I just listened to James Comey’s testimony (well, part of it) before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Before I get to how incredulous it seemed to me, let me say that I’m coming to the conclusion it’s better that Trump won the 2016 election for several reasons. The main one is that it’s exposing the republicans for what I’ve been writing about for years. Now they’re in a position where they can no longer BLAME Barack Obama or the democrats (with any credibility) for their lack of ability to “govern” and I can only imagine how toxic it would be had Hillary Clinton “won” the last election. (I put “won” in air quotes because as we all know she actually did win the popular vote by 3 MILLION votes) Now, we’ve got republicans on the verge of passing a “health care bill” – that’s actually a massive tax cut for the wealthy – which will take health insurance away from (according to CBO estimates) 24 MILLION Americans and will hike premiums and deductibles for everyone else. When the “rubber meets the road” this should be enough to get “we the people” to come to our senses and start voting these people from office.
Back to Comey: the man is unbelievable to me – even though I’m now depending on him to actually TOTALLY investigate the collusion between Trump and Russia in the last election. After his comments today I’m not very confident he will do so – but, I can hope. Comey defended his announcement that the Clinton email “scandal” had been re-opened (despite there being nothing new found) because he felt he had an obligation to “report” as opposed to “conceal.” He said he felt “nauseous” with the thought he may have swung the election but that he would do the same thing again. He said it would have been very bad to conceal the possibility there was something “there.” On the other hand, he felt no compulsion to announce that the Trump campaign, and presumably Trump himself, was under investigation for colluding with the Russians in the Russian intrusion into the election. I don’t think I’m the only person who wonders where he came up with the distinction. And, certainly, to me – a Russian ATTACK on our republic is much more serious than Hillary Clinton having a private email server just like the two previous republicans (Condoleezza Rice and Colin Powell) holding the same office – Secretary of State.
Republicans passed their “health care” (again, it’s a tax cut disguised as “health care”) bill, in my view, in response to the ridicule they and Trump have been receiving for getting NOTHING done of significance in the first 100 days. Now, for all the right wing Christians who think no further than the issue of abortion, the nomination and confirmation of Neil Gorsuch was enough to make them happy. I believe most of them could care less if it was the Russians who made this possible and, they won’t care about this “health care” law unless it somehow becomes an actual law and it affects their pocket books. I’m really sad to come to the conclusion there’s so many in America who just can’t bring themselves to care about “the least of these” in the words of Jesus. Today I got an email from Joseph Kennedy III that put it much better than I ever could. It reads:
It is among the most basic human truths: Every one of us, some day, will be brought to our knees. By a diagnosis we didn’t expect, a phone call we can’t imagine, or a loss we cannot endure.That common humanity inspires our mercy. It fortifies our compassion. It drives us to look out for the sick, the elderly, the poor, and the most vulnerable among us.
Yesterday’s bill — yesterday’s devastating bill — does the opposite. The bill is more than premiums and tax cuts. It is a cold and calculated world view: One that scapegoats the struggling, and sees fault in suffering. One dead set on dividing us based on who we love, where we come from, the direction of our faith and the size of our fortunes.
We see it in their tax plan, their budget cuts, their immigration policy, their civil rights assaults — and yesterday, in their cruel health care plan. We must reject it. We must decide, instead, to take care of each other — because, but for the grace of God, we will all one day wake up in need of a little mercy.
This nation’s character has never been defined by the power we give the already strong — but by the strength we give the weak.
This is our ultimate test. And it starts right now. Get involved in the fight today:
Thank you,
Congressman Joe Kennedy III
I watched republicans yesterday celebrating something dreadful because it was the only thing they could muster to make it look like they are actually “governing.” We have a president who’s admitted to being a sexual predator, who’s daily violating the emoluments clause in the constitution, and who clearly has no idea what he’s doing as the “leader of the free world.” Unfortunately, it appears to me that the republican leaders in Congress see Trump’s incompetence as a major opportunity for themselves. For example, Paul Ryan has been trying to repeal Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security for years. He’s had several creative schemes that have always been rebuffed in one way or another. Now, he’s got a president who will basically “sign anything” if he can be convinced it makes him look good – even if he has NO IDEA what he’s signing. I suppose it’s possible, Trump actually believes this is a good “health care” bill).
I wasn’t sure how to react as I watched Trump claim – while sitting next to the Prime Minister of Australia, who he couldn’t remember his name – that “this is a great plan. It will lower premiums, lower deductibles, and provide better coverage – ALL demonstrably FALSE statements – which is no surprise to anyone who’s been paying attention to Trump – almost EVERYTHING he says is FALSE. However, he did then say something TRUE when he looked at Australia’s Prime Minister and said, “Your health care system is much better than ours.” That’s what those of us on the “single payer” side of the issue have been saying for years. That comment would leave one to believe Trump actually knows how bad this bill is.
Many Americans are afraid that the Senate will actually pass this through and they will be without health care coverage again. The blatant inhumanity yesterday’s vote represents puts my complaint about republicans in bold context. They’ve been protected from “exposure” for the past eight years because President Obama was in the “White House.” In my mind, it was the FACT that Obama “looks different” that energized the “White Nationalist” base that is Trump’s reliable “firewall” preventing him from going into the “twenties” on the approval polls – I know people who actually say they voted for Trump for “moral” reasons. (Virtually every one of them get their “information” from Fox “news”) The sexual misconduct, the three divorces and the adultery that went with them, the strategic bankruptcies that brutalized workers and (foolish) investors, the racism, and the incompetence doesn’t seem to bother them. For most of these people the issue is abortion and they believe Trump will lead to the repeal of Roe v Wade. And, Trump is playing the “card” to the hilt – ie “TWO Corinthians.”
Yesterday I watched segments of the Senate Judiciary hearings where James Comey was being questioned and it became clear that republicans are circling the wagons around Trump and they will do everything they can to prevent the TRUTH about the Russian COLLUSION in the 2016 election from becoming public. A couple months ago I mentioned that it would be courageous republicans who would help “we the people” find the TRUTH about the Trump campaign’s involvement with the Russian attack on our republic and, I mentioned that, as much as I don’t trust them, I thought the ones who would lead the way would be John McCain and Lindsey Graham – two people that I believed understood the reality of Vladimir Putin. Apparently, all it took was a few BOMBS and McCain and Graham are happy as “clams” with Mr. Trump. Can you imagine what they’d be saying if it was President Obama and his campaign which had colluded with Russia? This should NOT be a PARTISAN issue! The fact that it apparently is causes me to feel a sense of depression. At this point, I’m hoping to live long enough to see the TRUTH exposed – one way or the other. Some of the “truth” seems undeniable at this point.
Obviously, Mike Flynn is in a HEAP of trouble. It shouldn’t be too long before his “lock her up” chant at the republican convention comes back to really HAUNT him. From what I can tell, the FACT he BROKE THE LAW is pretty much without question at this point – although, technically it’s all “alleged.” Although, it doesn’t seem “alleged” that he took money from foreign governments without the permission of the defense department which is a violation of (at least) military law. (obviously, I’m no lawyer and don’t understand what laws the so-called “experts” are [virtually all of them] referring to when they explain Flynn’s legal vulnerability regarding his military obligations.) Additionally, it’s been reported that he LIED to the FBI, (that’s a bad one – way more than a poor decision on email servers), he didn’t register as a foreign agent, (again, not good) and he reportedly didn’t disclose the MONEY he got from Russia and (presumably, although questions have arisen on the actual source) Turkey. It was also reported that Flynn conspired to kidnap a Turkish dissident so he could be returned to Turkey without extradition procedures. (Really, this is ALL very bad) I can’t help be getting this thought in my head: “Lock him up, Lock him up.”
There’s so many possible “leads” to connecting Trump with Putin and the Russians that the investigators will be busy for quite some time if they actually follow them. Obviously, Trump feels they won’t do it and he’s going to “get away” with all the “stuff” that he’s doing that could be interpreted as “thumbing his nose” to our laws and constitution. There’s just too many “coincidences” for me to believe there’s “nothing there.” I mean, even if somehow we’d find out there was no collusion with the Russians in the election – the amount of money Trump is MAKING via being president (yesterday, he said to the republicans who were celebrating their draconian bill: “can you believe, I’m President?”) is obscene and enough to support articles of impeachment. That’s not to mention the bill taxpayers are paying to support his “habits” and those of his family which is bordering on STAGGERING already. If he lasts four years, the secret service tab for him and his family will add a significant amount to the national debt that republicans always complain about (when a democrat is in the white house).
Meanwhile, republicans in Congress will be getting as many tax cuts as they can until Trump is actually fully exposed. Even with them being in control of virtually everything, the reality is they seem to have no idea how to actually govern. They don’t seem to have any problem with the Russian aspect of all this and they seem to be getting closer and closer to Trump – even the so-called “never Trump” people prior to his nomination. It shouldn’t surprise anyone that the words that come from their mouths have little real meaning.
So, here’s what republicans have to hang their “hats” on after the first 110 days of the Trump “era.” They got their Supreme Court justice (which, again, to many on the right – that’s all they wanted) and they got a HUGE tax cut for the wealthy (and the insurance companies and the pharmaceutical companies) which will ultimately total $800 BILLION that is disguised in a so-called “repeal and replacement” of the Affordable Care Act (ie “Obamacare”) that will take health insurance from (according to the CBO – that, actually hasn’t scored this form of the bill which is apparently more draconian than the first one) 24 MILLION Americans, it will increase deductibles and premiums, and those in the 50 – 64 age range that can afford health insurance will be paying up to 5 times what they are now. The estimate that I heard yesterday was a 60 year old person making $26,000 per year would pay $14,000 for premiums and get a subsidy of between $2000 and $4000. You don’t have to be a Math teacher (which I was) to figure that one out. And, aside from a lot of executive orders that are attempting to deregulate most of what people like me believe in, that’s it.
It boils down to a lot of DAMAGE, and very little good (I’m working on a post regarding the abortion issue in my head – regarding Judge Gorsuch). Climate change is an issue that our children and grandchildren are going to (rightfully so) give our generation a terrible grade in the years to come – and this period with Trump at the “helm” will be the worst part of that history. The deregulating, in my view, will lead us into another major financial meltdown and, personally, I don’t trust Trump and the people around them to pull us out of it – if it happens on his “watch.” The harm to the environment could be massive. It’s as if we’re back to thinking about “today” (and “me”) while not worrying about the future (and “us”).
Just the combination of this “health care” bill (tax cut) and the “tax reform” proposed (an even more egregious “tax cut for the rich” – it will benefit Trump himself to the tune of tens of MILLIONS of dollars) will explode the national debt by something in the neighborhood of $7 TRILLION (yes, that’s with a T) and, I’m guessing all these “deficit hawk” republicans will be back to quoting Reagan (like Dick Cheney did in 2003) and saying, “deficits don’t matter.” Especially, when they’re aimed at republican benefactors. Trump’s solution to the exploding national debt would presumably “negotiate” a “deal” to avoid repayment in full. Something along the lines of his repeated business bankruptcies. This could potentially cause irrefutable HARM to the American economy and our standing in the world. (Which people like Steve Bannon could care less about)
I have to ask myself: “Is there a solution?” Well, I’ve been pushing for it for years and that is VOTE these republicans out of office. They will continue their slide to the “right” and continue bludgeoning “we the people” out of our tax dollars until we STOP them – and, the ONLY sensible way to do this is at the ballot box. If this vote that happened yesterday, along with all the other crap these people are cramming down our political throats isn’t enough to get both progressives and moderates off their butts and to the polls, then we deserve what we get. I’ve lamented repeatedly that the damage Trump can do is enormous unless “we the people” make it clear “we’ve had enough and we’re not going to take it anymore.”
I “get” that the democrats leave a lot to be desired (although, I believe the senators in my state, Washington, are outstanding and will fight this graft to the bitter end – and, there’s many others like them) but that’s the only alternative. If we can “flip” the congress, then it’s time to let democrats KNOW that we expect them to FIGHT for the values their party was defined by back in the days of FDR. The wealthy elite backing Trump and his party will NEVER go away – but, there’s MORE of us than them, and we need to be active – and encouraging those we know to be active. For me, 2018 can’t come soon enough. I’m already praying “we the people” will send a message to republicans that is unmistakable! Enough already!
Final Thought: “we the people” can’t depend on James Comey OR the republican led Congress to find the TRUTH about the Russian/Trump “connection” and, we certainly can’t depend on the republicans to provide honorable, decent leadership – ie everything they do – even “health care” – is designed to funnel taxpayer dollars to the wealthy. It’s time to take “affirmative action” and put them in the history books where they belong.