Court Finds Trump Not Immune From Prosecution

SCOTUS Appeal By Former President Expected

A federal appeals court has determined that former President Donald Donald Trump. Photo by Greg Skidmore Trump is eligible to be tried on charges linked to his attempts to contest the 2020 election outcome, dismissing his claims of immunity. This pivotal decision opens the door for potential further legal challenges, possibly escalating to the U.S. Supreme Court, and casts doubt on when the trial might proceed. The unanimous verdict from the court underlined that no individual, including ex-presidents, is exempt from the law, countering Trump’s assertion of absolute authority. This ruling is consistent with prior dismissals of Trump’s immunity defenses, underlining the significant political ramifications of when the trial is set to occur. As Trump seeks a return to the presidency, he is concurrently facing various legal battles, including accusations of holding classified documents unlawfully, efforts to undermine Georgia’s election results, and involvement in hush money payments.

The court stated, “We cannot uphold former President Trump’s claim that a President possesses limitless power to engage in criminal activities that would invalidate the essential check of executive power—the acknowledgment and execution of election outcomes. Nor can we endorse his implied belief that the Executive has complete freedom to infringe upon the voting rights of citizens and the counting of those votes.”

This ruling advances the case towards a jury trial and comes before the Supreme Court’s review of whether Trump’s conduct related to January 6 disqualifies him from holding presidential office under the Constitution’s insurrection clause. Trump intends to challenge the immunity ruling at the full D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court. Despite facing legal challenges, Trump’s strategy includes attempting to postpone any trial until after the next presidential election, where he is a leading candidate for the Republican nomination. This decision disputes Trump’s argument that former presidents are shielded from prosecution for actions tied to their official duties without impeachment and conviction first. Legal scholars and appellate judges have critiqued Trump’s position, pointing out the contradiction in claiming immunity while participating in activities that may breach criminal statutes. The ongoing case poses critical questions about the limits of presidential responsibility and the extent of immunity for actions conducted in office.

Sources:

https://apnews.com/article/trump-capitol-riot-presidential-immunity-appeal-46c2d7fc7807cd3262764d35e47f390e

https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/02/06/trump-jan-6-immunity-appeal-denied/

Blank Generation Radio Introduces New Ska Show

“Skaturday Night” pays tribute to the genre with ska artists past and present.

Ska is a musical genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s and has

Skaturday Night on Blank Generation Radio. Image courtesy
Garg21.

since become a global phenomenon. It is characterized by its upbeat and lively tempo, often featuring a prominent offbeat rhythm known as the “skank.” Ska music typically incorporates elements of jazz, rhythm and blues, and Caribbean music, creating a unique and danceable sound. Continue reading “Blank Generation Radio Introduces New Ska Show”

The Debt Limit Explained

No corner of the global economy will be spared.

As President Joe Biden met with congressional leaders again today to

President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy at The White House

resolve the nation’s impending debt limit crisis, many Americans are confused as to what this particular situation, if left unresolved, will do to our economy. Understanding how the U.S. Treasury pays its obligations, as well as how investors far and wide will be impacted, thus creating a potential global chain reaction of economic downturns, is kind of complicated. Continue reading “The Debt Limit Explained”

The Pretenders Release Single Ahead Of New Album

Showing no signs of slowing down, Chrissie Hynde and the band are set to release their 12th LP, ‘Relentless’

In 1980, The Pretenders burst onto the scene with their self-titled LP and a

Chrissie Hynde at the Royal Opera House 2021. Photo by Raph_PH

top 40 hit, Brass In Pocket. The rest of the album however was filled with hard-edged alternative rock played across AOR and New Wave stations alike. Indeed a triple threat, the band, fronted by guitarist-lead vocalist Chrissie Hynde, along with three Brits (Lead guitarist James Honeyman Scott, Bassist Peter Farndon, and drummer Martin Chambers), appeared to be poised for rock and roll superstardom. Tragically, within three years, Scott and Farndon would be dead from drug overdoses, putting the band’s trajectory in question. Continue reading “The Pretenders Release Single Ahead Of New Album”

The Lasting Impact Of Sparks

With a career spanning more than 50 years, Sparks continues to entertain and innovate.

It was sometime in the Fall of 1981, and I, a high school senior and budding “New Wave” acolyte, heard a song on LA alternative station KROQ that discussed a man whose life was ruined by his beauty. Everyone only liked him for his looks, which left him shallow. The song concludes with the subject being involved in a terrible accident, disfiguring his face and thus providing him with a life of bliss.

Sometime later, I heard a song on the same radio station discussing someone who fell in love with a girl from Mars. They had a great time (And obviously, great sex) and had a quickie Vegas marriage. Once the vows were complete, she became an unrecognizable alien, thus ending the romance and the union. Continue reading “The Lasting Impact Of Sparks”

Osaka Popstar

If classic New York punk, anime, cult movies, comic books & toys formed a band on a sugar rush…

For many years, musicians and bands have collaborated on media projects. Elvis Presley, for instance, starred in numerous movies (though, in my opinion, only a few were good) and appeared in two television specials: the “68 Comeback” Special and Aloha From Hawaii Via Satellite. The Beatles, on the other hand, starred in major motion pictures and created “promotional films” for their hits because they couldn’t be in different places simultaneously. Additionally, The Monkees was a multimedia experience that combined television, music, and merchandise into one glossy pop package.

Meet Osaka Popstar

Fast forward to Osaka Popstar. Fronted by John Cafiero, a long-time

collaborator with The Misfits and The Ramones, and a platinum-selling film and video director, Osaka Popstar has made an art of combining high-energy post-punk pop with an anime-style presentation that includes music, video, and of course, merch. Along with Cafiero, their latest lineup includes Dean Rispler (Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black, The Dictators) on Guitar and Bass and Jon Wurster (Bob Mould, Superchunk and The Mountain Goats) on Drums.

Continue reading “Osaka Popstar”

Up & Coming Bands: Budge

Budge: Mystery Band Has LOTS Of Potential

Not much is known about Nashville-based Indie band, Budge. A Google search may give results including Budget Rental Car in Nashville, or the metal band Budgie, who formed in the late 60s, but very little about this new band itself. Budge’s lack of even a basic press kit makes it kind of hard to write about them, but the energy presented in their one single, Breathe, gives us the impression that once they sort out their marketing, they may be a force to be reckoned with in the Nashville area, and perhaps beyond. Continue reading “Up & Coming Bands: Budge”

Senate Passes Inflation Reduction Act

Vice President Kamala Harris Casts The Tiebreaking Vote

The Inflation Reduction Act, an economic package designed to combat

Vice President Kamala Harris. Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson

climate change, lower health costs, and raise taxes on large corporations, was passed through reconciliation today. Votes were split along party lines, with Vice President Kamala Harris casting the vote that passed the measure. Continue reading “Senate Passes Inflation Reduction Act”

AP: 528,000 Jobs Added In July

Unemployment Drops to 3.5%

The Associated Press reported this morning that the employers added

Multi Colored Business Graph With Red Arrow Sign Showing Upward Direction

528,000 jobs to their payroll in July, 2022. This dropped the unemployment rate to 3.5%, something that hasn’t been seen in the United States in over 50 years. These figures bring the American employment market back to pre-pandemic levels of February 2020.

250,000 Jobs Were Expected

The jobs report more than doubles what economists had expected for July. While this is good news for the American economy, certain anxieties still exist about rising inflation and the risk of recession. While income has risen on average just over 5% in the past year, inflation has risen just over 9%, which has eaten up any financial gains on behalf of workers. This, combined with the Federal Reserve’s plan to continue to raise interest rates, has some worried about how the economy will fare as we near the 2022 midterm elections in June. Wall Street has also reacted with stocks dropping slightly as of this posting.

Read the entire Associated Press article here.

My Aim Is True Turns 45

Elvis Costello’s Debut Album Released July 22, 1977

It was a pivotal year for music. Punk was just beginning to be noticed in Elvis Costello My Aim Is True small clubs in Los Angeles, New York, and London.

For the rest of the world, Disco was reigning supreme on the pop charts, and progressive rock acts such as Styx, Boston, Kansas, Pink Floyd, Queen et al held court among the Album Oriented Rock radio stations. Many of these acts had some meteoric crossovers into the pop charts as well.

Silk, skin tight satin ensembles, feathered hair, and an air of androgyny permeated nearly every music act that came out of the mid 70s…and that was just the male groups! Continue reading “My Aim Is True Turns 45”