Civil Discourse Now

Where the far left and far right overlap for fun and enlightenment

December 2025 Blog Posts (11)

Ignorance & bigotry are carried in Islamophobic, xenophobic meme reposted by People Over Politics"

A post appeared today that repeated falsehoods that are aimed at immigrants of the Islamic faith. In order for the reader to understand what I am writing, I have to set out, in full, what was posted on FB page "People Over Politics." I apologize to those who are offended by the bigotry in the original post. That is the only way to effectively address it:

The meme:

"True or false?

"'PAY ATTENTION

85% of the world’s refugees are Muslim.

Not one of the 56 Muslim…

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Added by Mark Small on December 30, 2025 at 8:33pm — No Comments

They couldn't find three wise men and a virgin...

There’s no “fine line” between church & State: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” [FN1] That IN’s Constitution is more explicit [FN2][FN3] is of no matter to IN GOP Lt Gov Beckwith. 1/20

A “Christian nationalist,” [FN4] Beckwith’s rise in politics validates H.L. Mencken. [FN5]

But hey: Time is short. While free speech still is allowed, Beckwith’s claims of chats w/his “Lord” about politics should be…

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Added by Mark Small on December 23, 2025 at 12:36pm — No Comments

More grounds..

Indiana’s Constitution [FN1] lists grounds for impeachment of State officers, [FN2] broader than similar grounds in the U.S. Constitution. [FN3] That IN’s Lt Gov & Christian nationalist Micah Beckwith can be impeached must be viewed in context the office he holds. 1/13

IN’s Constitution creates the office of Lt Gov [FN4] and the Lt Gov’s position as President of the Senate. [FN5] [FN6] The title is ostentatious, but the scope of authority is narrow. The Senate’s rules give…

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Added by Mark Small on December 19, 2025 at 10:34pm — No Comments

What trump really said in that speech last night

NOTE: The following was a reply I posted this morning on a social media platform. I feel compelled to post it on my blog. Page breaks occur to fit on other social media platforms:

"I don't know what everyone else was watching. I thought this speech will be regarded as the kind of event that, years from now, people will regard in the same way as remembering what they were doing when they heard JFK was assassinated or the space shuttle Challenger blew up, or ...  1/7

the Cubs…

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Added by Mark Small on December 18, 2025 at 8:20am — No Comments

Indiana as an example of R & D writing election laws = corruption

Say “corrupt politician” & people think “$$$.” An old quip shows Indiana’s no different:

Q: How do you get a bill through the Indiana General Assembly?

A: Toss a paper bag full of cash over a transom in the Claypool Hotel in the dead of night. 1/12

The Claypool’s gone, hotel transoms are rare, but $$$ only partly defines “corrupt”: “Perverted from uprightness and fidelity in the discharge of duty; influenced by bribery or the like; venal.” [FN29] In the 1980s, R’s &…

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Added by Mark Small on December 16, 2025 at 8:21am — No Comments

Possible Articles of Impeachment of IN Lt Gov Micah Beckwith

Bill Levin, [FN1] in a post on FB, noted generally that Indiana, like other States, provides for impeachment of gov’t officials. The context of the post was last week’s efforts by some in IN’s GOP to adhere to demands of #47 & gerrymander U.S. House districts mid-term. 1/9

In the lead-up to the vote in the Indiana Senate, GOP members of that body were threatened. The threats had an effect opposite what was intended. Over half the GOP members of the IN Senate voted against the…

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Added by Mark Small on December 13, 2025 at 10:15pm — No Comments

Insights on challenging elections & PR that did not occur

3.2: Filter out wastes of time. In 2017, a case (“16-907") before SCOTUS challenged the legitimacy of the 2016 election for Pres/VP. [FN24] In late February, engaged as counsel, I filed a motion for a special master. On 3/27/17, 16-907 was dismissed. [FN25] 1/13

Over several weeks, I tried to correct shortcomings in 16-907's pro se [FN26] petition. That was filed. (“16-1404") In 16-907, the 3 petitioners were all from one, “blue” State; in 16-1404 the petitioners included a Clinton…

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Added by Mark Small on December 11, 2025 at 2:22pm — No Comments

Wastes of time to avoid in ridding ourselves of trumpmagaGOP & repairing damage they've done

3: Filter out wastes of time. We near a cliff & a fall into authoritarian government. We can’t afford to waste time. Wasting is a strategy, but aimed at one’s opponent. [FN18] This was called a “time suck” in college debate. [FN19] Resistance against trump/magaGOP 1/11

must consider many ideas. A plan can contain a sub-part that people like. In the last blog, I referred to an idea Greg Olear had offered. [FN20] The possibility of putting the position of Speaker is legal, quick…

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Added by Mark Small on December 11, 2025 at 9:11am — No Comments

Ways to repair damage done by trump & magaGOP

The Constitution states how to change our structure of government. [FN1] Gerrymandering to create artificial majorities in the House of Representatives and the “electoral college” [FN2] is not listed. People want to know how to stop the maga/trump takeover. 1/18

On 10/21/25, Greg Olear [FN3] offered a solution. [FN4] A lot of replies were to the effect of “Finally! Someone’s talking about solutions.” We can disagree on specifics of how to reverse damage of trump & magaGOP, &…

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Added by Mark Small on December 9, 2025 at 8:22pm — No Comments

"Swatting": a maga tactic

Some on the far right are, at best, confused or, more probably, lying about who is responsible for incidents of “swatting” [FN1] of GOP members of Indiana’s General Assembly. [FN2] “False equivalence” is a maga ploy as invalid as usual. Several reasons maga is lying. 1/9

1) It’s what “maga” does. As noted in a meme: “Majorie Taylor Green has been hated by the left for more than 5 years; she has been hated by the right for three days. She has now had to hire security for death threats…

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Added by Mark Small on December 5, 2025 at 12:45pm — No Comments

D.C. Stephenson reenactment, Indy to Hammond & back, in time for Braun's fund raiser!

Attention! Do you love Hoosier history? Ever pine away for historical re-enactments where you could wear a costume that isn’t the same old gray thing of the side you backed in the Civil War!? We have the opportunity for which YOU have waited for so many decades! 1/10

That’s right! You can take part in a D.C. Stephenson Heritage Tour just in time for a GOP fund raiser at the end of the line! You’ll start your journey in Irvington, on Indy’s East side, out side the mansion where “Steve”…

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Added by Mark Small on December 1, 2025 at 8:41am — No Comments

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