Check out the website: https://lenspoliticalnotes.com Look at the recent Political Notes and Len’s Letters on the website:
January 26th , 2025 Len’s Political Note #703 Oppose the confirmation of Russell Vought
2025 Appointments
When I was in graduate school, hoping to learn how to be a school superintendent, I wrote a paper: “When is a budget not just a budget? Always.” A school district budget is about what you want schools to do.
Russell Vought {48) has spent his lifetime preparing to run the Office of Management and Budget. His paper might be titled: “When is a budget not just a budget? Always.” A government’s budget is about what you want the government to do.
The crux of Russel Vought’s nomination has to do with how, as head of the Office of Management and Budget, he would spend our money. Or refuse to spend it.
Russell Vought’s dad was a Marine. His mom was an elementary school teacher. For twenty years, she taught in the Ossining, NY elementary schools. Upon retirement, she co-founded and served as Head of and kindergarten teacher for the Hudson Valley Christian Academy. Her son Russell went to the evangelical Christian Wheaton College outside of Chicago and then to law school at George Washington. After time working for the Heritage Foundation, he worked for Republicans in Congress, ultimately as policy director of the Republican Conference.
During the first Trump administration, Vought was confirmed by a 50-49 vote as the deputy at the Office of Management and Budget – the tie-breaking vote cast by the Vice President. There had been a serious controversy during the confirmation hearings. Defending Wheaton College’s firing of one of its professors, Vought had written that “Muslims do not simply have a deficient theology. They do not know God because they have rejected Jesus Christ his Son, and they stand condemned.” Senator Bernie Sanders questioned Vought’s ability to deal fairly with Muslims. Evangelicals and the Atlantic magazine suggested that Sanders was exercising an unconstitutional religious test for Vought in his questioning.
As acting head of the OMB, Vought was one of the Trump administration officials who refused to honor a subpoena in the investigation of the first Trump impeachment for withholding funds for Ukraine. Had Vought testified, we would have further information about the crucial issue Minority Leader Chuck Schumer raises about Vought’s nomination to again be head of the OMB.
There is certainly grist for opposition to Vought’s nomination in the religiosity of his role as head of the Center for Renewing America beginning in January, 2021. The mission of an affiliate organization was to renew the American consensus that we are a nation under God. And there is room for opposition because of Vought’s misleading claim that only 5 to 7 percent of the funds in Biden’s infrastructure plan would go to actual infrastructure. There is further opportunity for opposition to Vought’s nomination in his support for a kind of withdrawal from NATO, as he insisted that European countries be responsible for their own defense. Furthermore, his role in the Project 2025 which reshapes the United States government by defunding agencies like the EPA, his belief in using the military to stop protesters, and his support for firing current civil servants (some of which we are seeing become manifest in Trump’s earliest days in his second term as president) could serve as additional bases for opposition to his appointment.
The key to Chuck Schumer’s opposition to confirmation of Vought as head of the OMB is different. His opposition is about a crucial constitutional point about spending. Russell Vought is clear. He believes the Executive Branch has no obligation to spend money that Congress has appropriated. One Democratic opponent has said Vought thinks of a Congressional appropriation as a ceiling rather than as a mandate. The defenses of Vought’s position are unacceptable – I am merely following the directions of the President, we would merely be delaying spending nor refusing to spend money, we are studying the intentions of Congress . None of those views will or should persuade Chuck Schumer and the Democratic Senators. Nor should such defenses persuade you. These are bureaucratic/political obfuscations to vitiate votes by Congress.
Are there Republican Senators who could be persuaded? See what you can do. For this issue, you can add Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky to the list below. You can call Paul at his Washington office (202-224-4343)
Contact your own Senators. And contact the following Republican Senators. Remember. Russell Vought could be the most influential and dangerous member of the Trump administration if his nomination stands.
Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky (202-224-2499)
Senator Susan Collins of Maine. (202-224-2523)
Senator Lisa Murkowsky of Alaska. (202-224-6665)
Senator John Curtis of Utah. (202-224-2512)
Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana. (202-224-5824)
Senator Todd Young of Indiana. (202-224-5623)
Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa. (202-224-3254)
Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina (202-224-6342)
Senator John Cornyn of Texas. (202-224-2934)
Spring Elections are Coming up. Now would be a good time to Donate money.
Wisconsin – Election: Primary, February 18, General Election April 1
State Supreme Court
Support Democratic County Circuit Judge Susan Crawford against former Attorney General Brad Schimel. There is no primary for this position. Currently Wisconsin’s Supreme Court has a 4-3 Democratic majority. Susan Crawford is running to replace a Democratic justice who is retiring. A Republican win would give the court a 4-3 Republican majority. This race is crucial for preserving the right to abortion in Wisconsin, for preserving an un-gerrymandered state legislature and eliminating voter suppression. See Len’s Political Note #684
State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Support Democratic incumbent Jill Underly in the primary and in the general election. Jill underly serves as a bulwark against right wing culture war positions. See Len’s Political Note #693.
Florida and New York
Florida: Primary January 28, Special Election April 1.
New York’s election will be scheduled after Elise Stefanic is confirmed as Ambassador to the United Nations.
By the time Florida and New York have their elections, Republicans could have a 217-215 majority. Does that mean that a victory in all three elections would create a 218-217 Democratic majority. Accurate, but unlikely. All three districts are heavily Republican. Keeping the Republicans below 60% would be a kind of triumph and encourage Democrats in their planning for 2026 Congressional elections. It is worth donating to reduce the Republican margin and to take the chance that we could get lucky and win one or two of these race.
Florida 01: Gay Valimont is the Democratic nominee. Republicans have to wait for the January 28 primary. Gay Valimont is the former head of the Florida Chapter of Mom’s Demand Action, a gun safety organization. She has returned to politics after two family tragedies. She understands how Republican her district is. She is both courageous and willing to give it her all in a very tough cause. DONATE. See Len’s Political Note #694.
Florida 06: Both the Republicans and the Democrats have to wait until January 28 to know who their nominee is.
New York 21: Neither Democrats nor Republicans have a primary. According to New York law the County chair or chairs selects party nominees when there is a vacancy. In this case, there are 15 small counties in rural New York. We simply have to wait to see how this works out.