probably wilting - withdrawing any good and kind feelings you might have had towards Abrego-Garcia. The MS-13 gang, you say? And did you say he was one of its leaders? Did you say he was involved in human trafficking? And a foreign terrorist, to boot? Ouch, we can't have this guy around. Lock him up and throw away the key.

Nobody wants such people to not see justice - not you, not me, not anyone.

But here's something else: Not a one of us should want an innocent person to be sent to one of the world's harshest prisons -- a place where prisoners die early deaths because of the conditions. If the press secretary paints Abrego-Garcia as the worst of humans, his wife paints him as one of the best. No criminal, but rather an "amazing person" and "an amazing father," someone who has always been there for their children, two of whom are on the autism spectrum and one who has epilepsy. The wife speaks of his role as a provider for their household and of the love they have shared for seven years. She paints Abrego-Garcia as a devoted family man who dealt with great challenges.

So, who shall we believe? The high-and-mighty press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, or the lowly housewife, Jennifer Vasquez Sura?

In a nation of justice, you know what they would do? They have what is called a court system. They bring both sides together and require them to provide evidence. You know, proof. In America -- under Trump -- we no longer do that. Justice is a relic of past. The new and improved America has no room for it. 

Vice President JD Vance has said Abrego-Garcia was a "convicted" member of MS-13. Leavitt was asked how the administration knows that, and she responded: "There's a lot of evidence. ... I saw it."

Did you? Then share it. 

Yes, there's "a lot of evidence." Just don't ask us what it is. Just don't ask us to produce it. Such a thing is only required of free nations. Dictatorships have no use for it. So, get out of our way.
 

(Index -- Trump essays)

 You Ask

You ask me, then
If I believe in securing our border
Securing America
And supporting law and order

I believe in securing
Yes, to secure is good
But if we're going to secure
Let's secure all that we should

I would secure the right
Of immigrants to seek freedom
I wouldn't chase them away
I'd tell them we need them

I'd secure them the right
To join their families here
To go to our churches
Without any fear

I'd secure them the blessing
Of work in our land
An honest day's labor
In a restaurant or as a cowhand

I'd secure them the right
To pursue the American dream
I'd make them our equals
Give them great esteem

The Voice of a Child

The voice of a child is precious to us
The cry of a baby touches the heart 
To protect each and every one of them
We're anxious to do our part

But what if we couldn't hear them?
What if we couldn't hear that cry?
Would we still seek to help them?
Or would we not even try?

Nothing is sweeter to look at
Nothing as precious to see
But what if the baby were hidden away?
Would he still be precious to thee?

When you look at the child and hear it
You notice it's tender and sweet
But I promise you it's just as wonderful
When the womb is its retreat