Somewhere along the line several “right wing” websites got my email address and they are constantly flooding my inbox with their crazy “stuff.” Of course, it’s mostly 2nd amendment this and 2nd amendment that, or anti Hillary Clinton “fake news” – as if it’s coming directly from the Kremlin – or it’s preposterous lines of defense for Donald Trump. I’ve tried to “unsubscribe” – but, evidently, clicking that button only assures them they’re sending their propaganda to a real email address so, every day it’s “delete, delete, delete” and delete some more. Today’s email from (I believe) “Patriot News” had its leading byline reading something like “Guess who else gave classified information to the Russians, think 43, 44.”
I rarely do anything but delete this garbage, but this one – well, I almost tried to figure out how to respond – but, my better senses took over and I stopped just in time. The Trump enablers, almost to a “t,” use deflection as a way to justify one stupid blunder after another. Usually, it’s “Hillary Clinton did this,” or “Hillary Clinton did that,” or “Barack Obama did ………….” – I think you get the point. In most cases their stupidity is such that I choose to just “delete” and mark it up to some kind of Fox “news,” Rush Limbaugh, NRA conspiracy to keep unsuspecting “conservatives” across America in the dark. However, some of the “stuff” Trump is doing just can’t continue to be “justified” because someone else did it so it’s OK for Trump. In the case of sharing classified information, certainly other American presidents have shared classified information – even with the Russians. Like in most areas, Trump either doesn’t understand the protocol or doesn’t care – neither choice is good.
In this case, Trump shared information of the HIGHEST level of classified labeling WITHOUT getting the approval of the entity (in this case Israel) who provided the intelligence for our nation. That’s the difference and it’s a YUGE (using Bernie Sander’s adjective) difference! Had Trump requested permission from the Israeli’s to pass this info to the Russians there would be – as the Trump people like to claim regarding the Russian “investigations” – “no there there.” That he didn’t do that has led to reports that the Israeli’s (with whom he’s meeting as I’m writing this) were “furious” with Trump’s decision. Additionally, it’s been reported that the sharing of that information with the Russians has put an Israeli “contact” inside Syria into “jeopardy.” Should that person (or persons) come to harm, this “story” will “get legs.” Additional “fallout” from Trump’s decision to share this info with the Russians were reports that other sources of intelligence around the world are considering “clamming up” with regard to America because they don’t trust Trump with the “secrets.”
People in other parts of the world are not stupid – despite the attempts of the right wing media to portray America as the only civilized nation in the world – or something to that affect. Most of them are “shaking their heads” at what’s going on in the United States. How on earth did this buffoon get elected president? (Millions in America are wondering the same thing – that’s why there’s so much interest in the so-called “Russian investigations.”) The Parliament in Briton held a vote as to whether they would even allow Trump to enter their country. Trump’s election in America has led to several European countries voting against the white nationalist movement that was gaining steam in Europe before Trump took office (which I consider a plus – the movement is spurred on by white nationalists). He has put the reality of this movement “front and center” – and, thankfully, most people around the world are rejecting it. America will REJECT it as soon as “we the people” have the opportunity – which appears will be in the elections of 2018. At that point in time we’ll find out if democrats have developed a “spine” and if they will do what – should they gain control of Congress – the republicans didn’t do prior to 2018. (Consider me skeptical – I still remember democrats taking back the House in 2006 and refusing to impeach Bush/Cheney for the illegal TORTURE due to political expediency – I’m really hoping this WON’T be deja vu all over again)
If you can’t figure out what I meant when I somewhat predicted “what republicans didn’t do prior to 2018, here it is: The republican party could end this nightmare by impeaching Trump. So far, from what I can tell, there’s just a handful of republicans who are willing to “jump ship.” They are clearly PROVING what I’ve been saying for years – it’s all about the POWER with them. They’re good at obstructing, they’re good at LYING to win elections, they’re smart and sophisticated when it comes to manipulating the political system, they believe the “end justifies the means” and they’re willing to do or say whatever it takes to win elections – BUT there’s one thing they’re very BAD at: GOVERNING. Republicans are proving under Trump they have no idea how to make government work. Their idea of governing is cutting pretty much anything that provides help to someone in need, giving MORE and MORE tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans, and SPENDING unlimited amounts on the military to create more (MILITARY) “jobs, jobs, jobs.” Of course, to justify all this spending, they need to keep us in ENDLESS wars.
Today, Trump’s budget proposal would cut almost $2 TRILLION from “the least of these” and GIVE $7 TRILLION to those who don’t need it – over the next 10 years. The list of campaign promises Trump will have broken if he could somehow get this budget past the democrats in the Senate seems endless. Let’s just say Trump is very comfortable with MILLIONS losing health insurance, food stamps, meals on wheels, school lunches, early childhood education, along with the demise of Medicaid, cuts to Medicare, and an surreptitious attack on Social Security. Corporations that are already HORDING Trillions of dollars in profits from the Obama years will be laughing all the way to the bank. Trump says “I’m smart,” but then he wonders why so many Americans are already sick of him – he wonders why our country is divided. Honestly, he doesn’t seem that smart to me.
Here’s a view of how this all would play out from another angle: By the time republicans finish with their budget proposals if they can somehow cram them through Congress while they still have the majority, there’ll be something like 24 t0 30 MILLION Americans without access to health insurance over the next 10 years and an additional 7 to 10 TRILLION dollars added to our national debt. In the case of the latter, they will either blame President Obama for the debt or they’ll take the line of Dick Cheney during the last republican give away to the wealthy (in 2001 and 2003 with massive tax cuts for the wealthy that, at the time, turned a $250 BILLION surplus into a $300 BILLION deficit – and, that was only because the two wars weren’t reported as part of the deficit) and say, “Ronald Reagan proved deficits don’t matter.” Obviously, to republicans, deficits only matter when a democrat is in the White House. (And, I might add, not one republican supported Bill Clinton’s budget which led to the YUGE surplus in the late 1990’s)
And, that doesn’t even look at the damage from the other proposed draconian cuts. I spent the last half of my working life as a Middle School teacher in a high poverty school. I could go on and on about the damage the cuts to school lunches, early childhood education, elimination of the support for children’s health, the cuts to Medicaid, the cuts to food stamps, etc. will have on those Americans living under the poverty line. Honestly it makes me sick thinking there’s enough republicans who believe in “every man/woman for him/herself” – while virtually every one of them are part of the privileged few. And, the saddest part (maybe the part that makes me the angriest) is that most of these people are in the positions they’re in because of what many refer to the “commons” that they want to undermine. (and, I haven’t even brought up the environmental stuff, or the assault on regulatory agencies, or all the “science denials.” The damage from Trump and his republican enablers, as I’ve said numerous times now, could be devastating!
People, including Trump, are talking/complaining about the reality that our nation is “divided.” And, the truth is they’re correct – at least in pointing it out. When you get a glimpse at these right wing websites like I’m getting every day in my inbox you can see why the nation is divided. I believe it goes back to the election of Barack Obama. What I certainly didn’t understand at that point in time was the underlying level of RACISM that still existed in America. During my years as a middle school teacher, I was seeing 11 – 12 year old students who seemed to be “color blind.” I worked for many years as the partner of an (incredible) African American teacher and we used to joke that students would constantly get our names mixed up. Black or White didn’t seem to matter to them. Obviously, President Obama was “before his time” as he tried to create an atmosphere where there was just “The United States of America.” I believe those who clearly opposed him because of the color of his skin (and, Trump would be at the “head of the class” with the so-called “birther” movement) will ultimately garner a shameful place in American history.
America’s “greatness” has nothing to do with Trump’s “Make America Great” movement that is backed by White Nationalists, neo Nazis, members of the KKK, etc. Whether those “conservatives” who ultimately jumped on Trump’s bandwagon want to admit it or not, they have chosen alignment with the aforementioned groups – and, no matter how this all turns out, they won’t be able to change that. Some republicans may come to their senses and “jump ship” – but the longer they wait, the more damage Trump will do and they will have to share in the responsibility. Seriously, when the “Russia thing” finally is fully public knowledge, the republicans supporting Trump will bear some of the responsibility – and, I’m guessing MOST Americans DON’T want Russia (or any other foreign nation) meddling in our elections – any American who would cooperate with something like that would be committing TREASON. However, no matter the results of the “Russian Investigation” Trump has proven himself unfit to hold the office – he’s already, on several occasion tried to interfere with the investigations, and he’s proven he has no idea what he’s doing as president.
It will be interesting to see where “Patriot News,” Breitbart, and the other right wing sites like them stand if and when this Russia connection becomes irrefutable. Are they actually wanting a “holy alliance” with Russia? Of course, Trump has shown admiration for other hard core dictators around the world beside Vladimir Putin like Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey. Just today I was reading about Enes Kanter, a basketball star in the NBA whose country of origin is Turkey. Kanter is a critic of the Turkey DICTATOR Erdogan who’s responsible for the jailing and/or murder of hundreds of thousands of Turks, and he (Kanter) was recently in Europe promoting his foundation when the Turks canceled his passport and tried to get him returned to Turkey. He suggests, had they succeeded, that would be the last we ever would have heard of him. Of course, Trump is a supporter of Erdogan – evidently his crimes against “humanity” just like Putin’s are of no concern to Trump.
As I was reading the article (where Kanter said he wants to become an American citizen) something really interesting caught my eye – this at almost the exact same time I read an article of how Michael Flynn, Trump’s fired National Security advisor, was claiming the “fifth” as he refused to send subpoenaed materials to the Senate Intelligence Committee. Kanter is a supporter of an exiled Turkish Muslim cleric named Fethullah Gulen who’s stationed in Pennsylvania and is leading the opposition to Erdogan from America. Interestingly, I believe this is the man Flynn allegedly was conspiring with Turkish officials to kidnap and return to Turkey bypassing America protocol. Flynn received over half a MILLION dollars in just a few months working on behalf of Erdogan, surreptitiously, in the United States while also working on Trump’s campaign and ultimately from Trump’s cabinet. And, without reporting as a “foreign agent.” Yikes! Does anyone besides me wonder why Trump is such a fan of Michael Flynn?!
We got a good “up front and personal” viewpoint of how the Turks work last week as Erdogan was welcomed into Trump’s White House – to me, almost unbelievable on its face. Of course, recently, Trump congratulated Erdogan for gaining an even stronger “grip” on Turkey’s society via what many reported as a bogus election, so it was no surprise he invited him to a “state visit.” What I didn’t hear any Trump commentary on was what happened as Erdogan returned to his hotel after the visit. There was a small group of protestors outside wherever it was that Erdogan was staying – and, instead of just ignoring them and returning to his suite, Erdogan’s “body guards” violently attacked the protestors and, in one scene that I saw, a couple Erdogan guards were KICKING a protester in the head as he was lying on the ground. Other guards were wielding billy clubs and smashing people in the heads with the billy clubs. John McCain suggested the Turkish ambassador should be kicked out of the country. I didn’t hear anything from Trump. I believe he admires people like Erdogan and part of his frustration is his lack of ability to respond to protests in like manner.
Honestly, I don’t expect much remorse from “Patriot News” if Trump is found to have conspired with the Russians to influence the election. A more likely scenario, to me, will be that Trump’s financial dependence on Russian money – and, the possibility that he helped Russians “launder” large sums of money – will become public knowledge – which won’t bother those at “Patriot News” and their brethren either. Whether or not any of the dealings are “illegal” will be irrelevant to those who think like me – if Trump is “vulnerable” to Russian influence – that is to say, if he’s an unwitting Russian “asset” – he shouldn’t be anywhere close to the “White House.” I believe the part of the country that “Patriot News” appeals to will blame any negative findings on Obama, Clinton, or “liberals.” Or, how about the media? The truth won’t matter to them.
Those pushing sites like “Patriot News” are also those who are encouraging Americans to arm themselves to the “teeth,” they push stocking up on the type of food rations that would suggest they’re the conspiracy theory people who think the government is the enemy. These people want the benefits of government, but they don’t want to pay taxes and the only way they participate is to try to tear government down. They used to be the “fringe” in American politics – but, evidently, the internet has given them a way to push their message on a grand scale – I have no idea how many have “bought into” their philosophy – but, the reality is that Donald Trump is president – so, they are way more than the “fringe” in today’s world. God help us!
Final Thought: I’m going to click “unsubscribe” once again, but I’m guessing the link doesn’t work. Maybe I should keep the emails coming just to keep a sober realization of how the extreme right in America are thinking – and, to help me understand why the “divide” in America is not ending any time soon.