Are “we the people” simply at the point where we have to just accept that the president of the United States is LYING almost every time words come from his mouth? Today I read in the Washington Post where Trump was saying (or “tweeting”) how ridiculous it is to measure success for a president in the first 100 days. This, while at the same time he’s pressuring Congress to come up with some kind of solution to the “repeal and replace” of “Obamacare” (The Affordable Care Act) in the next week – you know, before his 100th day in office along with tax reform AND somehow keeping the government “running.” I still don’t believe he has any idea what’s really in the “health care” bill (if there still is one) despite saying it’s “really, really good” or that he has a clue about how the government runs in general. At some point the members of Congress who share his party affiliation are going to get REALLY tired of all this. The LYING is endless and the INCOMPETENCE is suffocating our government’s ability to function.
We’re days away from a “government shutdown” and Trump’s busy trying to create a mirage that would support his previous statement (LIE) that his administration has been the most successful administration in its first 100 days in American history. This man is in the process of destroying the republican party and it’s really interesting watching how those who’s jobs are now on the line – the republicans up for re-election in 2018 are responding. Virtually all republicans are facing such brutal town halls each time they recess that I can see two possibilities. First, like my representative, they won’t have town halls. She, Jaimie Herrera Beutler, sends out robo calls to people (evidently who’ve been) in contact with her (which would include me) inviting them to “virtual” town halls. Huge conference calls which allow her to avoid facing the actual people she represents. Now, I have empathy for Ms Beutler. She’s a nice, honorable representative. The problem is she’s a republican and is expected to vote with republicans on EVERYTHING. Recently, the local republicans attempted to “censure” her because out of something like 500 votes she voted against the “sheep herders” 5 times. Having even 1% of a conscience is unacceptable to republicans – and, then she would have to face the real constituents who are being harmed by the right wing agenda being pushed by Trump, McConnell, and Ryan. it’s a real dilemma for her. The second way they could avoid the Town Halls would be to cancel the recesses. However, if you know how many days each year they work, you know that option is beyond absurd. But, I digress.
So, here we go again – fighting to prevent the right wing billionaires and the the representatives in Congress they’ve purchased with BILLIONS in “investments” (thanks to the Supreme Court’s “Citizens United” decision) from stripping 14 MILLION Americans, in the first year, of health care insurance (Medicaid), and an additional 10 MILLION over the next four or five years by passing “Trumpcare.” In addition, Seniors will again be subject to the so-called “doughnut hole” for prescription drugs (which, Medicare can’t negotiate prices on thanks to republicans and their devotion to “big pharma” during GW Bush’s administration) AND the top 2% of American earners will gain almost a TRILLION dollars in TAX CUTS over the next 10 years (yes, close to a TRILLION) – with over half of that going to the top 1%. These tax cuts are designed to set up further “tax cuts” (aka “revising the tax code”) which will be aimed at destroying Social Security. I’m pretty sure even all the white 70 somethings who voted for Trump will not like that one. (full disclosure – I’m white, I’m soon to be 70, but there’s NO WAY IN HELL I would vote for Trump! I’ve always been “independent” [go Bernie] but the republicans have tilted so far “right” that these days I’m usually simply voting AGAINST them)
What bothers me the MOST about Trump and his “first 100 days” is watching how the republicans are dealing with him. Many were in the “never Trump” movement as he masterfully manipulated the media on his way to garnering the nomination. There was a reason people called the 17 “hopefuls” the “clown car.” No one fully understood the level of intrusion from the Russians prior to the election (even today – we’re all waiting to find out about the level of Trump’s collusion with the Russians) and it still seems unthinkable that James Comey would have interceded just days before the election – effectively swinging the “undecideds” toward Trump. FiveThirtyEight.com said, with an air of certainty (they’re the most trusted “pollers” in America) that Comey’s announcement that the Clinton “email scandal” was “reopened” is the reason Trump is president. Yet, all the self-righteous republicans who wanted nothing to do with Trump after the “Access Hollywood” tape was publicized (Paul Ryan, Jason Chaffetz, Mitt Romney, John McCain, Lindsey Graham to name a few) have “fallen in line” for various reasons – not surprisingly all seemingly self serving.
Ryan apparently is willing to support anyone who’s stupid enough to sign the legislation he produces – ie the recent “health care” bill – aka “Trumpcare” or “Ryancare” – neither of them wants their name attached to it – that was a HUGE tax cut disguised as “health care.” The impending “tax overhaul” will be an attempt to give even MORE tax cuts to the top 1% (his benefactors – somehow he’s convinced the people in his district that he’s working for them) AND, more importantly from Ryan’s “history,” to FINALLY undermine the SOCIAL SECURITY system he’s been trying to undo for years. If republicans manage to get a “tax overhaul” through congress without Trump showing his tax returns (for the previous 10 years or so) people will be looking for Houdini. (I really hope and believe democrats won’t allow this to happen) Something tells me that when it becomes apparent that Trump’s guarantee that he will protect Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid was simply one in a LONG LIST of LIES and the “tax overhaul” is aimed directly at destroying SOCIAL SECURITY the “you know what” is going to hit the fan. Even republican “white guys” aren’t going to like that one! Then there’s Jason Chaffetz.
Jason Chaffetz was the guy who has been busy trying to ruin Hillary Clinton for as long as I can remember as head of the House “oversight” committee. The Benghazi hearings were absurd on their face – and, then when I listened to the entire 11 hour of testimony (well, almost all of it) of Mrs. Clinton before the committee (after 3 years of harassment) I fully realized what a political side show this had all been all along. She proved herself very knowledgeable (and honorable) during the testimony and the committee members (republicans) exposed themselves as political hacks and ill-informed ones at that as they repeatedly made absurd accusations and attacks toward Mrs. Clinton – to which, she responded favorably (to her) each time. Of course, she made them all look very bad and that was the end of a three year witch hunt designed, as Rep. McCarthy admitted, to reduce Mrs. Clinton’s poll numbers.
Inadvertently, the republicans in Congress were working in tandem with the Russians who were trying to do the very same thing in their intrusion into the 2016 election. The anticipated outcome of their meddling (they didn’t believe Trump could win) was to damage Mrs. Clinton and destabilize our political process – which is exactly why they (along with Trump) were pushing the “rigged election” narrative. Of course, they were correct – the election was rigged – because of them, their collusion with the Trump campaign – AND the voter suppression laws passed in several key states that ultimately went to Trump by razor thin margins. Chaffetz famously said he couldn’t support Trump and then look his daughter in the face and defend that choice after hearing the “Access Hollywood” tapes. It took him about two weeks to do a 180 degree “about face,” and – after hearing about all the ethics questions regarding Trump once Trump took office – Chaffetz did exactly ZERO investigating. I guess Russian collusion and violating the emoluments clause of the constitution aren’t enough to “trigger” Chaffetz’ “oversight.” Now he’s quitting “to spend more time with his family.” (I’m guessing that means a high paying lobbying job)
Obviously, I could go on and on with this stuff – but, to me the most egregious “flip flops” of republicans regarding Trump come from the dynamic duo of John McCain and Lindsey Graham. These two guys are not “hidden” war mongers but I was somewhat encouraged that their knowledge of the “real” Vladimir Putin might put them at the forefront of any movement in Congress to end the Trump nightmare prematurely. However, it appears that all it took for Trump to change their minds was dropping a few bombs and threatening nuclear war with North Korea to get them on the Trump bandwagon. Graham was “giddy” over all this. Seriously, I just keep shaking my head as I continue attempting to figure out what has happened to the nation I love. A White Nationalist in the “White House” is a bad dream that I thought was an impossibility (just as I never thought a person of color would be elected president in my lifetime). Apparently, it’s going to take James Comey – who is largely responsible for the Trump administration – to end the Trump administration (unless, “we the people” will have to endure this for almost another three and a half miserable years. (I can’t believe I’m typing this – but, GW Bush is looking better to me all the time). I’m sure McCain and Graham have signaled to Trump the way to avoid accountability regarding the Russian scandal is via war mongering. Yikes!
I can guarantee you that as the Trump “ship” starts to “sink” – and, it’s inevitable – all these republicans who jumped on after he was nominated – or, some waited until he “won” the election (with THREE MILLION fewer votes than Mrs. Clinton) – will be jumping off the “ship” in record numbers. I don’t think even they want to stand for re-election after supporting someone who colluded with Vladimir Putin during the election. If the video of Trump in Russia that was mentioned in the “dossier” published by Buzzfeed actually exists I have to wonder if that would be enough to turn all these self righteous republicans back toward their “family values.” Obviously, the “Access Hollywood” video only got their attention for a few days – and, with the help of the Russians, Trump was able to turn our media’s attention back to Mrs. Clinton’s “egregious” email “scandal.” It still shocks me that our media (and, many voters) were more turned off to Mrs.Clinton using a private email server than Trump’s admission of grabbing numerous women by their “p@#^ies.”
Today, I started thinking – with the help of my son’s advice prior to the election (he said that maybe we need Trump in the White House in order to get our race to the bottom over more quickly – or something to that effect) – that maybe it was better for Trump to “win” than Mrs. Clinton (who, again, got 3 MILLION more votes than Trump). I’ve been trying to imagine what it would be like watching the republican congress dealing with a President Clinton. I’m convinced they would have continued blocking any Supreme Court nominee AND we’d be almost assured a “government shutdown” next week instead of it may happen with Trump at the helm. Plus, the republican’s inability to actually “govern” would still be hidden behind all the constant obstruction tactics. Right now, we’re getting a “ringside view” of their incompetence and their lack of ability to actually run the government (I’m not sure how much longer they’ll be able to “get away with” blaming President Obama for their incompetence). GW Bush had Dick Cheney – who, despite ALL the negative thoughts that come to my mind when I read or hear that name, knew how the government functions plus, at that time, democrats were still willing to work across the isle.
Now, we have a president who’s surrounded himself with people who have no idea of how the government functions and we have a Congress that is being run by people whose expertise is OBSTRUCTION and that’s all they know. At this point, I believe most democrats are willing to sit back and watch as the republicans self implode. The problem with all this is the amount of damage, both internally and internationally, Trump and his surrogates are doing to “we the people” and our nation and how will we be able to “fix” it. The list is long, but my emphasis here is Trump (and his surrogates) willingness to LIE about virtually EVERYTHING and the republicans in Congress willingness to go along with what they KNOW are a bunch of LIES. (I’m talking LIES not “spin”) Pundits are actually beginning to call the Lies – LIES (instead of “misstatements” or “alternative facts” or “spinning”). I know many people say, “all politicians lie” but Trump and his surrogates are in a “league of their own.” Government can’t function if you can’t believe a word coming from the mouths of the “leaders.”
If “we the people” EVER get to the point where we accept what’s happening right now to be OK then America’s place in the world will be turned upside down. The people observing us from afar are not stupid and they see what’s happening. Yes, there’s a right wing neo-nazi movement in Europe (and, America) that has gained “steam” beyond any reasonable person’s imagination, but I can only hope it causes a backlash that pushes it right back to the “fringe” where it belongs. What’s interesting is that this movement is being orchestrated by Vladimir Putin and the Russian “oligarchs” right out in the “open,” and WAY TOO MANY American “leaders” are either willing to “go along” or “look the other way.” The best time to stop this movement is RIGHT NOW and, in America (and other places like France, for example) the best WAY to stop it is at the ballot box. France has that opportunity in a couple of weeks; to block a Trump/Putin “clone” and the United States can put the “brakes” to this phenomenon in 2018 by voting the republican majorities from Congress and letting Trump know that if he makes it in office until 2020 he’ll, unlike President Obama, be a one term president.
Trump may get stopped by our constitution prior to 2020 (should the republicans in Congress decide to honor their oath to uphold it), but the people like Mike Pense, Paul Ryan, and Mitch McConnell will remain after Trump gets impeached – should that happen – and, they’ve proven themselves of the same ilk. (liars) Again, if “we the people” accept pathological lying as “normal” in our leaders, it won’t be long before America becomes unrecognizable. The responsibility to stop this unbelievable assault on our basic values lies with the voters. (pun NOT intended) If “progressives” (liberals) continue to sit on their butts at election time – well, like the old saying says – “you get what you pay for.” No matter how you think – (yes, even if you somehow like Trump) if eligible you should vote. If you’re an American and you believe the words coming from Trump and his surrogates you’re likely watching Fox “news” and you’re being duped. Fact check from multiple sources!
Final thought: As I’ve said many times on this site – rights and privileges are much easier to lose than to regain once you lose them. It’s time to say “enough already.” It took a generation to pass and refine Social Security, for example, and Trump and Ryan could, conceivably, undermine it in a period of weeks – damage that would be EXTREMELY difficult to undo. Trust me, Wall Street will do almost anything to get their collective “hands” on the Social Security trust fund. Paul Ryan has had Medicare in the “cross-hairs” for years – watch that one as well. Again, Trump and company can do massive damage to America in a short period of time if “we the people” allow it.