I guess one of the benefits
of having an Attorney General who introduces the Mueller Report by claiming
that there is nothing to see here is that the first impression is that there
is, indeed, nothing to see. But...
I remember the U.S.
invasion of Iraq with the toppling of statues to Saddam Hussein and American
tanks in the streets of Baghdad. And, of course, there was the indelible
image of the U.S. President, George W Bush, standing on a battle ship under a huge
banner that said "Mission Accomplished" basking in the glow of
triumph and surrounded by admiring military.
Well. How did that
turn out? All he did was boldly emphasize that the Mission Was Not
Accomplished. The war lasted about a
decade and still isn't really over. That "Mission Accomplished"
moment turned out to be a bad choice on the part of W. It was just
started, and nothing was accomplished.
So too for our current
president and all the president's sycophants. As soon as Barr said that
the Mueller Report blessed his president, Trump leaped forward to claim
exoneration (against the actual words of the report itself as far as
obstruction of justice is concerned).
But the report is over 400
pages long. It says the same things that the Trump books which exposed
the Trump White House has always said - Trump commands his subordinates to
obstruct justice, reaches out to get help from the hostile foreign power -
Russia, ignores and tramples over laws and norms, behaves like a nine year old’s
version of a king, and trashes the very concept of America endlessly.
Michael Wolff's "Fire
and Fury" said it. Bob Woodward's "Fear: Trump in the White
House" said it. Now, it is time to read the Mueller Report. It
says the same thing, with the enormous authority of 22 months of sworn
testimony and records to substantiate it.
No Collusion? No
Obstruction? Congress will hold hearings with the testimonies of Barr,
Mueller, McGahn and perhaps others. Trump and the Reps want to say that
there is nothing to see here. They say don't drag their leader through
the mud - mud? is there mud? Golly gee. I wonder?
Maybe Trump escapes
impeachment. But his mud is on very plain view.
Monday, April 22, 2019
Friday, April 19, 2019
Mueller - Russia interfered in U.S. election - and succeeded!
Despite the happy face distortions of the Mueller report made by Trump's Attorney General William Barr (who has proven that he is not America's Attorney General) the Mueller report revealed that Trump's campaign was welcoming Russian interference although not provably conspiring with Russia. Also, Mueller makes it very clear that Trump himself made every effort to obstruct justice and only the refusal of his subordinates to carry out his unconstitutional orders saved him from criminal prosecution. Does that save him from impeachment?
Russia swayed this election toward Trump, and they succeeded. This is one of the saddest things I have ever written.
What to do?
Follow the advice of the political master, Nancy Pelosi - Speaker of the House - and have Democrats focus on building an agenda for America and support the wave of Democratic victories of the 2018 mid-term elections by staying the victorious course of moderation, health care, compassionate assistance to the middle classes and lower classes?
Or decide that the danger to America and the world posed by the manifestly corrupt and unfit man it the White House is too much of a danger to avoid impeachment proceedings?
Up to now, I was on the side of you can't impeach him if you don't have a "gasp moment" where the country recoils and turns against him. The Barr spin has dampened the impact of the Mueller report. But, wouldn't a full public exposure of the evidence in the Report build to such a conclusion?
I think the good middle ground is to get Barr and Mueller before Congress in public hearings to grind through the evidence to bring the corruption and incompetence of this president and his White House to the full light of day. Might not lead to an impeachment trial, but would let the country actually see this administration as they actually are - without the propaganda machine telling us all to look away.
And it looks like that is going to happen
Russia swayed this election toward Trump, and they succeeded. This is one of the saddest things I have ever written.
What to do?
Follow the advice of the political master, Nancy Pelosi - Speaker of the House - and have Democrats focus on building an agenda for America and support the wave of Democratic victories of the 2018 mid-term elections by staying the victorious course of moderation, health care, compassionate assistance to the middle classes and lower classes?
Or decide that the danger to America and the world posed by the manifestly corrupt and unfit man it the White House is too much of a danger to avoid impeachment proceedings?
Up to now, I was on the side of you can't impeach him if you don't have a "gasp moment" where the country recoils and turns against him. The Barr spin has dampened the impact of the Mueller report. But, wouldn't a full public exposure of the evidence in the Report build to such a conclusion?
I think the good middle ground is to get Barr and Mueller before Congress in public hearings to grind through the evidence to bring the corruption and incompetence of this president and his White House to the full light of day. Might not lead to an impeachment trial, but would let the country actually see this administration as they actually are - without the propaganda machine telling us all to look away.
And it looks like that is going to happen
Friday, April 5, 2019
How did Venezuella go so terribly wrong?
Millions are fleeing Venezuela. I heard a radio report of the brutal exodus over frigid mountain passes on a narrow road filled with trucks and not much walking space by families including pregnant women and children. Venezuela is without food, power, and now water. Things are desperate.
So - why?
During my Conservative Years the answer would have been obvious - Socialism destroys economies, tyrannizes peoples, and crushes freedoms. Look at the Soviet Union. Look at Cuba. Look at - Venezuela. And, indeed, it is clear that Trump and Republicans will use the specter of Venezuela in their 2020 campaigns.
But, I am coming to a very different conclusion. It's not so much Socialism itself, it's authoritarian demands of loyalty over expertise. Venezuela is a clear warning to Americans about our own authoritarian who is doing the same thing here - Trump.
Venezuela has essentially one economy - oil. And Venezuela has ruined its only economy. How? By astonishing incompetence. By having the authoritarian presidents - Chavez and Maduro - replace industry professionals with political toadies whose only qualifications are political loyalty to the supreme rulers. Per Robert Rapier of Forbes:
"During the Venezuelan general strike of 2002–2003, Chávez fired 19,000 employees of the state oil company Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA) and replaced them with employees loyal to his government."
Oil production is complicated. It takes qualified, professional, educated and trained scientists, engineers, a craftspeople. So it is the same for government. The Departments of Energy, Agriculture, Education, State, etc. all require highly educated and trained professionals to run them. To keep America safe. To keep America growing and prospering.
But Trump has replaced the heads of almost all government agencies with political hacks whose only qualifications are loyalty to him. This is pointed out in terrifying detail in Michael Lewis's "The Fifth Risk". The most recent, and terrifying examples are Trump's desire to put Stephen Moore as the head of the Federal Reserve (the most complicated and demanding job for the top economists in the country - this man is an incompetent ideological nitwit with no approval of real economists). And even more cartoonishly, Trump now wants the amazingly ridiculous Herman Caine of the disastrous "9-9-9 (personal tax, sales tax, and corporate tax)" presidential campaign in 2012 before he was laughed off the stage.
So, I think the way Socialism destroys economies is political as much as economic. It's not so much that Socialism destroys incentives and as a result economies die. Perhaps it is that Socialism easily becomes tyranny and tyrants replace expertise with ideological loyalists who are ignorant and incompetent.
So here is the real question - where else to we see ideological and personal loyalty being the sole criteria for leadership in government? Trump. America. The Republican Party has abandoned principle, expertise, competence, and its soul to the whims of its authoritarian ruler - Trump.
If you think Socialism means Venezuela, then of course Socialism is bad, really bad. But if you think that Socialism is Social Security, Medicare, interstate highways, libraries, police departments, fire departments, NASA, bridges, museums, public schools, water and wastewater treatment plants, clean air and clean water regulations, inspections and codes in public safety, environment, and food quality - then Socialism is actually quite good. All of these things have been called Socialist. And they are, I guess. They are public funds for public good. They are the heartbeat of civilization. Take them away and you have Fascist tyrannies which end up in - Venezuelas.
By the way. I am thinking that as time passes the old fights between Right and Left, between Free Markets and Socialism, are going to become passé. The real split that is coming is between the old Boomers of my generation who see things in Right-Left terms, and the Young Millennial generation who will blow past such chasms and come up with whole new paradigms. They didn't grow up in the Cold War. They grew up in a land where they had to be trained how to stay alive during a crazed man with military assault weapons trying to kill them in school - and in a world where they went into six figure debts to get a college degree - and in a world where climate change is an economic and existential threat to humanity. They aren't in the thrall of old Boomer hatreds.
I have great hope and expectations of the Millennials, and for America.
So - why?
During my Conservative Years the answer would have been obvious - Socialism destroys economies, tyrannizes peoples, and crushes freedoms. Look at the Soviet Union. Look at Cuba. Look at - Venezuela. And, indeed, it is clear that Trump and Republicans will use the specter of Venezuela in their 2020 campaigns.
But, I am coming to a very different conclusion. It's not so much Socialism itself, it's authoritarian demands of loyalty over expertise. Venezuela is a clear warning to Americans about our own authoritarian who is doing the same thing here - Trump.
Venezuela has essentially one economy - oil. And Venezuela has ruined its only economy. How? By astonishing incompetence. By having the authoritarian presidents - Chavez and Maduro - replace industry professionals with political toadies whose only qualifications are political loyalty to the supreme rulers. Per Robert Rapier of Forbes:
"During the Venezuelan general strike of 2002–2003, Chávez fired 19,000 employees of the state oil company Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA) and replaced them with employees loyal to his government."
Oil production is complicated. It takes qualified, professional, educated and trained scientists, engineers, a craftspeople. So it is the same for government. The Departments of Energy, Agriculture, Education, State, etc. all require highly educated and trained professionals to run them. To keep America safe. To keep America growing and prospering.
But Trump has replaced the heads of almost all government agencies with political hacks whose only qualifications are loyalty to him. This is pointed out in terrifying detail in Michael Lewis's "The Fifth Risk". The most recent, and terrifying examples are Trump's desire to put Stephen Moore as the head of the Federal Reserve (the most complicated and demanding job for the top economists in the country - this man is an incompetent ideological nitwit with no approval of real economists). And even more cartoonishly, Trump now wants the amazingly ridiculous Herman Caine of the disastrous "9-9-9 (personal tax, sales tax, and corporate tax)" presidential campaign in 2012 before he was laughed off the stage.
So, I think the way Socialism destroys economies is political as much as economic. It's not so much that Socialism destroys incentives and as a result economies die. Perhaps it is that Socialism easily becomes tyranny and tyrants replace expertise with ideological loyalists who are ignorant and incompetent.
So here is the real question - where else to we see ideological and personal loyalty being the sole criteria for leadership in government? Trump. America. The Republican Party has abandoned principle, expertise, competence, and its soul to the whims of its authoritarian ruler - Trump.
If you think Socialism means Venezuela, then of course Socialism is bad, really bad. But if you think that Socialism is Social Security, Medicare, interstate highways, libraries, police departments, fire departments, NASA, bridges, museums, public schools, water and wastewater treatment plants, clean air and clean water regulations, inspections and codes in public safety, environment, and food quality - then Socialism is actually quite good. All of these things have been called Socialist. And they are, I guess. They are public funds for public good. They are the heartbeat of civilization. Take them away and you have Fascist tyrannies which end up in - Venezuelas.
By the way. I am thinking that as time passes the old fights between Right and Left, between Free Markets and Socialism, are going to become passé. The real split that is coming is between the old Boomers of my generation who see things in Right-Left terms, and the Young Millennial generation who will blow past such chasms and come up with whole new paradigms. They didn't grow up in the Cold War. They grew up in a land where they had to be trained how to stay alive during a crazed man with military assault weapons trying to kill them in school - and in a world where they went into six figure debts to get a college degree - and in a world where climate change is an economic and existential threat to humanity. They aren't in the thrall of old Boomer hatreds.
I have great hope and expectations of the Millennials, and for America.
Monday, April 1, 2019
25 security clearances given to Trump officials who were denied clearances
In what ways are Donald Trump hurting America? There are many ways, actually, but here is a particularly frightening one - Trump has given security clearances on his whimsical say so to 25 people who had been denied clearances by the professionals whose job it is to vet officials for security clearances. We have people who have access to high level security secrets who shouldn't be having them! When will my conservative friends wake up to the damage their beloved president is doing to America?
Politico's Andrew Desiderio writes that a whistleblower in the White House Security Office, Tricia Newbold, has testified to the House Oversight Reform Committee:
"According to Ms. Newbold, these individuals had a wide range of serious disqualifying issues involving foreign influence, conflicts of interest, concerning personal conduct, financial problems, drug use, and criminal conduct,”..."noting that her internal complaints were ignored even as she amassed a list of more than two dozen officials whose clearances were approved despite an initial denial....Newbold, who currently serves as the adjudications manager in the personnel security office, has worked at the White House for nearly two decades under both Republican and Democratic presidents. She was suspended without pay for two weeks earlier this year, an action she described as retaliation.... other whistleblowers have “corroborated” Newbold’s allegations, “but they were too afraid about the risk to their careers to come forward publicly."
This president actually thinks that the laws and rules don't apply to him. He thinks he has been made king. I know that each president usually expands the powers of the office, but this president's changes are not a difference in degree, but rather are a difference in kind. He is trying to be an authoritarian ruler. It is up to America to make sure he fails in his attempts to become the American Mussolini.
It is a courageous woman who has finally decided that she must speak up even though the price she will pay could be very steep. So many of the reforms needed in America are coming from brave women. Our country owes them a debt of gratitude, and the hits will just keep coming....
Politico's Andrew Desiderio writes that a whistleblower in the White House Security Office, Tricia Newbold, has testified to the House Oversight Reform Committee:
"According to Ms. Newbold, these individuals had a wide range of serious disqualifying issues involving foreign influence, conflicts of interest, concerning personal conduct, financial problems, drug use, and criminal conduct,”..."noting that her internal complaints were ignored even as she amassed a list of more than two dozen officials whose clearances were approved despite an initial denial....Newbold, who currently serves as the adjudications manager in the personnel security office, has worked at the White House for nearly two decades under both Republican and Democratic presidents. She was suspended without pay for two weeks earlier this year, an action she described as retaliation.... other whistleblowers have “corroborated” Newbold’s allegations, “but they were too afraid about the risk to their careers to come forward publicly."
This president actually thinks that the laws and rules don't apply to him. He thinks he has been made king. I know that each president usually expands the powers of the office, but this president's changes are not a difference in degree, but rather are a difference in kind. He is trying to be an authoritarian ruler. It is up to America to make sure he fails in his attempts to become the American Mussolini.
It is a courageous woman who has finally decided that she must speak up even though the price she will pay could be very steep. So many of the reforms needed in America are coming from brave women. Our country owes them a debt of gratitude, and the hits will just keep coming....
Monday, March 25, 2019
The Mueller Report does not produce a “gasp moment “ in the country
I
have written a few times that the only way for Trump to be impeached is for the
Republicans to impeach him, and that would only happen if something came out
that caused a majority of the country, including Republicans, to gasp in horror
and disgust. The Mueller Report
apparently has no such revelation, at least according to the Trump appointed Attorney General, William Barr, who issued a four page synopsis and conclusion
yesterday after a 48 hour review of the Mueller Report.
Did
the Russians try to interfere with the election? Apparently Mueller says yes, there is enough evidence
that says that is true.
Did
Trump conspire with the Russians in that effort? Apparently Mueller says there is not enough
evidence to prove that to be true.
Did
Trump attempt to obstruct justice?
Mueller says the evidence neither condemns nor exonerates him.
“According to Barr, on the
obstruction of justice front, the Special Counsel wrote that “while this report
does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not
exonerate him.” “
Barr then stated that he
would not be pursuing an Obstruction of Justice charge because there was not
conclusive evidence of intent on the part of Trump to obstruct. Seems clear to me that Trump’s actions were
obstructive, but proving intent beyond a reasonable doubt is too hard,
according to Barr. Barr wrote:
“Generally speaking, to obtain and
sustain an obstruction conviction, the government would need to prove beyond a
reasonable doubt that a person, acting with corrupt intent, engaged in
obstructive conduct with a sufficient nexus to a pending or contemplated proceeding.”
Will the Mueller
Report be released to Congress and the American people? The House voted 420 – 0 demanding it, so I
don’t see Barr refusing to do so, but there are likely to be some redactions –
not implicating people who have not or will not be charged with a crime, and
not revealing national security secrets, I suppose. But I would expect to see the report pretty
fully exposed. Trump will try to stop
it, so fights to come, I expect.
Was the president “fully
exonerated” as he claimed? No. Mueller explicitly said the evidence could
not conclude that he committed a crime but also could not exonerate him. Trumpsters will believe Trump, of course, because
that is what they do.
Was/is Pelosi right in
saying the House should not impeach Trump unless something comes to light that
makes it necessary? Yes. We did not get a “gasp moment” yesterday that
turned the Republicans against him.
Is Trump still in
legal jeopardy? Yes. Not from conspiracy
charges, but investigations into his current and deep history of corruption,
money laundering, and tax evasion will continue.
Thursday, March 14, 2019
What sweethearts Trump and the Republicans are
The Trump proposed Budget is dead on arrival in Congress, of course, thank goodness. But his Budget reveals a lot about him and his Republican Party. He breaks a number of promises that he made to his gullible Trump voters in 2016 - he said he wouldn't cut Social Security or Medicare. Of course that was a lie. Sorry his voters didn't see who he was when they voted to help the Russians install him in the White House.
Here are some of the cuts. Over ten years:
Of course, these are the same folks who pull brown children from the arms of their parents - and then lose track of them.
What sweethearts these people are.....
Here are some of the cuts. Over ten years:
- Medicare - cut $845 billion - aren't most Trumpsters old white folk?
- Social Security - cut $25 billion - again, old folks being hurt?
- Medicaid - cut $1.5 trillion - these people really hate poor folks!
- Food stamps - $220 billion - punish the poor for being poor?
- Student loans - $207 billion - we have a generation in debt, serves them right for not being rich!
- Education - $8.5 billion - let them all go to private schools like good Republicans should!
Of course, these are the same folks who pull brown children from the arms of their parents - and then lose track of them.
What sweethearts these people are.....
Wednesday, March 6, 2019
Deficit grows as planned after Trump tax cut
The "good" Trump economy has a dark side - growing deficit spending. Not a surprise, of course. When Trump and the Republican controlled House and Senate passed their super wonderful tax cut to transfer money from the middle classes to the upper classes the economy improved because it was a good old fashioned Keynesian stimulus. So, what's wrong with a Keynesian stimulus? Well, it is something you do in a recession, not when the economy is going well, which it had been for years after the Great Recession of 2009. It is a tool that you can't use all the time because when you use it up it has no room to be used again when it will actually be needed, during the next economic downturn.
So, Trump and the Republicans, blinded by the Supply Side Economics of Reagan, apply lower taxes to stimulate the economy and just forget about the fact that doing so will balloon the deficit. How much? an increase of 21% in fiscal 2018.
This is simple mismanagement of the economy by the remarkably ignorant president, but it is quite a deliberate manipulation by his heartless Republicans in Congress - they want the deficit to grow so they can use it as an excuse to cut social programs, which they despise - helps poor folks you know, and they really don't like that.- kick 'em out into the streets, that'll show them for being poor!
So, for my conservative friends who know that Trump is a monstrous fool but still support him because of the "good economy", it's a sugar high at best, and is a cynical ploy to attack the poor and middle classes.
Social Security and Medicare are on the chopping block.
So, Trump and the Republicans, blinded by the Supply Side Economics of Reagan, apply lower taxes to stimulate the economy and just forget about the fact that doing so will balloon the deficit. How much? an increase of 21% in fiscal 2018.
"America’s deficit is rising sharply and will surpass $1 trillion per year by 2020, a gap that has grown since Congress cut taxes and increased spending, the Congressional Budget Office reported Monday.
The federal deficit — the gap between how much the government takes in and how much it spends — will hit $804 billion in fiscal 2018, up 21 percent from 2017, the CBO said".
This is simple mismanagement of the economy by the remarkably ignorant president, but it is quite a deliberate manipulation by his heartless Republicans in Congress - they want the deficit to grow so they can use it as an excuse to cut social programs, which they despise - helps poor folks you know, and they really don't like that.- kick 'em out into the streets, that'll show them for being poor!
So, for my conservative friends who know that Trump is a monstrous fool but still support him because of the "good economy", it's a sugar high at best, and is a cynical ploy to attack the poor and middle classes.
Social Security and Medicare are on the chopping block.
Thursday, February 28, 2019
The worst thing and the saddest thing in Cohen's testimony against Trump
Michael Cohen testified to the House Oversight Committee yesterday. What were some takeaways?
The worst thing he said was that based upon his knowledge of "Mr. Trump" there would be no peaceful transfer of power if he loses in 2020. I am afraid I would expect the same thing. If he had lost in 2016 he said he would not concede the result. It's just who he is. He can't admit a loss.
The saddest thing about Trump that he said is that Trump directed him to write threatening letters to his schools to not release his SATs or grades. We know that Trump has claimed to have a "very good brain" and "a very stable genius". Nonsense of course, and he is desperate to keep evidence of his intellect out of the public record. Just for the record, by the way, William T Kelly, a former Wharton professor said, long before Trump entered politics and was just a TV reality show personality, "Trump was the Goddamned dumbest student I ever had".
How about felonies? Max Boot listed at least five that Cohen outlined:
Are these impeachable offenses? Of course. Will he be impeached for them? Probably not because only the Republicans can impeach him, and the only way Republicans are going to impeach Trump is if there is a sudden revelation that causes the entire county to gasp in horror and disbelief. I gasp in horror and disbelief frequently, but I don't count and liberals and Democrats don't count. Only conservatives and Republican Senators count.
Should Trump be impeached? I am afraid that if he his impeached people will die by the hands of extremist white supremacist militia style crazies who will only see such as a coup.
Better that Congress just run the county and ignore this nitwit, and have both Republican and Democrat candidates run against him and defeat him in 2020.
Watching Trump is like watching a PBS docudrama about tyrannical kings of yore, but the roles are being played by the Three Stooges (actually Many Stooges)
The worst thing he said was that based upon his knowledge of "Mr. Trump" there would be no peaceful transfer of power if he loses in 2020. I am afraid I would expect the same thing. If he had lost in 2016 he said he would not concede the result. It's just who he is. He can't admit a loss.
The saddest thing about Trump that he said is that Trump directed him to write threatening letters to his schools to not release his SATs or grades. We know that Trump has claimed to have a "very good brain" and "a very stable genius". Nonsense of course, and he is desperate to keep evidence of his intellect out of the public record. Just for the record, by the way, William T Kelly, a former Wharton professor said, long before Trump entered politics and was just a TV reality show personality, "Trump was the Goddamned dumbest student I ever had".
How about felonies? Max Boot listed at least five that Cohen outlined:
- Conspiracy with the Russians during the campaign when he coordinated with Roger Stone to get Wikileaks' document dump from Clinton emails
- Lying to the Justice Department and the FBI about coordinating with Stone
- Suborning Perjury when he directed Cohen to lie about his ongoing efforts to build a Trump Tower in Moscow prior to his inauguration
- Violating campaign finance laws by paying off mistresses to keep them quiet just before the election day
- Bank and Tax Fraud when he inflated his assets in order to get underserved bank loans and deflating the same assets in order to pay less taxes
Are these impeachable offenses? Of course. Will he be impeached for them? Probably not because only the Republicans can impeach him, and the only way Republicans are going to impeach Trump is if there is a sudden revelation that causes the entire county to gasp in horror and disbelief. I gasp in horror and disbelief frequently, but I don't count and liberals and Democrats don't count. Only conservatives and Republican Senators count.
Should Trump be impeached? I am afraid that if he his impeached people will die by the hands of extremist white supremacist militia style crazies who will only see such as a coup.
Better that Congress just run the county and ignore this nitwit, and have both Republican and Democrat candidates run against him and defeat him in 2020.
Watching Trump is like watching a PBS docudrama about tyrannical kings of yore, but the roles are being played by the Three Stooges (actually Many Stooges)
Thursday, February 14, 2019
Constitution? What Constitution?
I understand that Donald Trump campaigned on building a big, beautiful wall across the southern border of America to keep brown people out. And he got elected. So, what about today? Today, the House of Representatives and the Senate have voted overwhelmingly to keep the government open and provide about $1.4 billion for the president's wall. He wanted $5.7 billion and wanted it so badly that he shut the government down for over a month.
But he didn't get his wall funding.
So, what is he promising to do? Sign the funding bill which will keep the government open, which he has finally figured out he must do since he caught the bulk of the blame for his heartless closing of the government.
But, of course, since he is Donald Trump, he can't allow himself to lose a news cycle - he must give in to the real bosses of the Republican Party, Ann Coulter and Sean Hannity - he has to still prove what a magnificently masculine man man man he is. He has to Be Tough.
So, the solution? He promises to sign the bill (where he looks like a loser even though it is a rational thing to do) and simultaneously declare a national emergency to fund The Wall. Silly man.
Presidential nominees promise things all the time on the campaign trail and often actually try to get those things into law. But, the genius of the Constitution is that nobody gets to be a king. Presidential candidates promise, and then they get elected, and then they try to get the votes to deliver on their promises.
Trump couldn't get the votes to build his wall.
He had two years to get votes to build his wall when he had both the House and the Senate in Republican hands. But, he didn't.
Now that he lost the House to the Democrats he tried to get the votes. Silly man.
The House of Representatives controls the purse strings - they are the ones to assign spending, not the president. I don't see the Democratic controlled House letting this unconstitutional power grab by the president to go unchallenged. I expect the House to pass a bill preventing the president from arbitrarily declaring an obvious false state of emergency (presidents declare states of emergency during actual emergencies - floods, hurricanes, massive fires, etc - not for keeping political promises)
I expect that many Republicans will vote to overturn the president's false claim of emergency. The power of the Congress is being foolishly challenged by the man who wants to be king - the man who continuously pushes to become an authoritarian dictator and turn the country into Rule by Man rather than Rule by Constitution or Rule by Law.
It is appropriate that Trump's come-uppance could be over his signature inane campaign promise - The Wall.
He didn't get the votes, so he doesn't get The Wall.
Dems are fine with increased border security in exchange for Dreamer citizenship. Dems are fine with increased border security that includes humane treatment of refugees. Dems loathe The Wall. As do I.
There is only one rule when going for a Power Play - don't lose. He is going to lose. I deeply hope. Constitutional Separation of Powers is at stake.
But he didn't get his wall funding.
So, what is he promising to do? Sign the funding bill which will keep the government open, which he has finally figured out he must do since he caught the bulk of the blame for his heartless closing of the government.
But, of course, since he is Donald Trump, he can't allow himself to lose a news cycle - he must give in to the real bosses of the Republican Party, Ann Coulter and Sean Hannity - he has to still prove what a magnificently masculine man man man he is. He has to Be Tough.
So, the solution? He promises to sign the bill (where he looks like a loser even though it is a rational thing to do) and simultaneously declare a national emergency to fund The Wall. Silly man.
Presidential nominees promise things all the time on the campaign trail and often actually try to get those things into law. But, the genius of the Constitution is that nobody gets to be a king. Presidential candidates promise, and then they get elected, and then they try to get the votes to deliver on their promises.
Trump couldn't get the votes to build his wall.
He had two years to get votes to build his wall when he had both the House and the Senate in Republican hands. But, he didn't.
Now that he lost the House to the Democrats he tried to get the votes. Silly man.
The House of Representatives controls the purse strings - they are the ones to assign spending, not the president. I don't see the Democratic controlled House letting this unconstitutional power grab by the president to go unchallenged. I expect the House to pass a bill preventing the president from arbitrarily declaring an obvious false state of emergency (presidents declare states of emergency during actual emergencies - floods, hurricanes, massive fires, etc - not for keeping political promises)
I expect that many Republicans will vote to overturn the president's false claim of emergency. The power of the Congress is being foolishly challenged by the man who wants to be king - the man who continuously pushes to become an authoritarian dictator and turn the country into Rule by Man rather than Rule by Constitution or Rule by Law.
It is appropriate that Trump's come-uppance could be over his signature inane campaign promise - The Wall.
He didn't get the votes, so he doesn't get The Wall.
Dems are fine with increased border security in exchange for Dreamer citizenship. Dems are fine with increased border security that includes humane treatment of refugees. Dems loathe The Wall. As do I.
There is only one rule when going for a Power Play - don't lose. He is going to lose. I deeply hope. Constitutional Separation of Powers is at stake.
Friday, January 25, 2019
Massive income inequality leads to massive political disruption
America's massive income inequality, a fairly recent development, can become very dangerous - to the wealthy. What has happened in the past when the income inequality got too big?
1790s - The French Revolution. The impoverished revolted and cut of the heads (guillotine) off the aristocracy. Marie Antoinette, the Queen of France, was supposed to have said "Let them eat cake (brioche)" in response to hearing that the impoverished could not afford bread. They revolted crying out for Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity. And chopped off their heads.
In an odd parallel, the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, billionaire Wilbur Ross, said that those who were unemployed or unpaid during the current shutdown of the government by President Trump should just go get a temporary loan until the government reopened. He was unaware that some people do not qualify for a loan (other than perhaps usurious despicable Payday Loans); nor did he understand that loans take longer than many workers can wait for in order to eat either bread or brioche.
1917 - The Russian Revolution. A bit more than 100 years later, the Russian impoverished rose up and killed the Russian Tsar Nicholas and his family and established the disastrous Communist Revolution.
2019 - Now, after another 100 years, the inequality in America has reached shocking levels. Today, the top 1% own as much as the bottom 95%!
How does that compare to the past?
So, what is happening now?
In 2016, amazingly, a billionaire Real Estate mogul and television star convinced those suffering from the job dislocations due to technology and globalism that he could get their jobs back by building a wall to keep brown people out, and he would deregulate finances and industry and that would create jobs for them. And they bought it! Those suffering from the inequality in the country turned to a 1%-er to save them. They are going to notice that it didn't work.
What else is happening now? Democrats are looking at major reshaping of the economic landscape. Presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren wants to place a wealth tax on the top 0.1% of the richest in America.
And young freshman House member, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, is proposing a top marginal tax rate of 70% on the ten millionth dollar earned.
Seems to me that taxes are better than guillotines or Communist Revolutions.
1790s - The French Revolution. The impoverished revolted and cut of the heads (guillotine) off the aristocracy. Marie Antoinette, the Queen of France, was supposed to have said "Let them eat cake (brioche)" in response to hearing that the impoverished could not afford bread. They revolted crying out for Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity. And chopped off their heads.
In an odd parallel, the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, billionaire Wilbur Ross, said that those who were unemployed or unpaid during the current shutdown of the government by President Trump should just go get a temporary loan until the government reopened. He was unaware that some people do not qualify for a loan (other than perhaps usurious despicable Payday Loans); nor did he understand that loans take longer than many workers can wait for in order to eat either bread or brioche.
1917 - The Russian Revolution. A bit more than 100 years later, the Russian impoverished rose up and killed the Russian Tsar Nicholas and his family and established the disastrous Communist Revolution.
2019 - Now, after another 100 years, the inequality in America has reached shocking levels. Today, the top 1% own as much as the bottom 95%!
How does that compare to the past?
- 1960 - top 1% had about 28%, bottom 95% had about 42%.
- 1970 - top 1% had about 27%, bottom 95% had about 45%
- 1980 - top 1% had about 23%, bottom 95% had about 49%
- 1990 - top 1% had about 27%, bottom 95% had about 49%
- 2000 - top 1% had about 33%, bottom 95% had about 43%
- 2010 - top 1% had about 39%, bottom 95% had about 37%
- 2016 - top 1% had about 39%, bottom 95% had about 38%
So, what is happening now?
In 2016, amazingly, a billionaire Real Estate mogul and television star convinced those suffering from the job dislocations due to technology and globalism that he could get their jobs back by building a wall to keep brown people out, and he would deregulate finances and industry and that would create jobs for them. And they bought it! Those suffering from the inequality in the country turned to a 1%-er to save them. They are going to notice that it didn't work.
What else is happening now? Democrats are looking at major reshaping of the economic landscape. Presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren wants to place a wealth tax on the top 0.1% of the richest in America.
And young freshman House member, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, is proposing a top marginal tax rate of 70% on the ten millionth dollar earned.
Seems to me that taxes are better than guillotines or Communist Revolutions.
Wednesday, January 23, 2019
Hilarious solution for fat president with small hands problem
What occupies our current president's mind? Government shutdown which is slowing the economy and hurting the lackluster stock market? Russian interference in democracies in America and the world? Anything other than his poll numbers amongst this fervid base? Well, there is something - his fat body and small hands, or rather, photos of himself revealing his fat body and small hands. From columnist Dana Milbank:
"The longest government shutdown in U.S. history shows no sign of resolving, and Americans wonder what President Trump and his team are doing.
Now we know. They are doing the important work the people sent them to do. They are elongating Trump’s fingers.
The tech website Gizmodo reported this week that it found at least three retouched photographs on Trump’s social media pages since October, including two in the past few days, in which his body and face have been slimmed, his face and neck wrinkles tightened, his hair cleaned up — “and in one of the strangest alterations, Trump’s fingers have been made slightly longer.”
Comparing the original photographs to the doctored ones, Gizmodo speculates that Trump aides have been using Photoshop or Facetune and finds it “especially weird that his fingers have been made longer, which might lead one to believe that the president has had some input in these alterations.”"
I feel sorry for my conservative friends who feel that they need to defend this silly person. How did they ever decide that this is the person they wanted to represent them?
Monday, January 21, 2019
The basic rule in dealing with hostage ransom tweets
I think the basic rule in dealing with ransom demands is never pay the ransom since it will only guarantee future hostage taking. This is the what is happening with Trump's capricious decision to close down a large parts of the government in order to please his anti immigrant base. He has taken the Federal Government hostage and is demanding a ransom.
This is not a negotiating tactic. Negotiations are successful attempts to find a solution where both sides have some kind of a win, especially if you are negotiating with a party that you want to or need to continue to work with in the future. Very, very unfortunately, our current president only sees "negotiating" in terms of a "winner" and a "loser" - and his pathological ego cannot allow himself to be seen as the "loser". He is the worst negotiator I have ever seen. When you negotiate you make sure the other side wins as well as yourself because you will be back at the table with them again, and again, and again.
As a reminder, the Senate approved the Continuing Resolution to fund the government with a unanimous voice vote. Trump refused to sign the authorization to fund the government, even though he and his administration had earlier said he would.
He betrayed his word because he was criticized by Ann Coulter and Rush Limabaugh, for goodness sake! These are media personalities whose responsibility is to build and keep an audience. They do so by simplifying their message to get a small segment of the populace - which is a big enough media audience to make them a lot of money.
But he is a president whose responsibility is to govern a complicated country, and he is supposed to do so by juggling complicated needs of that diverse country. He acts like a radio talk show host, not the head of the executive branch of government. He is ever simplifying his message, like a radio talk show host, to attract and keep his audience, which is a relatively small segment of interests in a vastly more complicated country than he is aware of.
Which leads us to the first rule of negotiating - you must be trustworthy. If nobody can trust your promises then you can't be negotiated with. Nobody in their right mind could ever trust anything that our current president says or promises. He just says whatever his current audience wants to hear. So people learn that what this deeply flawed person says is meaningless.
Which leads us to the second rule of negotiating - you must find the decision maker. Who on earth would that be? Rush Limbaugh? Laura Ingraham? Ann Coulter? Sean Hannity? It is certainly not the current president as he has proven that his decisions are made of jelly if he is criticized by the Right Wing Media.
Which leads us to what is really going on here - our current president is not negotiating. Our current president is not governing. Our current president is doing the only thing he knows how to do - campaigning - Building his Brand. And he is campaigning by doing what he thought got him elected in 2016 - by speaking only to and for his base - the hard right wing of the Republican Party.
To bad we don't have an actual president rather than a media personality.
This is not a negotiating tactic. Negotiations are successful attempts to find a solution where both sides have some kind of a win, especially if you are negotiating with a party that you want to or need to continue to work with in the future. Very, very unfortunately, our current president only sees "negotiating" in terms of a "winner" and a "loser" - and his pathological ego cannot allow himself to be seen as the "loser". He is the worst negotiator I have ever seen. When you negotiate you make sure the other side wins as well as yourself because you will be back at the table with them again, and again, and again.
As a reminder, the Senate approved the Continuing Resolution to fund the government with a unanimous voice vote. Trump refused to sign the authorization to fund the government, even though he and his administration had earlier said he would.
He betrayed his word because he was criticized by Ann Coulter and Rush Limabaugh, for goodness sake! These are media personalities whose responsibility is to build and keep an audience. They do so by simplifying their message to get a small segment of the populace - which is a big enough media audience to make them a lot of money.
But he is a president whose responsibility is to govern a complicated country, and he is supposed to do so by juggling complicated needs of that diverse country. He acts like a radio talk show host, not the head of the executive branch of government. He is ever simplifying his message, like a radio talk show host, to attract and keep his audience, which is a relatively small segment of interests in a vastly more complicated country than he is aware of.
Which leads us to the first rule of negotiating - you must be trustworthy. If nobody can trust your promises then you can't be negotiated with. Nobody in their right mind could ever trust anything that our current president says or promises. He just says whatever his current audience wants to hear. So people learn that what this deeply flawed person says is meaningless.
Which leads us to the second rule of negotiating - you must find the decision maker. Who on earth would that be? Rush Limbaugh? Laura Ingraham? Ann Coulter? Sean Hannity? It is certainly not the current president as he has proven that his decisions are made of jelly if he is criticized by the Right Wing Media.
Which leads us to what is really going on here - our current president is not negotiating. Our current president is not governing. Our current president is doing the only thing he knows how to do - campaigning - Building his Brand. And he is campaigning by doing what he thought got him elected in 2016 - by speaking only to and for his base - the hard right wing of the Republican Party.
To bad we don't have an actual president rather than a media personality.
Friday, January 18, 2019
Why I think our president is controlled by Russia
There were two huge stories that broke in the last week.
First, we found out that the FBI was so concerned about Trump's behavior that it opened an investigation into whether he was secretly working on behalf of Russia. Secretly? Seems pretty much out in the open to me, but the fact that the FBI is investigating this is one of the biggest stories in U.S. history.
Second, we found out that Trump hid the content of his in person meetings with Putin. He met without any Americans present other than an interpreter, and he confiscated the notes. Sounds like someone taking directions from his KGB officer to me.
So, these are two reasons I think the president of the United States is being controlled by Russia. There are more...
What does Russia want? To destroy its arch rival, America, both domestically and internationally.
Internationally, how has Trump weakened America? He destroyed our influence in the Far East by pulling out of the Trans Pacific Partnership in which America was the key player in trade and commerce in the Far East. Now we are gone and China is the key player. America loses. Putin is happy.
Internationally, Trump attacked our neighbors - Canada and Mexico - and pulled out of NAFTA, only to re-establish a modified NAFTA and called it??? Trumpfta? Putin laughs.
Internationally, Trump pulled out of the Iranian nuclear deal where America was the controlling power, only to have the rest the signatories stay in without America. America loses influence. Putin smiles.
Internationally, Trump attacks and threatens to pull out of NATO. WHAT? There is nothing more important to Putin and the Russians than destroying NATO so that Putin can recapture the Balkan states and re-establish the old Soviet Empire, but now it would be the Russian Empire - which was all it ever was, turns out the Communism part was just the cover story for Russian hegemony and empire. Putin dances in the streets!!!
How about domestically? How is Trump destroying America domestically?
Domestically, Trump has done all he can to destroy the government internally by firing, ignoring, and understaffing all of the Government departments, from the State Department to the Department of Energy - see Michael Lewis's "The Fifth Risk" - a terrifying exposure of how the protections of the government of all of us is being destroyed. Putin rubs his hands gleefully.
Domestically, Trump has encouraged and empowered white supremacists and racists and drives as many wedges between Americans as possible. Putin watches in amazement.
Domestically, Trump has started trade wars, ignoring how trade wars helped kick off the Great Depression of the '30s. Putin should be worried about this one because Depression becomes a world wide disaster.
Domestically, Trump has shut down the government for 27 days so far, hurting government workers, supporting businesses, and those served by the government workers - us. Just to show Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter, two pretty horrible people, that he is STRONG, STRONG, STRONG!! Of course all he is showing is that he is w e a k, w e a k, w e a k by cowering before their disapproval. Putin has to slap himself in the face to make sure he isn't dreaming this one is so good for him.
I could go on forever, but I just get worn out thinking about all the ways Trump is hurting America and helping Russia.
The fate of the country is in the hands of the Republicans. Which is to say, the fate of the country is in the hands of those conservatives who continue to support Trump and approve of Trump and who frighten cowardly Republican Senate and House members who are afraid, afraid, afraid of losing their jobs.
Only the Republicans can stop Trump. The Democrats do what they can, but it is up to Republicans.
The shutdown? Just have the head of the Senate, Mitch McConnell, bring to the floor the continuing resolution to fund the government that they passed unanimously last time with a voice vote, which was passed by the House and re-sent to the Senate. It will pass again in the Senate. Send it to the president. He will bitch. He will complain. And he will sign it because he doesn't have the sand to veto it. He is a coward.
Time for Republicans to admit what is obvious - their president is under the control of Russia, and their president is destroying America both domestically and internationally.
It is time.....
First, we found out that the FBI was so concerned about Trump's behavior that it opened an investigation into whether he was secretly working on behalf of Russia. Secretly? Seems pretty much out in the open to me, but the fact that the FBI is investigating this is one of the biggest stories in U.S. history.
Second, we found out that Trump hid the content of his in person meetings with Putin. He met without any Americans present other than an interpreter, and he confiscated the notes. Sounds like someone taking directions from his KGB officer to me.
So, these are two reasons I think the president of the United States is being controlled by Russia. There are more...
What does Russia want? To destroy its arch rival, America, both domestically and internationally.
Internationally, how has Trump weakened America? He destroyed our influence in the Far East by pulling out of the Trans Pacific Partnership in which America was the key player in trade and commerce in the Far East. Now we are gone and China is the key player. America loses. Putin is happy.
Internationally, Trump attacked our neighbors - Canada and Mexico - and pulled out of NAFTA, only to re-establish a modified NAFTA and called it??? Trumpfta? Putin laughs.
Internationally, Trump pulled out of the Iranian nuclear deal where America was the controlling power, only to have the rest the signatories stay in without America. America loses influence. Putin smiles.
Internationally, Trump attacks and threatens to pull out of NATO. WHAT? There is nothing more important to Putin and the Russians than destroying NATO so that Putin can recapture the Balkan states and re-establish the old Soviet Empire, but now it would be the Russian Empire - which was all it ever was, turns out the Communism part was just the cover story for Russian hegemony and empire. Putin dances in the streets!!!
How about domestically? How is Trump destroying America domestically?
Domestically, Trump has done all he can to destroy the government internally by firing, ignoring, and understaffing all of the Government departments, from the State Department to the Department of Energy - see Michael Lewis's "The Fifth Risk" - a terrifying exposure of how the protections of the government of all of us is being destroyed. Putin rubs his hands gleefully.
Domestically, Trump has encouraged and empowered white supremacists and racists and drives as many wedges between Americans as possible. Putin watches in amazement.
Domestically, Trump has started trade wars, ignoring how trade wars helped kick off the Great Depression of the '30s. Putin should be worried about this one because Depression becomes a world wide disaster.
Domestically, Trump has shut down the government for 27 days so far, hurting government workers, supporting businesses, and those served by the government workers - us. Just to show Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter, two pretty horrible people, that he is STRONG, STRONG, STRONG!! Of course all he is showing is that he is w e a k, w e a k, w e a k by cowering before their disapproval. Putin has to slap himself in the face to make sure he isn't dreaming this one is so good for him.
I could go on forever, but I just get worn out thinking about all the ways Trump is hurting America and helping Russia.
The fate of the country is in the hands of the Republicans. Which is to say, the fate of the country is in the hands of those conservatives who continue to support Trump and approve of Trump and who frighten cowardly Republican Senate and House members who are afraid, afraid, afraid of losing their jobs.
Only the Republicans can stop Trump. The Democrats do what they can, but it is up to Republicans.
The shutdown? Just have the head of the Senate, Mitch McConnell, bring to the floor the continuing resolution to fund the government that they passed unanimously last time with a voice vote, which was passed by the House and re-sent to the Senate. It will pass again in the Senate. Send it to the president. He will bitch. He will complain. And he will sign it because he doesn't have the sand to veto it. He is a coward.
Time for Republicans to admit what is obvious - their president is under the control of Russia, and their president is destroying America both domestically and internationally.
It is time.....
Wednesday, January 9, 2019
Trump - the One Trick Pony
When Trump is in trouble he trots out his one major trick - The Wall - or, more precisely, Be Very Afraid of Brown People. He sees impoverished and threatened families fleeing Central America as dangerous and filthy infestations which need to be turned back, with maximum cruelty preferably.
Trump is feeling the real walls, the walls of exposure and possible prosecution, closing in on him. And we can reliably count on his whipping his base into a fear frenzy as a way to rescue him.
His first statement of his campaign in 2015 was closing off the country to brown people. His big campaign push last year in the mid term elections was to create a false crisis of The Caravan of invaders coming up to infect the purity of our (white) country.
Now, once again it's The Wall, The Wall, The Wall. Shutting down the government to put up The Wall, The Wall, The Wall.
I suppose his speech, a rerun of his normal fear mongering speech repeated ad nauseum, appealed to his shrinking base, but I found it pretty - nauseating.
There is no crisis at the wall. Illegal border crossing are about a tenth of what they were in the early '00s. Most drugs come through airports. Of course, it is true that most immigrants are not white...
I do not find it comforting that our president is so weak that criticism from Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter will make him shut down the government and create ever growing hardship.
He is a One Trick Pony - fear brown and black people. (And I guess his other tricks are do whatever Russia or the hard right media tell him to do) Not much of a leader....
Trump is feeling the real walls, the walls of exposure and possible prosecution, closing in on him. And we can reliably count on his whipping his base into a fear frenzy as a way to rescue him.
His first statement of his campaign in 2015 was closing off the country to brown people. His big campaign push last year in the mid term elections was to create a false crisis of The Caravan of invaders coming up to infect the purity of our (white) country.
Now, once again it's The Wall, The Wall, The Wall. Shutting down the government to put up The Wall, The Wall, The Wall.
I suppose his speech, a rerun of his normal fear mongering speech repeated ad nauseum, appealed to his shrinking base, but I found it pretty - nauseating.
There is no crisis at the wall. Illegal border crossing are about a tenth of what they were in the early '00s. Most drugs come through airports. Of course, it is true that most immigrants are not white...
I do not find it comforting that our president is so weak that criticism from Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter will make him shut down the government and create ever growing hardship.
He is a One Trick Pony - fear brown and black people. (And I guess his other tricks are do whatever Russia or the hard right media tell him to do) Not much of a leader....
Saturday, January 5, 2019
It's Time for America to Recover Its Character
America's character has fallen so far in the last two years under the control of Trump the Republicans. An old saying is that the fish starts to rot at the head, and the head of our Administration is a sadly and terribly rotten character. And, I am afraid I have to say much the same for his Republican base that so avidly supports this truly horrible person.
What happened to Christians in this country? They went from the Christ of love and forgiveness, of caring and compassion, to the Trump of Grab 'em by the Pussy, and Getting Rid of People from Shithole Countries.
The list of examples of the extreme lack of character of this president goes on forever. His indifference to the suffering he causes in so many ways - the latest is in shutting down the government in order to keep brown people out of the country causes suffering of the government workers who go without paychecks, causes suffering of tax payers who don't get refund checks, causes suffering of tourists who go to parks which are understaffed, filthy and dangerous, and causes suffering of brown people fleeing crime and poverty seeking asylum in what used to be the Land of the Free. His indifference to all people other than himself is endlessly appalling to me.
His lack of character showed up initially, of course, in his campaign as he actively sought the assistance of a hostile foreign power, Russia, to propagandize for him and against his opponent.
His lack of character showed up immediately upon taking office by refusing to divest his assets and put them into a blind trust - thus actively inviting bribery by foreign powers and domestic political actors to enrich him by using his properties.
His lack of character has been showing up for as long as he has been a public figure by his endless bullshitting and lying about essentially everything that he talks about.
His lack of character shows up with his endless pandering to the white supremacists in his base, especially by saying that there were "very fine people on both sides" in Charlottesville - I don't think there were any very fine people amongst the white supremacists carrying torches and shouting racist filth.
His lack of character showed up in his Trump University which was a scam for which he was found guilty and had to pay fines.
His lack of character showed up when he stiffed his vendors in building his towers and casinos, which failed.
His lack of character showed up when he mocked a disabled reporter.
His lack of character showed up when he was indifferent to the suffering of the brown people is Puerto Rico after a disastrous hurricane.
His lack of character shows up when he supports our border control ripping children from their parents and putting them in cages or barracks apart from their parents.
His lack of character shows up when he puts his cabinet members at a table and demands that they shower him with praise in front of cameras.
There are many, many more examples of this man's complete lack of character, and I am tired of thinking about them. Suffice it to say that his lack of character is his most defining feature.
The "Alt Right", otherwise better know as white supremacists, will never abandon him. But when will more conservatives find their conscience and turn on him? What will finally make them gasp in horror and disgust, the way he makes liberals and independents gasp in horror and disgust many times a week?
It is time for America to get tired of this endlessly narcissistic, ignorant, and pitiless headline stealer.
It is time for America to recover its character.
What happened to Christians in this country? They went from the Christ of love and forgiveness, of caring and compassion, to the Trump of Grab 'em by the Pussy, and Getting Rid of People from Shithole Countries.
The list of examples of the extreme lack of character of this president goes on forever. His indifference to the suffering he causes in so many ways - the latest is in shutting down the government in order to keep brown people out of the country causes suffering of the government workers who go without paychecks, causes suffering of tax payers who don't get refund checks, causes suffering of tourists who go to parks which are understaffed, filthy and dangerous, and causes suffering of brown people fleeing crime and poverty seeking asylum in what used to be the Land of the Free. His indifference to all people other than himself is endlessly appalling to me.
His lack of character showed up initially, of course, in his campaign as he actively sought the assistance of a hostile foreign power, Russia, to propagandize for him and against his opponent.
His lack of character showed up immediately upon taking office by refusing to divest his assets and put them into a blind trust - thus actively inviting bribery by foreign powers and domestic political actors to enrich him by using his properties.
His lack of character has been showing up for as long as he has been a public figure by his endless bullshitting and lying about essentially everything that he talks about.
His lack of character shows up with his endless pandering to the white supremacists in his base, especially by saying that there were "very fine people on both sides" in Charlottesville - I don't think there were any very fine people amongst the white supremacists carrying torches and shouting racist filth.
His lack of character showed up in his Trump University which was a scam for which he was found guilty and had to pay fines.
His lack of character showed up when he stiffed his vendors in building his towers and casinos, which failed.
His lack of character showed up when he mocked a disabled reporter.
His lack of character showed up when he was indifferent to the suffering of the brown people is Puerto Rico after a disastrous hurricane.
His lack of character shows up when he supports our border control ripping children from their parents and putting them in cages or barracks apart from their parents.
His lack of character shows up when he puts his cabinet members at a table and demands that they shower him with praise in front of cameras.
There are many, many more examples of this man's complete lack of character, and I am tired of thinking about them. Suffice it to say that his lack of character is his most defining feature.
The "Alt Right", otherwise better know as white supremacists, will never abandon him. But when will more conservatives find their conscience and turn on him? What will finally make them gasp in horror and disgust, the way he makes liberals and independents gasp in horror and disgust many times a week?
It is time for America to get tired of this endlessly narcissistic, ignorant, and pitiless headline stealer.
It is time for America to recover its character.
Monday, December 24, 2018
Betrayal by a man without honor
Trump's betrayal of allies is perhaps the signature characteristic of his presidency. It started with pulling out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, attacking NATO, pulling our nuclear deal with Iran, pulling out of NAFTA (only to make minor changes and get back in with a different name he can claim credit for).
But now his betrayal of the Kurds in Syria is a new level of betrayal. Many who have fought side by side with our Special Forces are going to die. Why did he do it? As I wrote earlier, he satisfies Russia by turning the Middle East over to them.
But, as subsequent stories have revealed, he did this infamous deed at the direct request of the dictator of Turkey - Erdogan. This gives green lights to the Turks and to ISIS.
Turkey now has full permission from the U.S. to slaughter the Kurds who are fighting to defeat ISIS. Turkey now has full permission to slaughter Kurds in Turkey. Turkey now has permission to slaughter Kurds wherever it wants to slaughter Kurds. Turkey sees the Kurds as a revolutionary force inside of Turkey and wants to crush their efforts to create a Kurdish state, as I understand it. So, let the blood bath escalate, with full permission of our Honorless president.
ISIS of course is not defeated despite the ridiculous Presidential claim. They have been given a tremendous morale boost by the announcement of U.S. withdrawal. They have sent waves of suicide missions against the Turkish forces who have been working with U.S. special forces.
David Ignatius of the Washington Post is an expert on the Middle East. His interview of the Kurdish leader, Gen. Mazloum Abdi, alongside our Special Forces today is disheartening and says obvious truths.
"Mazloum explained the dangers of a terrorist resurgence after Trump’s sudden decision. Islamic State communications last week showed new hope they can restore their caliphate, which was on the way to destruction"..."after this decision, what are people going to say about America? All the credibility and trust that was built, we have lost.”..."With American air support, SDF fighters destroyed the Islamic State’s capital of Raqqa and all its major strongholds. The Kurds and their Syrian allies paid a severe price: They have suffered about 4,000 dead and 10,000 wounded since 2014. Over that same period, the United States lost only three soldiers in Syria, according to a U.S. military spokesperson"..."Mazloum said his forces had suffered at least 27 killed in action since Trump’s abrupt decision, and many more wounded, as a revitalized terrorist adversary sent a wave of more than 10 suicide attacks against Mazloum’s front lines."...“Right now, we are fighting for ourselves, for our existence,” Mazloum said. “Because all our fighters know that if they don’t defend themselves [the Islamic State] will come back and be stronger, murdering and beheading their families.”
I pay special attention to the following statement by Mazloum -
"...after Trump’s announcement, he’s scrambling to open channels with Russia and the Syrian regime, "to fill this vacuum left by America.”
Note - Russian and Syria will enter the vacuum left by the U.S - no, the vacuum is not created by the U.S., the vacuum is created by Trump. Is it just ignorance? stupidity? a distraction from the Mueller investigation? Treason?
A man without honor is turning America into a nation without honor. WHERE IS CONGRESS? WHERE ARE THE REPUBLICANS IN CONGRESS?
Speaking of betrayal of allies, anyone who has worked with Trump in his campaign or administration knows full well this pathologically narcissistic man-child will turn on them in an instant - just look at the Kurds. The Betrayer in Chief is a very dangerous.
But now his betrayal of the Kurds in Syria is a new level of betrayal. Many who have fought side by side with our Special Forces are going to die. Why did he do it? As I wrote earlier, he satisfies Russia by turning the Middle East over to them.
But, as subsequent stories have revealed, he did this infamous deed at the direct request of the dictator of Turkey - Erdogan. This gives green lights to the Turks and to ISIS.
Turkey now has full permission from the U.S. to slaughter the Kurds who are fighting to defeat ISIS. Turkey now has full permission to slaughter Kurds in Turkey. Turkey now has permission to slaughter Kurds wherever it wants to slaughter Kurds. Turkey sees the Kurds as a revolutionary force inside of Turkey and wants to crush their efforts to create a Kurdish state, as I understand it. So, let the blood bath escalate, with full permission of our Honorless president.
ISIS of course is not defeated despite the ridiculous Presidential claim. They have been given a tremendous morale boost by the announcement of U.S. withdrawal. They have sent waves of suicide missions against the Turkish forces who have been working with U.S. special forces.
David Ignatius of the Washington Post is an expert on the Middle East. His interview of the Kurdish leader, Gen. Mazloum Abdi, alongside our Special Forces today is disheartening and says obvious truths.
"Mazloum explained the dangers of a terrorist resurgence after Trump’s sudden decision. Islamic State communications last week showed new hope they can restore their caliphate, which was on the way to destruction"..."after this decision, what are people going to say about America? All the credibility and trust that was built, we have lost.”..."With American air support, SDF fighters destroyed the Islamic State’s capital of Raqqa and all its major strongholds. The Kurds and their Syrian allies paid a severe price: They have suffered about 4,000 dead and 10,000 wounded since 2014. Over that same period, the United States lost only three soldiers in Syria, according to a U.S. military spokesperson"..."Mazloum said his forces had suffered at least 27 killed in action since Trump’s abrupt decision, and many more wounded, as a revitalized terrorist adversary sent a wave of more than 10 suicide attacks against Mazloum’s front lines."...“Right now, we are fighting for ourselves, for our existence,” Mazloum said. “Because all our fighters know that if they don’t defend themselves [the Islamic State] will come back and be stronger, murdering and beheading their families.”
I pay special attention to the following statement by Mazloum -
"...after Trump’s announcement, he’s scrambling to open channels with Russia and the Syrian regime, "to fill this vacuum left by America.”
Note - Russian and Syria will enter the vacuum left by the U.S - no, the vacuum is not created by the U.S., the vacuum is created by Trump. Is it just ignorance? stupidity? a distraction from the Mueller investigation? Treason?
A man without honor is turning America into a nation without honor. WHERE IS CONGRESS? WHERE ARE THE REPUBLICANS IN CONGRESS?
Speaking of betrayal of allies, anyone who has worked with Trump in his campaign or administration knows full well this pathologically narcissistic man-child will turn on them in an instant - just look at the Kurds. The Betrayer in Chief is a very dangerous.
Thursday, December 20, 2018
Trump to pull Special Forces out of Syria
Trump suddenly
and without warning decided that America is pulling about 2000 special forces
out of Syria. I don’t know if this is
wise or foolish.
Who benefits? Trump - in some way since his only motivation is to benefit himself - pleasing someone on Fox News? pleasing Putin? thinking he will get votes in 2020? probably just another day's distraction from his legal problems I suppose.
Thursday, December 13, 2018
The Criminal in Chief
The Trumpsters haven't figured it out yet, but their president is a criminal, always has been, and will continue to be.
His long time attorney, Michael Cohen, was just sentenced to three years in prison for carrying out the orders of his boss. His boss is guilty of the same crimes, of course.
Step one is to show the country and the world that Trump directed felonious activity to violate campaign finance laws by covering up sexual affairs that were about to be revealed just prior to the election. He did it. He is guilty. Will the Republicans impeach for this? (only the Reps can impeach Trump, the Dems can't do it on their own) - No, they can't impeach for covering up sexual affairs, look at what happened when Clinton was impeached for a sexual affair.
Step two is to show the country and the world that Trump received and solicited the help of a hostile foreign power, Russia, to get elected. We already know this is true (the Trumpsters pretend not to know this as they keep their heads buried in the right wing media bubble which ignores, discounts, diminishes, denies, and deflects actual news about the conspiracies between the Russians and Trump's campaign, and Trump himself). I expect Mueller will be revealing hard evidence of this going forward.
Regarding the Trump Russian connection, it is a matter of record now that Trump was negotiating with Russia to build a 100 story Trump Tower in Moscow up until the Republican convention that nominated Trump to be their candidate. Part of that negotiation with the Kremlin was to gift Putin himself with $50,000,000 apartment in the tower.
So what? Well, I think it should give the Trumpsters a reason to notice that Trump lied, over and over again, when he said that he had no connections with Russia. (By the way, do you think it might be possible that after Trump leaves office Putin will approve the Moscow tower and Trump can flee to Russia and live in his own tower there?)
So what? Hard evidence of Trump-Russian conspiracy in the hands of Putin gives Putin the leverage of exposure and empowers Putin to control Trump's foreign policy - which we have been witnessing for two years.
Step three will be when Muller and/or the Southern District of New York Attorney General exposes Trump's decades long crimes of money laundering for the Russian oligarchy. This crime is an even stronger leverage that Putin has over Trump. You will never see Trump strongly displease Putin. Jail time for this one.
Eventually, the best option for Trump will be to do what Nixon did - resign with a promise of a pardon from his Vice President who will become president and have the power to pardon him for federal crimes. Of course, that won't protect him from prosecution by New York, Illinois, or New Jersey, so he may just have to flee to Moscow and trust that Putin will treat him nicely. But why would he? Trump will no longer be useful to the wealthiest criminal on the planet.
Trump's future could be quite bleak. And he knows it. So, watch out world, the desperate actions of a cornered man-child who happens to have influence over America's military and nukes could become unbelievably ugly.
It could be that the real ugliness is about to begin.
His long time attorney, Michael Cohen, was just sentenced to three years in prison for carrying out the orders of his boss. His boss is guilty of the same crimes, of course.
Step one is to show the country and the world that Trump directed felonious activity to violate campaign finance laws by covering up sexual affairs that were about to be revealed just prior to the election. He did it. He is guilty. Will the Republicans impeach for this? (only the Reps can impeach Trump, the Dems can't do it on their own) - No, they can't impeach for covering up sexual affairs, look at what happened when Clinton was impeached for a sexual affair.
Step two is to show the country and the world that Trump received and solicited the help of a hostile foreign power, Russia, to get elected. We already know this is true (the Trumpsters pretend not to know this as they keep their heads buried in the right wing media bubble which ignores, discounts, diminishes, denies, and deflects actual news about the conspiracies between the Russians and Trump's campaign, and Trump himself). I expect Mueller will be revealing hard evidence of this going forward.
Regarding the Trump Russian connection, it is a matter of record now that Trump was negotiating with Russia to build a 100 story Trump Tower in Moscow up until the Republican convention that nominated Trump to be their candidate. Part of that negotiation with the Kremlin was to gift Putin himself with $50,000,000 apartment in the tower.
So what? Well, I think it should give the Trumpsters a reason to notice that Trump lied, over and over again, when he said that he had no connections with Russia. (By the way, do you think it might be possible that after Trump leaves office Putin will approve the Moscow tower and Trump can flee to Russia and live in his own tower there?)
So what? Hard evidence of Trump-Russian conspiracy in the hands of Putin gives Putin the leverage of exposure and empowers Putin to control Trump's foreign policy - which we have been witnessing for two years.
Step three will be when Muller and/or the Southern District of New York Attorney General exposes Trump's decades long crimes of money laundering for the Russian oligarchy. This crime is an even stronger leverage that Putin has over Trump. You will never see Trump strongly displease Putin. Jail time for this one.
Eventually, the best option for Trump will be to do what Nixon did - resign with a promise of a pardon from his Vice President who will become president and have the power to pardon him for federal crimes. Of course, that won't protect him from prosecution by New York, Illinois, or New Jersey, so he may just have to flee to Moscow and trust that Putin will treat him nicely. But why would he? Trump will no longer be useful to the wealthiest criminal on the planet.
Trump's future could be quite bleak. And he knows it. So, watch out world, the desperate actions of a cornered man-child who happens to have influence over America's military and nukes could become unbelievably ugly.
It could be that the real ugliness is about to begin.
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