How can the Democrats lose to Trump in 2020? The same way they always do, by being taken over by the left wing nut case faction. Busing? Reparations? Medicare for All? Impeachment? Do everything they possibly can to force never-Tumpers to vote for Trump? to force independents to turn away in bewilderment? to prove to America that the Loony Left is riding again?
Look, I will vote for a giraffe before I vote for Trump. I have a bunch of very sound reasons for that, about which I am sure I will write of in the future and often. But now I am talking about the Democratic Party primary season. And so far it is not comforting to the large swath of moderate America hoping to find someone to replaced Trump who isn't nuts.
Loren Thompson of Forbes Magazine lays out a very articulate warning. He says he knows how this movie will turn out, he has seen it before, way too often. And Democrats lose a race that should be impossible to lose. Nixon crushed lefty McGovern. HW Bush easily handled lefty Dukakis. Reagan stomped lefty Carter and then had no trouble with lefty Mondale.
Clinton won as a moderate liberal, centrist - big tent. Obama was almost post ideological, not a lefty firebrand.
Thompson writes:
"Even in the depths of the Great Depression, FDR knew he had to run as a centrist and populist rather than a socialist to bolster his chances of getting elected (Carter and Clinton successfully embraced the same lesson)."
Trump is a dangerous lunatic but that is not how the campaign will be run. He will be the sane one and the Lefty Dem will be a dangerous Socialist trying to change everybody's lives, thoughts, feelings, and consciences.
Thompson says Trump will run on five things, probably successfully:
Peace - will say he saved the world from war with North Korea and Iran (only after threatening war with both and then pulling away)
Prosperity - good stock market, low unemployment, will say that tariffs and being a tough negotiator saved the day (all wrong, of course, but that will be a constant drumbeat)
Sovereignty - The Wall, The Wall, The Wall, Fear the Brown People, Fear, Fear, Fear....
Self Sufficiency - America First, America alone, America to build in America, American jobs in America (while actually destroying jobs in America with his ignorant tarrifs)
Energy of the candidate - Trump as the energizer bunny that never ever ever ever gives up and pushes and pushes and pushes for what he wants - bad things, of course, but many see them as good things.
Trump can't win on his base alone. So, why are the Dems playing to their base alone?
It is very predictable, of course, that the left, including me, thinks that Trump is so god-awful that the country will turn away from him in horror and nausea. And they will, unless the Dems are taken over by those that think that now is finally their chance to put in a radical lefty agenda.
For example - as Mark Shields, liberal commentator on the PBS Newshour pointed out after the first Dem debate - Liberals had been trying to get expanded health care for all for about a century and finally got it in the Affordable Health Care law. They got it through Congress. They survived a Supreme Court challenge. It is a compromise that keeps private hospitals, private insurance, private doctors, private drug companies. They won. And now we have Dem candidates who want to throw it away for the health care that exists only in the dreams of the extremists in the Democratic Party - Medicare for All, which would be a massive change and will be rejected fiercely not just by the Right wing but by moderates and liberals as well the more the details of what would have to change are revealed.
Never underestimate the delusions of the extremist faithful.
All the Dems have to do to beat Trump is not be crazy. Trump is crazy. One is enough.
Tuesday, July 9, 2019
Thursday, June 27, 2019
Well, there goes democracy in America
The conservative Supreme Court Judges just ruled that the courts cannot stop undemocratic partisan gerrymandering. Every 10 years the states redraw congressional districts. And every 10 years whichever party controls the state draws the districts to favor their party.
An old practice? Yes. An unfair and undemocratic practice? Yes. So, since it has been around forever what's the problem? The problem is that in today's world, with today's computer data, the party in power can draw the districts so precisely as to guarantee victory for their party in as many districts as possible. The power computer analysis can give to the party in power to disproportionately represent themselves by cheating using skewed gerrymandered districts will only get worse and worse over time.
Is there a solution? Referendums. Like in California.
California voted against allowing the politicians to draw up the districts and gave the job to the Citizens Redistricting Commission - 5 Democrats, 5 Republicans, and 4 others. This seems to me to a necessary thing to do to have the votes of the people in the state mean anything at all. As it is now in too many states the politicians choose their voters rather than letting the voters choose their politicians.
I am very disappointed in the non-democratic efforts of this conservative majority Supreme Court. The only way the Supreme Court works in this country is if the vast majority of the people think it is fair. And, starting for example at Bush vs Gore where the conservatives gave the election to Bush rather than letting the final vote tally decide, the Supreme Court is proving itself to be unelected politicians, with a big agenda to enact.
Bad day in America today.
An old practice? Yes. An unfair and undemocratic practice? Yes. So, since it has been around forever what's the problem? The problem is that in today's world, with today's computer data, the party in power can draw the districts so precisely as to guarantee victory for their party in as many districts as possible. The power computer analysis can give to the party in power to disproportionately represent themselves by cheating using skewed gerrymandered districts will only get worse and worse over time.
Is there a solution? Referendums. Like in California.
California voted against allowing the politicians to draw up the districts and gave the job to the Citizens Redistricting Commission - 5 Democrats, 5 Republicans, and 4 others. This seems to me to a necessary thing to do to have the votes of the people in the state mean anything at all. As it is now in too many states the politicians choose their voters rather than letting the voters choose their politicians.
I am very disappointed in the non-democratic efforts of this conservative majority Supreme Court. The only way the Supreme Court works in this country is if the vast majority of the people think it is fair. And, starting for example at Bush vs Gore where the conservatives gave the election to Bush rather than letting the final vote tally decide, the Supreme Court is proving itself to be unelected politicians, with a big agenda to enact.
Bad day in America today.
Tuesday, June 25, 2019
Number 16
The 16th brave woman, E. Jean Carroll, revealed that Trump sexually assaulter her by grabbing her by her genitals and, indeed, inserting himself into her forcefully. In a book excerpt in New York Magazine she describes three or four rich boys who were hideous boys and men - sex assaulters. She reveals incidents of 21 hideous rich boys (men) in her book apparently.
Real estate celebrity Donald Trump was one of them in the '90s. He was ranked as the 20th most hideous rich boy/man on her list. Here is what happened:
So now I will tell you what happened:
Who were the other 15 brave women who have revealed Trump's assault on them?
"...he has denied accusations of sexual misconduct made by at least 15 credible women, namely, Jessica Leeds, Kristin Anderson, Jill Harth, Cathy Heller, Temple Taggart McDowell, Karena Virginia, Melinda McGillivray, Rachel Crooks, Natasha Stoynoff, Jessica Drake, Ninni Laaksonen, Summer Zervos, Juliet Huddy, Alva Johnson, and Cassandra Searles"
I believe her because Trump confessed to these assaults during the campaign on the Access Hollywood tape - because he was a celebrity he could "grab them by the pussy" - he is talking about inserting fingers, by the way.
I believe her because 15 others also made these kinds of revelations about this hideous man.
I believe her because she took the advice of one of her friends about why not to go to the police:
She grew very quiet when I told her, then she grasped both my hands in her own and said, “Tell no one. Forget it! He has 200 lawyers. He’ll bury you.”
I believe her because we have been watching this man's behavior for three years as a president and campaigner and know him to be corrupt, a bully, and a deeply immoral rich boy/man.
Will any of this matter to his base? I suppose not. They already know he is a rapist and as long as he gives them Christian activist judges and their stupid wall and tax cuts they don't care. His corruption has corrupted the Republican Party - not that they had all that far to fall......
Real estate celebrity Donald Trump was one of them in the '90s. He was ranked as the 20th most hideous rich boy/man on her list. Here is what happened:
So now I will tell you what happened:
The moment the dressing-room door is closed, he lunges at me, pushes me against the wall, hitting my head quite badly, and puts his mouth against my lips. I am so shocked I shove him back and start laughing again. He seizes both my arms and pushes me up against the wall a second time, and, as I become aware of how large he is, he holds me against the wall with his shoulder and jams his hand under my coat dress and pulls down my tights.
I am astonished by what I’m about to write: I keep laughing. The next moment, still wearing correct business attire, shirt, tie, suit jacket, overcoat, he opens the overcoat, unzips his pants, and, forcing his fingers around my private area, thrusts his penis halfway — or completely, I’m not certain — inside me. It turns into a colossal struggle. I am wearing a pair of sturdy black patent-leather four-inch Barneys high heels, which puts my height around six-one, and I try to stomp his foot. I try to push him off with my one free hand — for some reason, I keep holding my purse with the other — and I finally get a knee up high enough to push him out and off and I turn, open the door, and run out of the dressing room.
The whole episode lasts no more than three minutes. I do not believe he ejaculates. I don’t remember if any person or attendant is now in the lingerie department. I don’t remember if I run for the elevator or if I take the slow ride down on the escalator. As soon as I land on the main floor, I run through the store and out the door — I don’t recall which door — and find myself outside on Fifth Avenue.
And that was my last hideous man. The Donna Karan coatdress still hangs on the back of my closet door, unworn and unlaundered since that evening. And whether it’s my age, the fact that I haven’t met anyone fascinating enough over the past couple of decades to feel “the sap rising,” as Tom Wolfe put it, or if it’s the blot of the real-estate tycoon, I can’t say. But I have never had sex with anybody ever again.
Who were the other 15 brave women who have revealed Trump's assault on them?
"...he has denied accusations of sexual misconduct made by at least 15 credible women, namely, Jessica Leeds, Kristin Anderson, Jill Harth, Cathy Heller, Temple Taggart McDowell, Karena Virginia, Melinda McGillivray, Rachel Crooks, Natasha Stoynoff, Jessica Drake, Ninni Laaksonen, Summer Zervos, Juliet Huddy, Alva Johnson, and Cassandra Searles"
I believe her because Trump confessed to these assaults during the campaign on the Access Hollywood tape - because he was a celebrity he could "grab them by the pussy" - he is talking about inserting fingers, by the way.
I believe her because 15 others also made these kinds of revelations about this hideous man.
I believe her because she took the advice of one of her friends about why not to go to the police:
She grew very quiet when I told her, then she grasped both my hands in her own and said, “Tell no one. Forget it! He has 200 lawyers. He’ll bury you.”
I believe her because we have been watching this man's behavior for three years as a president and campaigner and know him to be corrupt, a bully, and a deeply immoral rich boy/man.
Will any of this matter to his base? I suppose not. They already know he is a rapist and as long as he gives them Christian activist judges and their stupid wall and tax cuts they don't care. His corruption has corrupted the Republican Party - not that they had all that far to fall......
Thursday, June 20, 2019
The Shkreli-Trump smirk
There is a particular look that only seems to show up on the faces of men who think themselves to be so wealthy and powerful that they consider themselves to be invincible. Kind of like I have so much money that nobody can touch me or harm me in any way. Kind of an entitlement smirk. Pretty nauseating to the rest of us. Shown below are photos of Shkreli (the astonishingly greedy pharmaceutical executive) and Donald Trump (the astonishingly greedy reality show star turned president of the United States).
Mr Trump might be wise to note that Mr Shkreli is in jail.
Mr Trump might be wise to note that Mr Shkreli is in jail.
Friday, June 14, 2019
Trump admits to collusion
Trump just admitted to collusion with the Russians. On TV. And said there was nothing wrong with that. He just dares people to impeach him. This is a deeply disturbed and twisted man in the White House.
George Stephanopoulos interviewed Trump and asked him if he would accept info from a foreign power. He said yes, of course, why not?
"I think you might want to listen, there's not anything wrong with listening. If somebody called from a country, Norway, (and said) ‘we have information on your opponent' — oh, I think I'd want to hear it."
That is against the law, by the way. It is pretty close to treason which the Constitution defines as "adhering to the country's enemies" or "giving aid and comfort to them". Russia is an enemy of America. Russia is out to weaken and destroy democracy in the world, and most importantly, destroy democracy in America, the former leader of democracy in the world.
This president just said that he welcomes interference from a hostile foreign power, and in so doing he has effectively confessed that he already did welcome interference from a hostile foreign power, Russia, in the 2016 presidential election.
That alone is reason to impeach this totally unfit and corrupt imitation of a man. Do Republicans try to justify this as well as every other of his assaults on the decency, integrity, and goodness of America?
Trump's basic playbook is when presented with evidence of his crimes is to deny it first, then lie about it, then admit it and say there is nothing wrong with it. Just disgusting that so much of the country are OK with that.
Good grief.
George Stephanopoulos interviewed Trump and asked him if he would accept info from a foreign power. He said yes, of course, why not?
"I think you might want to listen, there's not anything wrong with listening. If somebody called from a country, Norway, (and said) ‘we have information on your opponent' — oh, I think I'd want to hear it."
That is against the law, by the way. It is pretty close to treason which the Constitution defines as "adhering to the country's enemies" or "giving aid and comfort to them". Russia is an enemy of America. Russia is out to weaken and destroy democracy in the world, and most importantly, destroy democracy in America, the former leader of democracy in the world.
This president just said that he welcomes interference from a hostile foreign power, and in so doing he has effectively confessed that he already did welcome interference from a hostile foreign power, Russia, in the 2016 presidential election.
That alone is reason to impeach this totally unfit and corrupt imitation of a man. Do Republicans try to justify this as well as every other of his assaults on the decency, integrity, and goodness of America?
Trump's basic playbook is when presented with evidence of his crimes is to deny it first, then lie about it, then admit it and say there is nothing wrong with it. Just disgusting that so much of the country are OK with that.
Good grief.
Saturday, May 25, 2019
Finally finished the Mueller Report
I finally finished the Mueller Report.
It clearly showed Russian interference in our election. It clearly showed Russia helped Trump win. It clearly showed Trump and his campaign welcomed Russian help. But it did not have proof of active conspiracy between the campaign and Russia.
It clearly showed massive efforts by Trump to obstruct justice by attempting to intimidate and influence witnesses being questioned by Mueller, and by firing Comey and trying to fire Mueller, and by threatening and coercing the investigators.
Does there have to be an underlying crime to justify obstruction of justice charges? Mueller says no because the obstruction itself taints and changes the testimony and inquiry. Mueller passed the decision to prosecute obstruction to Congress.
The nauseating corruption of this president is the stench that infuses every page of this report.
It is easy to say that this man is a bully and you don’t like him, and then go on to say “but...fill in the blank”. But the reason we need to rid our country of him and his deeply corrupt supporters is that democracy itself is being dragged into oblivion in the cesspool of their corruption.
Monday, May 13, 2019
Will Trump's distractions from subpoenas cause war in the Gulf?
So far, we have been lucky because the Narcissist in Chief hasn't caused a war as a way to distract the country and the Congress from his legal and financial debacles. That luck may be running out.
Apparently, Trump has removed exceptions to Iranian oil imports from eight countries in order to cut Iranian exports of oil to zero. I suppose that sounds really tough and brave to the Trumpster base, but it looks ridiculously stupid to me. It looks like a consequence of this is that someone has sabotaged Saudi Arabian oil tankers in the Gulf - Iran? Trump is throwing matches at gasoline. And explosions are all too possible.
Iran has been mostly complying with the nuclear deal with Europe even though our ignorant president pulled out of that deal. Iran is now threatening to pull out of the restrictions of that deal and go back to building nuclear materials. How lovely it is for our remarkably foolish president to push Iran toward building nukes, just so he can get off the front pages about his violations of the constitution.
Another amazingly stupid thing that Trump has already done is pick sides in the religious wars between the Sunni Saudi Arabia and the Shiite Iran. What? Both sides are filled with crazed religious fundamentalist fanatics and terrorists. One side isn't good and the other side bad. Don't pick sides, for goodness sakes!
So, for America to pick sides in the first place and then try its best to destabilize the situation now that Trump needs headlines to distract the country from Congressional investigations into his corruption has the potential for disaster and actual deaths.
I am guessing that the war hungry John Bolton, Trump's National Security Advisor, is avidly promoting how wonderful and manly it is to be tough against Iran. But it seems to me that Trump's real motivation is to dominate the headlines and put the Trump corruption stories on the second pages of the papers.
What a very sad turn of events.
Apparently, Trump has removed exceptions to Iranian oil imports from eight countries in order to cut Iranian exports of oil to zero. I suppose that sounds really tough and brave to the Trumpster base, but it looks ridiculously stupid to me. It looks like a consequence of this is that someone has sabotaged Saudi Arabian oil tankers in the Gulf - Iran? Trump is throwing matches at gasoline. And explosions are all too possible.
Iran has been mostly complying with the nuclear deal with Europe even though our ignorant president pulled out of that deal. Iran is now threatening to pull out of the restrictions of that deal and go back to building nuclear materials. How lovely it is for our remarkably foolish president to push Iran toward building nukes, just so he can get off the front pages about his violations of the constitution.
Another amazingly stupid thing that Trump has already done is pick sides in the religious wars between the Sunni Saudi Arabia and the Shiite Iran. What? Both sides are filled with crazed religious fundamentalist fanatics and terrorists. One side isn't good and the other side bad. Don't pick sides, for goodness sakes!
So, for America to pick sides in the first place and then try its best to destabilize the situation now that Trump needs headlines to distract the country from Congressional investigations into his corruption has the potential for disaster and actual deaths.
I am guessing that the war hungry John Bolton, Trump's National Security Advisor, is avidly promoting how wonderful and manly it is to be tough against Iran. But it seems to me that Trump's real motivation is to dominate the headlines and put the Trump corruption stories on the second pages of the papers.
What a very sad turn of events.
Thursday, May 9, 2019
The Fraud in the White House
We finally got some tax returns of Donald J Trump, and they were just about what informed people expected - they showed colossal losses by the real estate developer - between 1985 and 1994 he lost $1.17 BILLION. That may have been more losses than any other American over that time. So much for the Successful Entrepreneur myth that he built around himself. This is not a surprise to those who actually follow the news, real news, not the stuff that gets dumped into the Right Wing media propaganda bubble. Donald Trump is a terrible businessman.
Donald Trump is a fraud. He is a failure, not a success. He doesn't have great wealth, he spends like he has great wealth, and that is not the same thing.
At about that point in time he could no longer get loans from reputable American banks. Where did his money come from? As best I can tell he ran a money laundering operation for Russian and perhaps Saudi Arabian oligarchs. It looks like Deutsch Bank was often the facilitator for his money laundering.
His incompetence and buffoonery is on display every day in the White House. And that is just a continuation of his incompetence and buffoonery in business prior to his presidency.
He seems to be very good at one thing - propaganda, bluffing, image building, pumping up his Brand. And enough are fooled to keep him going.
Maybe he is good at money laundering, bank fraud, and tax evasion as well. But two things he is not good at - being a businessman and being a president.
It is no mystery why this pathetic person is sooooooooooooooo desperate to keep his tax returns away from the public eye. We will all see that he is not a billionaire; we will all see his monumental debts; we will all see that he is nothing but a fraud and a failure.
The Wizard of Oz was about a pathetic little man behind a curtain manipulating a grand a powerful Wizard Puppet for the world to see and bow down before. But is was just a sham, a fraud. And all that was there was a pathetic little man who didn't want to be seen. A good picture of the Fraud in the White House.
It's depressing that there are so many fools in the great country. Time for them to wake up.
Donald Trump is a fraud. He is a failure, not a success. He doesn't have great wealth, he spends like he has great wealth, and that is not the same thing.
At about that point in time he could no longer get loans from reputable American banks. Where did his money come from? As best I can tell he ran a money laundering operation for Russian and perhaps Saudi Arabian oligarchs. It looks like Deutsch Bank was often the facilitator for his money laundering.
His incompetence and buffoonery is on display every day in the White House. And that is just a continuation of his incompetence and buffoonery in business prior to his presidency.
He seems to be very good at one thing - propaganda, bluffing, image building, pumping up his Brand. And enough are fooled to keep him going.
Maybe he is good at money laundering, bank fraud, and tax evasion as well. But two things he is not good at - being a businessman and being a president.
It is no mystery why this pathetic person is sooooooooooooooo desperate to keep his tax returns away from the public eye. We will all see that he is not a billionaire; we will all see his monumental debts; we will all see that he is nothing but a fraud and a failure.
The Wizard of Oz was about a pathetic little man behind a curtain manipulating a grand a powerful Wizard Puppet for the world to see and bow down before. But is was just a sham, a fraud. And all that was there was a pathetic little man who didn't want to be seen. A good picture of the Fraud in the White House.
It's depressing that there are so many fools in the great country. Time for them to wake up.
Friday, April 26, 2019
Trump will continue to be Trump, maybe more so now...
Trump feels that he dodged a bullet when his Attorney General, William Barr, said that there was no conspiracy with Russia, and that there was no provable obstruction of justice. So, he shouted to the world "No Collusion, No Obstruction!" An actual reading of the Mueller Report, of course shows a lot of welcoming of Russian interference in the presidential election, even if there was no proof of active conspiracy. And apparently there are at least ten very overt examples of obstruction that Mueller decided to allow Congress to decide what to do about. I am reading the report and haven't gotten to the obstruction portion yet.
But, something to remember - Trump will not stop being Trump. That is to say, Trump will continue to be a child; Trump will continue to act like a nine year old's version of how a king can act; Trump will continue to bully and intimidate anyone he can, including Congress (if they allow him to); Trump will continue to operate as if the whole point of being President is to make a financial fortune; Trump will continue to be cruel to all but the upper 1% of the wealthy in the country (and the world); Trump will continue to be overtly and blatantly racist and white supremacist; Trump will continue to violate the Constitution on a daily basis.
So, Trump will continue to be Trump, only more so now that he thinks he can get away with anything. He thinks he got a Get Out of Jail Card, and he is off to plunder and destroy.
He has an excellent chance of creating something so outrageous that it will force Congress to impeach him, and perhaps even force the Senate to convict him. He is not a smart man. He is a foolish child, bent upon destroying as much as ne can, and thinks he can get away with anything.
I would not be surprised that he runs right off the cliff.
But, something to remember - Trump will not stop being Trump. That is to say, Trump will continue to be a child; Trump will continue to act like a nine year old's version of how a king can act; Trump will continue to bully and intimidate anyone he can, including Congress (if they allow him to); Trump will continue to operate as if the whole point of being President is to make a financial fortune; Trump will continue to be cruel to all but the upper 1% of the wealthy in the country (and the world); Trump will continue to be overtly and blatantly racist and white supremacist; Trump will continue to violate the Constitution on a daily basis.
So, Trump will continue to be Trump, only more so now that he thinks he can get away with anything. He thinks he got a Get Out of Jail Card, and he is off to plunder and destroy.
He has an excellent chance of creating something so outrageous that it will force Congress to impeach him, and perhaps even force the Senate to convict him. He is not a smart man. He is a foolish child, bent upon destroying as much as ne can, and thinks he can get away with anything.
I would not be surprised that he runs right off the cliff.
Monday, April 22, 2019
Trump's "Mission Accomplished" moment - "no collusion! no obstruction!
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.
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.
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.
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