Over the years as I’ve been busy lambasting republicans for all their hypocritical political disasters I’ve also blasted democrats for being “spineless.”  The 2014 mid terms are still fresh in my memory when democrats showed they didn’t have the guts to defend their own fundamental values against the propaganda media blitzing they’d been receiving from republicans and their benefactors since President Obama’s election.  They were AFRAID to defend the Affordable Care Act (AKA “Obamacare”), they succumbed to republican attacks against “liberals” (as if the honorable “moniker” for a politician was “conservative” – whatever that means), and they completely shied away from Obama during the campaign.  The result was a massive republican takeover of Congress as so many of their traditional “base” stayed home.

Well, now republicans are “in control,” and they’ve got Donald Trump in the “White House.”  Their “Tea party” faction pretty much controls the House and they’re being forced to live with those they aligned with as a way to fight back against our first African American president.  So, they have a president you’d think they could actually govern with because he’s supposedly a “republican.”  However, we all know Donald Trump aligns with NO one but himself (except, for possibly, the so-called “Alt Right”) – he’s the ultimate NARCISSIST, a pathological LIAR, he likely COLLUDED with the Russians to get elected, and he’s incompetent when it comes to governing – and many “republicans” are trying to figure out how to deal with him.

More and more republicans are coming out with comments that would suggest they “get” the DAMAGE Trump is  causing to this great nation.  The problem is that they are COWERING regarding what they are going to do about it.  Trump is attacking virtually EVERY republican leader in Congress – by NAME (that’s unusual, isn’t it?) – and recent reports have said he has ZERO support in Congress – which would indicate NO republicans support him.  So, what seems to be the obvious solution to the problem? – of course it’s IMPEACHMENT!

Well, today I listened to former republican senator from Missouri Thomas Eagleton point out all of Trump’s issues (accurately, from my perspective) and then confirm to Chuck Todd (he was on Todd’s daily “Meet the Press” show) members of Congress probably won’t do anything about Trump because they fear his “base.”  It was suggested by Todd that Trump is more popular than the members of Congress.  (which is hard for me to believe knowing how UNPOPULAR Trump has become)  But, the reality is that republicans are giving the word “coward” new meaning.  For heaven’s sake – our country is on the line here!

Yes, Congress, as a whole, is very unpopular, but MOST members are more popular than Trump’s 34% approval rating in their own districts  I have to think.  However, they seem to be cowering from a potential primary opponent – funded by I can’t imagine who.  I understood the Koch brothers funding primary opponents back in the early days of the “Tea party,” but, after reading the book “Son’s of Wichita” I find it hard to believe the Koch’s are Trump supporters – although, that’s certainly possible (they’ll support anyone who pushes their polluting agenda, so, Trump might actually “be their man”).  The bottom line here is that the republicans in Congress are proving to be more TIMID (or should I say cowardly) than the democrats of the recent past.  And, believe me, that’s a hard “mountain” to climb.

Republicans appear to want to FORCE “we the people” to KICK them out of their majorities so that the democrats can deal with Trump (and, believe me, I’m not brimming with confidence on that possibility, either).  What – I hate to use this word, but it’s totally accurate – pissed me off as I listened to Eagleton was, after he made total sense about his dissatisfaction with Trump and why he’s dissatisfied, he characterized democrats as “obstructionists” in explaining why nothing will get done in Congress.  After I calmed down I thought, “Was his head in the sand during the eight years of President Obama?”  Republicans not only took obstruction to record levels, they were not “secret” about it.  Mitch McConnell himself stated, “our number one goal is that President Obama be a one term president.”  Others, like Limbaugh were constantly claiming the republicans number one goal was that President Obama would FAIL.

After they failed to make Obama a one term president the obstruction continued – to the tune of almost 700 FILIBUSTERS.  Now we have Trump lambasting McConnell for not getting rid of the FILIBUSTER in the Senate so they can push their unpopular agenda.  (although, in their only meaningful attempt at legislating they couldn’t even get a majority of republicans to vote for their tax cut disguised as a health care bill)  McConnell did so in regard to Trump’s Supreme Court nominee (who’s already shown himself to be a political partisan) but I don’t think he’s willing to modify the FILIBUSTER rules any more – mainly because he’s had much experience at being in the minority and he want’s that “tool” at his “hand” in case democrats retake the Senate – which is just a matter of time.

In reality, the filibuster FORCES democrats and republicans to work TOGETHER in order to fashion workable legislation – something many younger Americans have never seen.  Republicans have been playing the “obstruction” card since Newt Gingrich joined the House of Representatives.  They can’t govern, but they sure can put a “monkey wrench” in to stop those who can.  John McCain, as he cast the deciding vote defeating “Trumpcare,” was – at the same time – lamenting for the Senate to return to “regular order.”  That is where the two parties worked together to pass legislation.  There was a day when 60 vote majorities were achieved all the time.  Of course, it required what people like Gingrich have managed to get defined as a “dirty word” – COMPROMISE.

I believe politicians like McConnell are smart enough to see the “headwinds.”  America is changing color and, yes, people like Trump (and probably McConnell himself) don’t like this – they’re doing everything in their power to keep “white privilege” as the “order of the day.”  (kind of reminds me of South Africa as apartheid was coming to a close)  However, republicans are facing some real dilemmas.  The first one is are they going to actually allow Trump to commandeer their party?  If that’s the case, I give them about 3 1/2 years to be relevant.  (unless democrats gain enough seats to impeach Trump in the 2018 mid term election)  At the rate we’re going,despite the possibility of democrats gaining control of Congress in 2019,  Trump won’t last the full 3 1/2 years he’s got left – he’ll likely be impeached once Mueller’s investigation is complete (although, again, we’re relying on republicans – even after 2018 because it takes a 2/3 majority in the Senate to “convict” – but, whether he’s impeached, or not, republicans are allowing their “stamp of approval” to be put on Trump every day he remains in office.  More and more republicans are becoming the “swamp” Trump said he would “drain.”

People the world over are watching in shock that this could happen, and then continue, in America.  Seemingly, every day, there’s more reason for Trump to be IMPEACHED.  Last week, as people in Texas were bracing for a “hundred year storm and flooding” Trump attempted to “sneak” the pardon of “Sheriff Joe” – the reviled Sheriff of Maricopa County in Arizona who bragged about running his jail as a “concentration camp.”  (For some reason, that appeals to Trump)  Additionally, Arpaio (Sheriff Joe) was on the front lines of Trump’s “birther” movement – just like Trump an avowed racist – which, right after Charlottesville, is sending an undeniable message to America and the world.

If “we the people” don’t purge our nation of this evil in the next election (assuming Mueller isn’t finished with his investigation) we deserve what is likely to happen regarding our standing in the world.  Trump is already threatening to shut the government down over his wall that “Mexico will pay for.”  Evidently, Trump wants to “borrow” the money from “we the people” first and then pay us back when Mexico finally coughs up the “dough.”  I’m not holding my breath and I suggest you don’t either.  Here’s the big question:  “Will Trump (and the “tea party” republicans) play fast and loose with the debt ceiling?  That’s the really dangerous one that could lead to DISASTER in our dealings with the rest of the world.  This all will happen in the next month and could be a man made disaster that compares with Hurricane Harvey.

The bottom line is that people who don’t call Trump their president, who can’t stand the sound of his words, who actually DO have a moral compass and are repulsed at having an admitted sexual predator, a pathological LIAR, a NARCISSIST of the highest order, someone who’s deluded, and someone who doesn’t understand American History as president, they (we) are dependent on republicans to come to the rescue.  Trump SHOULD be impeached, but republicans are showing a cowardice that actually makes democrats seem assertive.  I’ve always said, the problem with democrats is lack of conviction, but today’s republicans are making democrats look like the towers of virtue!

Yesterday I was driving around listening to political “talk” on MSNBC and, of course, the conversations were focused on our deranged president.  Unfortunately, what was missing in almost every commentary was that pretty much every thing coming from Trump’s mouth is a LIE!  I mean, I realize this is no secret – a recent article pointed out Trump is now over 1000 verifiable LIES since he took the “oath” of office, but he outdid himself in Phoenix last week.  I put “oath” in quotes because anyone who’s listened to Trump with an objective ear has to understand the gravity of having someone worse than a pathological LIAR in the “White House.”

The reason I say he’s worse than a pathological LIAR comes from watching him recently as he  was LYING to a crowd of “low information voters” in Phoenix – people who willingly accept the LYING as OK.  (Evidently, about 30% of Americans fall into that category – Yikes!!!)  In Phoenix, Trump was attempting to make the point that he’s not a racist (anyone who’s followed him over the past 8 years knows differently – he led the “birther” stupidity – but, it gets worse if you check out his history as a landlord in New York) by recounting his comments right after the violence recently in Charlottesville where people protesting the “Alt Right” clashed with a group who had, the night before, carried Tiki Torches through the campus of the University of Virginia.

So, Trump pulls a piece of paper from his lapel pocket and says it has the EXACT words he spoke on that Saturday.  He proceeded to read them and stirred up the crowd claiming the media was “dishonest” and claiming the media is “fake” because they failed to acknowledge his condemnation of “The KKK, Neo-Nazi’s and White Supremacists.”  Of course, as he read the remarks he made that day he LEFT OUT the phrase that got him in so much trouble with the media which, quite honestly, has been giving his racism a “pass” for quite some time.  (I’ll comment about the racism later)  What Trump didn’t include in his speech in Phoenix were the words “On many sides, many sides.”  Those were the words the media was focused on (and MILLIONS of the rest of us who deplore the KKK, the Skinheads, the Neo-Nazi’s, etc.) and, those were the words that Trump said in an attempt to placate “both sides.”  Meaning, he didn’t want to offend people like David Duke, Richard Spencer, and, of course, in his own administration (at that time) Steve Bannon.  (Duke, afterward, actually thanked Trump for his “honest” remarks)

Trump’s problem is he can’t have it both ways.  David Duke was correct when he pointed out to Trump that the “Alt Right” is the reason he got elected.  Trump was in an impossible situation after the violence unless he really had a moral foundation – which, if you’ve followed him at all, you already knew he doesn’t.  In this instance, “we the people” would (and do) expect our leaders to condemn ANYTHING that relates back to the Nazi’s.  Seeing young Americans walking with Tiki Torches and carrying flags with swastikas on them is nauseating.  Listening to their leaders claiming they’re at war with our government should raise the hair on people’s backs (actually, it’s seditious – but, with Jeff Sessions as Attorney General there is little chance they’ll be held to account for their claims).  Listening to our president repeatedly try to pledge “allegiance” to “BOTH SIDES” is sickening.

And, the way Trump did it in Phoenix was even more sickening.  For example, when I watch someone who’s pathologically LYING I’m thinking this is some kind of mental disease.  I’m thinking he’s LIED so much that he actually believes his LIES are true when they’re coming out of his mouth (kind of similar to people like Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity – who many in the Phoenix audience likely listen to for their “education”) but, the LIES are done without fore thought.  That’s scary knowing he’s the president and has the codes to the nuclear arsenal – but, in Phoenix, Trump showed that he’s even worse than that!  When he pulled that piece of paper from his pocket and told the crowd “these were my exact words” and then LEFT OUT the words that got him in trouble – well, that was not the LYING of someone who’s pathological (although he is).  That was PREMEDITATED LYING!

I’m not sure what was more deplorable to me – Trump’s PREMEDITATED LYING or the willingness of the crowd to accept it.  They roared their approval as Trump went into his “it’s the media that’s the problem” ranting.  He “ginned” them up as someone we could now call “the divider in chief.”  In one breath Trump suggested the media is the reason America is divided and, in the next breath, he began his attacks on ANYONE who even hints at disagreeing with him.  Trump is a very disgusting person.  He attacked John McCain and Jeff Flake the two REPUBLICAN Senators from Arizona.  Now, I’m not a fan of McCain’s (other than his vote to stop “Trumpcare”) and know little about Flake, but to have a sitting president go to the state of two Senators of his own “party” and attacking them was astonishing.  Trump’s attacks pretty much were aimed at the 67% of Americans who DON’T support him.

Shortly after his Phoenix fiasco I heard that Trump has support from NONE of the members of the United States Senate.  While that is astonishing on its own merits, it kind of makes you wonder why these Senators with an “R” before their name continue to operate in silence – for the most part.  I guess they’re waiting for Robert Mueller to come out with the “truth” as it relates to the “Russia thing” before they proceed with any action to save “we the people” from Trump.  Kind of ironic isn’t it?  Remember, it was the now deposed head of the FBI James Comey who essentially put Trump into the “White House.”  Could it be the man who was put in place because Trump fired Comey who could give us the mechanism to end this national nightmare?  We can only hope.  (Obviously, republicans will not act until they have even more of a reason than they already have to “oust” the most unpopular president in modern United States history)

To make it all worse (at least for me) the crowd was filled with a bunch of white people with @#^t eating grins on their faces, but Trump had ONE  Black guy who kept flashing his “Blacks for Trump” sign strategically placed almost within arms length of Trump and perfectly so the cameras were almost as focused on him as on Trump.  I’ve seen the guy before and always wonder if he’s a paid “plant” or just someone a bit unhinged?   I have to admit my skepticism – just being honest as I can here – I wondered how did that guy get in that place.  And, I’m still wondering that. although when you “google” it, there’s lots of information.  I guess it always appears to me the guy’s sign should read “Black for Trump” because he’s always the only person who’s not white in Trump’s audience that I can see – and, obviously, I can only stomach small portions of Trump’s words before I turn off the TV or change the channel so maybe there’s others.  (Of course, for some reason, Trump had Ben Carson there for a cameo at the beginning of his speech)  I guess the guy with the “Blacks for Trump” sign didn’t care about Trump’s defense of the KKK.

Again, my point here is that Trump’s pulling a “prop” from his lapel pocket to make it appear his next LIE is the truth is a new low!  How many of his previous LIES were thought out ahead of time?  Is he truly pathological or does he plan out all the LIES willingly and purposefully?  As I’m sitting here writing I can’t help but wonder, “which is worse?”  A pathological LIAR is, to me, disgusting.  But, premeditated?  I really think that’s even worse.  Either way, our president is a LIAR of proportions no politician I can remember even comes close to.  So, do you believe him when he says, “no one colluded with the Russians?”  I hope not, because you can’t believe ANYTHING he says.  To the republicans in Congress: It’s up to you to solve this problem.  You will bear the results of your actions regarding Trump’s future in the “White House” in the history books one way or the other.  I would think you’d want to save “we the people” from this disgusting man.  (Obviously, the “battle” with his supporters will happen either way and it’s not going to be “pretty.”  Let’s get this over with!)

I watched as much of Trump’s speech in Arizona as I could stomach and I listened to interviews with Arizonan’s afterward and I have to reconfirm my belief that there’s a lot of “low information voters” in America and they are an easy target for someone like Trump.  Trump stood on the stage and, as he ALWAYS does, spewed out a series of LIES that the people in the audience absorbed like a sponge absorbs water.  Listening to some of them (the audience) after the event and the only word that came to mind was STUPID.  I feel terrible writing that, but that was EXACTLY the response I felt listening to them.

Here’s what I believe the reality in America has come to.  A significant portion of our population has been “educated” by Fox “news,” and people like Rush Limbaugh.  They’ve pushed the “white privilege” philosophy very surreptitiously under the guise of “fair and balanced” – well, that’s Fox’s mantra – I’d have to say people like Limbaugh are unadulterated LIARS who aren’t very subtle at all.  They’ve all been proponents of Goebbels’ “Big Lie Theory” for years and you can see the results listening to the people who were at Trump’s rally and actually believed words they SHOULD have known were false.  Somehow these people actually believe they’re “conservatives.”  Yikes!

For example, when Trump edited out the words “On many sides, many sides” from his defense of the comments he made after the Charlottesville incident and then attacked the “media” for its reporting of his actual remarks equating Neo-Nazi’s and KKK members with the people who were the “counter protesters,” the audience SHOULD have recognized the LIE.  What was really egregious to me about that LIE was its origin.  It was preconceived.  It was of the most dastardly type of LIE.  Trump planned it ahead of time.  He actually pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket that he said had the “actual words I said on Saturday.”  Then, he proceeded to read all his words EXCEPT the words that got him rebuked by every American who is opposed to white supremacists and white separatists – “on many sides, many sides.”

The people in the audience SHOULD have recognized the LIE.  But either they’re willing recipients of Trump’s LYING (he told many other LIES during the speech, but that, unfortunately, is just “par for the course”) or they’re the VICTIMS of being the “ditto heads” who listen to Limbaugh (think about that, Limbaugh’s audience willingly refer to themselves as ditto heads)  or the “low information voters” who watch Fox “news.”  I have friends, who supported Trump, who get defensive when I suggest to them they’re getting their information on Fox.  They fully believe Sean Hannity would never LIE to them.  They believe the people on Fox are simply “conservatives.”  Not one has EVER fact checked ANYTHING they’ve heard on Fox.  They’ve been BRAINWASHED and they are not even suspecting.  I offered a book, Conscience of a Conservative, for one of them to read and he declined.  The truth is he can barely read anything.

On the one hand Trump tries to come across as someone urging “we the people” to “love each other” and he makes, occasionally, pleas for unity in America – and, then in the next breath he starts attacking people.  And, his “attacking” is in the most deplorable manner I can imagine.  I watched last night as he referred to George Stephanopoulus as “little George” and while he was doing this he took his right arm and pushed it toward the ground as if Stephanopoulos was about as tall as his knee.  Kind of reminded me of when Trump went after the reporter who was suffering from a disabling disease.  Trump has no boundaries for his reprehensible actions.  And, most were on display in Phoenix last night.

Of course, Trump’s attempt at demeaning Stephanopoulos was just part of his attacks on virtually EVERY aspect of our “fourth estate” – the media which is responsible for providing “we the people” with the TRUTH about what our government is up to.  And, THANK GOD for the media, because without them we’d have no idea what the Russians were up to and we’d NEVER know if Trump or his surrogates COLLUDED with the Russians during the campaign.  (I have this terribly eery feeling it’s still happening)  Trump praises anyone who complements him and attacks anyone who disagrees with him.  Think of how that translates into actually governing.  I believe that mentality is why Trump NEVER criticizes Vladimir Putin – I believe he’s envious of Putin and Putin’s ability to control EVERYTHING.  I’ve been pointing out Trump’s AUTHORITARIAN tendencies since the beginning of his campaign for an office I thought he’d never get and he continues to confirm my instincts.

Obviously, the number of Americans susceptible to this type of BRAINWASHING was well beyond my estimates.  I certainly understood that after decades of being attacked by Fox and other so-called “conservative” outlets, that Hillary Clinton was a damaged candidate.  I, personally, was not an enthusiastic supporter of Clinton.  However, it was obvious from the start, to me, that Trump was the WORST possible person to be in the “White House” at this time so I voted for Mrs. Clinton.  I never believed all the “stuff” the republicans were throwing at her AND I always felt she was one of the most intelligent people running for or in public office – her testimony before the Benghazi committee showed the republicans to be petty political opportunists of the worst sort – I just didn’t agree with much of her more hawkish beliefs.  Now, we have Trump essentially doing what Clinton would have done in Afghanistan.  Of course, Mrs. Clinton would NEVER had treated the Europeans with the disrespect Trump has shown them.  But I digress.

Another really interesting part of Trump’s speech last night to a bunch of ditto heads was his comments about the “wall.”  All during the campaign he talked about how he would “build a was and MEXICO is going to pay for it.”  Of course, even the ditto heads may have been smart enough to know that claim was hogwash.  But, they just cheered Trump along last night as he pointed out he’s willing to “shut down the government” over the “wall” if Congress doesn’t fund it.  That’s right, me, you, and the people in Trump’s audience apparently, in Trump’s mind, are going to pay for that wall.  It’s as if those in his audience just have no ability to think.  Maybe they’re willing to pay for that wall, but I’m NOT!  And millions of other Americans want nothing to do with Trump’s “wall.”

Remember, Trump has an approval rating of somewhere around 34%.  It fluctuates depending on how STUPID his latest STUPID remarks are.  Evidently, for some Americans Trump’s remarks have to be incredibly STUPID before they take notice.  Here’s another example.  Trump is making his claim to being all about “law and order.”  Then out comes the “Sheriff Joe” part of his speech.  Sheriff Joe – as Trump refers to him (Joe Arpaio) – has been accused of various types of misconduct, including abuse of power; misuse of funds; failure to investigate sex crimes; improper clearance of cases; unlawful enforcement of immigration laws; and election law violations. He’s been convicted of criminal contempt of court for continuous violations of court orders that he would stop his racial profiling of Hispanic residents of his jurisdiction.  Trump, evidently in complete contrast to his self proclaimed image as someone who believes in “law and order” is planning to pardon Arpaio – which he made clear in his speech.  Trump said he wouldn’t “do it here, because of all the criticism from the media.”  Again, Yikes!

Arpaio is part of the white nationalists that Trump has a hard time separating himself from.  I believe he wants “we the people” to think he’s “turned the page” after “firing” Steve Bannon, but he’s still got Steven Miller, Sebastian Gorka, and Kellyanne Conway in his “White House.”  Essentially, last night Trump proved that with Bannon gone, essentially NOTHING’S changed.  Could you imagine being the White House chief of staff – meaning your job was to manage the president?

Many have said they think General Kelly will be able to bring “discipline” to Trump and the “White House.”  Well, in one week – last Wednesday to this Tuesday, Trump has proven anyone who believed that wrong twice – in CAPITAL letters!  Trump’s speech at “Trump Tower” last week and his performance in Phoenix last night just confirms that we have a deranged president and the sooner republicans in Congress solve this problem the better.  (Unfortunately, Mike Pense sits in the background and he continues to undermine his own credibility as he acts like a puppy dog around Trump)  Either impeachment or implementing the 25th amendment – preferably to me impeachment – and, then “we the people” can move on.  It should be clear to EVERYONE (except the ditto heads) that our government and our nation is going nowhere while Trump is president and the DAMAGE is mounting.

Soon, the issues of budget and debt ceiling will be on the “burner.”  Is Trump going to lead us to a default?  Is he going to follow through on “shutting down the government” and then blaming democrats?  It’s almost as he has no clue to how the government works.  He’s got a majority in both houses of Congress – he should be able to get his agenda done.  The clear problem is that he has NO agenda – he’s relying on the republicans he’s attacking to come up with something – and, of course, they can’t agree amongst themselves what that should be.

Trump comes across as an idiot as does his followers (or extremists in the sense of those who were carrying the Tiki Torches in Charlottesville).  Trump reflexively attacks anyone who disagrees with him and much of his words and actions would fall into the category Hillary Clinton was referring to with the “basket of deplorables” comment.  I’ve said this before, in many ways Trump is making Mrs. Clinton look like a prophet.  His speech in Phoenix last night brought it all to the forefront.  I’ll end this by saying once more Trump has no boundaries for his reprehensible actions. And, most were on display in Phoenix last night.

Yesterday, after Trump made an attempt at a “political correct” statement regarding the violence caused by his White Supremacist supporters in Charlottesville last weekend, I heard he was very angry at the “fake media” because, essentially very few believed him.  Surprise, surprise!  This is the statement that came at least two days after a young lady was killed via a “terrorist” attack from a young “neo-Nazi” and two police officers died when their helicopter crashed while monitoring the situation from the air.  Trump’s initial statement was a tepid attempt to condemn the violence without putting blame on the perpetrators of it.  Few people “bought” the first statement – which was closer to “real” (if that’s even possible with Trump) and, by the time the second statement was made, “the damage was done.”

I guess Trump is expecting us, through the second statement, to believe he’s “speaking from the heart.”  I have to question whether that’s even possible with him.  However, I started this post to “capture” a train of thought prior to running some errands, and, sure enough, by the time I got home from my “business” Trump had held an impromptu press briefing in the front of “Trump Tower” where he “doubled down” on his Saturday remarks which generated so much angst.  From listening to him, he’s still blaming the “fake news” as he calls it for the blow-back on his remarks from Saturday – which he referred to as “accurate” – while he proceeded to make comments cementing his standing with the likes of David Duke, but putting his presidency in jeopardy with the people in America who remember WW II, or have learned about it in the history books.

Trump referred to “many of the people” in the “Alt Right” group marching with torches – similar to KKK stuff in a part of American history many would like to forget (not sure if Trump ever learned of it – although, on Rachel Maddow’s show tonight on MSNBC images of NY Times articles of Trump’s father arrested in a Klan demonstration in NY city shows a bit more about “Trump history”) or the kind of marches that took place in Germany back in the 30’s as “good people.”  According to Trump, “They were not all White Supremacists.”  I guess he wasn’t watching the same video or the same pictures I saw.

Of course, this was just another example of Trump’s words reflecting the DISASTER of his occupying the “White House” in America.  The man is delusional, his narcissism is beyond anything I’ve ever seen, his LYING is pathological, his lack of knowledge about American history is shocking (for someone who’s president), and his lack of credibility here and abroad makes it incumbent on republicans in Congress to move “sooner rather than later” in removing him from office.  Yes, the likes of Duke and the others who participated in the “unite the right” rally in Charlottesville this past weekend will probably respond with more violence once that happens – but, as I wrote in my previous post, supporters of the “white supremacists” in Charlottesville claimed, after the event, “this is war.”  They are going to ramp it up even more.  Do you really think Trump is the person to lead the FIGHT against these people.  This could get really ugly.

Republicans chose this path.  They are at a crossroads.  The next couple of weeks should be telling.  Congress needs to pass a budget.  We’re about a month away from a government default if they don’t raise the debt ceiling.  So far, this “experiment” with Trump in the “White House” and republicans controlling everything else hasn’t worked very well.  We’re getting to the point where it’s getting farther and farther away from “funny.”  If they can’t figure out how to raise the debt limit the American economy could be in for a very rough ride.  Already, leaders around the world are shaking their heads at what’s going on here – and, if we send the message that our nation won’t honor our debt obligations – well, the “you know what” could hit the fan.  (I’m not convinced “nationalists” understand the extent America is embedded in the global economy)

Nor am I convinced any of them, meaning republicans, know how to govern.  Most of them claim to hate the government and recent republican presidents (including Trump) have put people in charge of government bureaus who are committed to destroying them.  The question now becomes are they planning to undermine the entire government instead of just parts of it.  Remember, one of Steve Bannon’s stated goals is the “deconstruction of the administrative state.”  I took that to mean to destroy the government as it presently exists.  Many who voted for Trump, I believe, don’t understand the consequences of them succeeding.  Remember, Bannon was a spearhead of what happened in Charlottesville this past weekend.  Today, Trump said, “Mr. Bannon is not a racist.”  Well, I think he’d tell you he’s not a racist either.  We know better!

Many, including myself, have suggested one way for Trump to disassociate himself from this White Supremacist movement would be to get rid of Bannon, Steven Miller, and Sebastian Gorka from the “White House.”  I believe Trump knows – and fears – the backlash he would receive from those involved in the right wing protest in Charlottesville (and, others around the country which received far less publicity – it seems, without the violence, our “liberal media” doesn’t take notice).  I certainly have no idea how many of the, now, about one third of the country who supports Trump are part of the what amounts to a “white separatist” movement, but it’s certainly a significant portion of Trump’s “base.”  As I’ve said before (maybe in different terms) republicans made a “pact with the devil” when they embraced the “tea party” movement after President Obama’s election which included many who were carrying tiki torches in Charlottesville this past weekend.  Now, what do they do?  Also, where is America headed?

Certainly, if you check out the responses coming from Germany and other places where the United States has been traditionally allied, they are watching closely to see what on earth is going on in America?  Is this really where America stands?  “We the people” need to make it clear to anyone who questions our nation that Trump and those he’s choosing to support represent only a fraction of this nation and their ideology will NEVER prevail.  Unfortunately, we have to wait until November of 2018 to make our statement at the ballot box, but, it’s time to be clear about what that statement will be right now.  Personally, I don’t care what party affiliation candidates for public office have, I just believe it’s time they ALL must be clear about where they stand on the issue of race and individual rights.

Make no mistake, I believe, under our constitution, those who support David Duke, for example, have every right to do so – what is not OK is someone like Trump who wants it both ways.  He wants “we the people” to believe he thinks racism is “evil” while at the same time clearly giving legitimacy to groups who espouse it.  We need our leaders to be clear.  And, to the republican party – this man is one of you.  To the Senators and to members of the House of Representatives it’s time to stop the equivocating.  Either you support this man or you don’t.  Silence is not an option – as far as I’m concerned silence is a cowardly way of giving him your support.

The people behind the tiki torch march last weekend have declared “war” on America – if you believe the post that was put up on “The Daily Stormer” a neo-Nazi blog shortly after the young lady was killed and the two police officers monitoring the situation died when their helicopter crashed.  They claimed they are going to “take over the government.”  I personally haven’t seen anyone in the “liberal media” taking notice of that claim, but it really does amount to seditious rhetoric.  I doubt we can trust a Justice Department run by an admitted surrogate to Trump to take action against such a claim.  I guess we just wait to see what they do next.

Many are categorically, now, saying what many who think like myself have been saying since early in the campaign – Trump is not fit for office.  No matter what you think of Hillary Clinton, Trump’s actions continue to make her look prophetic.  She predicted much of what is currently happening during the campaign and was roundly criticized for it.  The people carrying torches we saw in Charlottesville last weekend were what she called the “basket of deplorables.”  Unfortunately, many who don’t understand what she was talking about took offense to the comments thinking she was referring to them.  I certainly don’t believe ALL of Trump’s supporters believe in the white separatist movement, but the reality is that David Duke was correct when he pointed out they are the reason Trump is in the “White House.”

I’ve pointed out many times on this site, the big question with Trump as president is how much damage will he be able to do before he’s either impeached or voted out of office?  The damagis MOUNTING fast.  It seems every day there’s a new “crisis.”  It appears very little is going to be accomplished legislatively because all the attention is on Trump and his various “scandals.”  Remember, it took Charlottesville to get the focus off the “Russia thing.”  But, the “Russia thing” is still a very significant issue.  The Russians ATTACKED our country during the election on a scale that was unprecedented – we’ll never know if they affected the election enough to actually swing it to Trump – but, what they did was unacceptable (they’re doing it around the world and still doing it here as I’m writing this) and “we the people” need to make that clear.  If Trump colluded with them, he should face severe accountability (that he can’t pardon himself from).  All this seems to be preventing the government from even functioning anywhere close to “smoothly.”  Additionally, Trump SHOULD be doing something about the ongoing Russian intrusion into our politics – but, he says NOTHING!  (that’s an indictment in itself in my view)

Will republicans pass a budget?  Will they increase the debt limit?  Will they actually try to fix The Affordable Care Act (in a move that would indicate compassion for “the least of these”)?  Will they fully investigate the “Russia thing” (so that like many have said, “it will never happen again)?  Will they come up with a plan to rebuild our infrastructure (which they blocked when President Obama was in office)?  Will they clearly repudiate themselves from Trump and his ideology (which can no longer be a secret)?  The “damage” I’m talking about is either going to be a permanent “stain” on the republican party (and, possibly, America) OR it could be a moment of truth where they actually move away from their corporate pay masters to what’s best for “we the people.”  I’m certainly not holding my breath, but Trump has given them the opportunity to actually act like what I would see as true conservatives.

Republicans and Democrats could “disagree” with each other, but do it in the same room with the idea of coming up with tenable solutions to our many problems, one by one, somewhere in the middle.  Maybe the events of the past few days will help them see where vitriol has gotten us.  They could end the days of what could be termed the “Newt” doctrine – the idea that obstruction is the republican mantra.  They’re actually in the majority and they have the opportunity to lead.  So far I’ve seen no evidence they understand how to do that – but, I can certainly hope.  Step one is to repudiate those who carried the tiki torches in Charlottesville and those around the country supporting them and step two is to disassociate themselves from Trump.  His behavior should never be enabled  by anyone in leadership in this nation.

I’ve been busy here lately.  Last Friday I published a post where I pointed out how Trump’s “Make America Great Again” was “dog whistle” messaging for “Make America White Again.”  It’s been obvious to many more than me – for years – that Trump is a racist AND during the campaign of 2016 he had aligned himself with the very people who, shortly after I made that post, were walking across the University of Virginia campus carrying torches – symbolic of the KKK days I still remember in the 50’s and 60’s when I first became interested in our government.

The next day there was a protest (by groups calling themselves “Unite the Right”) in opposition to a statue of Robert E Lee being taken down and a “counter” protest by groups opposed to the White Nationalist movement that has been spreading across America at a heightened pace since Trump’s election.  These demonstrations broke out in violence and a “neo-Nazi” ended up killing one and injuring 20 in a bizarre terrorist type action.  This morning I put up a post with my thoughts about Trump’s initial reaction to the violence in Charlottesville on Saturday which emanated from that demonstration.  For Trump, it just keeps getting worse.

Here’s the picture:  The “protesters” were representative of the KKK, the Skinheads, White nationalists, the “Aryan nation” movement, neo-Nazi’s, and others making up the so-called “Alt Right” – which is the work of people in the “White House” like Steve Bannon, Steven Miller, Sebastian Gorka, and Kellyanne Conway.  Honestly, it sickens me that members of our society feel comfortable marching and carrying a Nazi flag while claiming allegiance to the president of the United States.  The “counter protesters” included a group labeled by the media I saw/heard as “leftists” and they included groups ranging from “Black Lives Matter” to religiously affiliated groups who are standing up against so-called “hate groups.”  I don’t think it should be too hard to imagine what side of the street I would have been on had I been in Charlottesville this past weekend.

A person, since labeled by a former teacher of his as a “Nazi sympathizer,” drove a car into a group of people, killing a 32 year old woman and injuring another 20 or so of the “counter protesters.”  Obviously, this was a planned assault because the front and back license plates had been removed from the car and the driver made a futile attempt to escape after the initial incident.  (how the groups got this young man to do this kind of thing brought the thought to my mind of these groups using the same tactics to recruit young “members” as groups like ISIS – the person driving the car was only 20 years old and most people who know him refer to him as “shy” – probably at this rally because of internet recruiting)  Pretty much everyone in leadership in this country referred to this incident as a “terrorist” attack.  That is, pretty much everyone except Trump and those in his closest circle.

Trump made a statement that just further cemented the dilemma he faces in trying to condemn this act of violence while somehow sending a message to the perpetrators that he’s got their backs.  In his remarks shortly after the incident Trump placed the blame for the HATE that was promoted at the rally and in the attack on the “counter demonstrators” as coming from “many sides.”  It was a feeble attempt to placate both sides in this situation.  Temporarily it worked for the white nationalists involved – as they “God Blessed” Trump for not putting the blame on them.  David Duke, former head of the KKK, reminded Trump to “look in the mirror” before condemning these groups and then adding, “it was the White people who put you in office.”  (and, of course, that’s actually a factual statement)  In fact, many of the “protesters” were wearing the “Make Our Country Great Again” hats (and other garb) from the campaign and they openly pointed out they were celebrating that Trump was in the “White House.”

The Daily Stormer blog embraced Trump’s words as encouragement for the white nationalist movement.  From what I can tell this is a neo-Nazi affiliated website and its members were right in the middle of Charlottesville.  The post on their site “blessing” Trump ended with this:  “And to everyone, know this: we are now at war. And we are not going to back down. … We are going to go bigger than Charlottesville. We are going to go huge. We are going to take over the country. … We learned a lot today. And we are going to remember what we learned. This has only just begun.”  I hope my friends who voted for Trump are paying attention – I hope this is not what they had in mind.

Well, today (Monday) as I was driving around I heard Trump READ comments that were pre-written for him in response to the immense backlash his tepid remarks of Saturday generated.  Even republicans understood what Trump meant when he blamed “many sides” for this violence.  As some people pointed out (correctly) it usually takes Trump around a minute to display his ANGER at anyone who opposes him (for any reason) – for example, his remarks Saturday caused the CEO of MERCK pharmaceutical to withdraw from a business association of the president.  Almost immediately, Trump was on Twitter bashing the man and accusing him and his company of, essentially, price gouging – which may be true, but to Trump it wasn’t an issue until this man could no longer associate himself (and his company) with Trump’s racism.

Obviously, the pressure to say something more definitive AGAINST the “Alt Right” groups continued to MOUNT over the weekend and Trump finally agreed to make a statement condemning the KKK and the other groups involved.  He used to “bash” President Obama for using a “teleprompter” in giving a speech, but this was clearly an address using a teleprompter or some other mechanism to allow Trump to read the remarks.  (I only heard the remarks)  I say that because there’s NO doubt in my mind the remarks were the result of the pressure coming from republicans in Congress and not to the TRUTH about what happened and why it happened this past weekend.

These groups – which, by the way, ARE the reason Trump is in the “White House,” will, in the end, put the republican party in a very uncomfortable position.  Either they continue supporting Trump or they do the right thing and impeach him.  Based on the remarks coming from “The Daily Stormer” I don’t believe republicans can avoid the consequences of aligning themselves with this group either way (and, just to be clear, the so-called “tea party” emanated from people with similar mind sets) and they’re going to have to take sides in this “war” referenced on the “Stormer” website.

From what the “Alt Right” groups are saying – Charlottesville is just the beginning.  This thinking was energized when many latent racists “awoke” after Barack Obama was elected president.  Obviously, at least to me, the issue of racism was much more prevalent in America than I understood when Obama was elected.  President Obama’s election caused it to go from covert to overt – I mean Trump spent five years questioning where Obama was born.  People like Mitch McConnell and Rush Limbaugh publicly proclaimed the republicans’ job #1 was to make sure Obama FAILED.  Now, republicans are getting what was inevitable – their willingness to “partner” with those who perpetrated “Charlottesville” was bound to catch up to them – and it has.  Now, what do they do?  They will be forced to publicly take sides!  Remember, Trump will be the “commander in chief” fighting this “war” referenced by the likes of Duke and the others if republicans continue enabling him.

I don’t believe Trump will be able, anymore, to have it “both ways.”  He talks about our constitution (which I doubt seriously he’s ever read) and “law and order.”  Do you really think he’s the one to lead the cleansing of our nation of this disgusting ideology?  I mean, he essentially embraced it throughout the campaign.  Are they his “backup army?”  He’s constantly “ginning” these people up as he tries to defend himself from the Mueller investigation.  Do you really think he was sincere in his condemnation of them today?  Do you think maybe Bannon or Miller or Gorka sent a text or two letting “the boys” know his remarks were due only to political pressure?  I believe Trump now finds himself in that spot which has famously been described as “between a rock and a hard place.”  The next few days and weeks should be interesting.

As myself (and many many others) have pointed out NUMEROUS times, Trump has proven himself to be a pathological LIAR.  So, most people are already at a place where they don’t believe a word coming from his mouth.  On this issue or any other.  For example, he prefaced his “condemnation” of the “hate groups” today with some bragging about the number of jobs he’s created.  He still doesn’t understand that he’s flying on Obama’s coattails for at least another month (depending on whether he and his republican brethren can come up with their own budget come September).  Few media pundits correct him when he takes credit for the same numbers he criticized Obama for during the campaign.  The reality:  the new president gets credit for the budget beginning in the NEXT fiscal year after the election.  Today, he confirmed he’s incapable of making any statement under any circumstances without first reaffirming his narcissism.  It’s all about Trump, right?

Well, what happened in Charlottesville IS all about Trump and he won’t be able to dodge that reality.  To me, his statement – two days after the tragedy was contrived and only made because of the mounting political pressure.  The remarks made on Saturday were his own – I have no idea who wrote the message given today – what I do know is that it wasn’t Trump.  Here’s the deal – If Trump wants anyone to give credence to his condemnation of racism and hate he MUST remove Steve Bannon, Steven Miller, Sebastian Gorka, and Kellyanne Conway from his administration and he MUST disassociate himself from the likes of people like Richard Spencer.  Until he does so, his words will remain HOLLOW!

Less than 24 hours after my previous post on this site, where I (again) pointed out that Trump’s campaign slogan “Make America Great Again” was a “dog-whistle” (I didn’t use that exact term, but that was the intention) for “Make America White Again,” the very part of Trump’s “base” he won’t be able to run away from held a “White Nationalist” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia which ended in violence.  Are you surprised?  One person was killed and close to 20 injured as a “White Nationalist” drove a car into a crowd of people protesting the gathering of a group that consisted of members affiliated with the KKK, Aryan nation, Skinheads, neo-nazi’s, and others who make up the so-called “Alt Right” which Trump brought to life during the Obama years via his leading the “Birther” movement.  These groups are the part of his base “locked up” when Steve Bannon, Steven Miller, Kellyanne Conway, Sebastian Gorca, and, from the outside, Richard Spencer essentially took over Trump’s campaign. (no pun intended)

We’re talking about those in America who were “under the rocks” until America chose Barack Obama as president in 2008.  Within a couple years the “tea party” was spawned and along the same lines we had Donald Trump leading the claims that Obama couldn’t be president because he was born in Kenya.  (Obviously, just another in a long line of LIES coming from Trump – and, from what I can tell the wishes of the others who see America turning “color” and don’t like what they’re seeing)  Unfortunately, media outlets like Fox “news” have very subtly enabled the “legitimizing” of people involved in this movement – obviously, Trump at the forefront – and, now we have a very serious problem in America.  I’ve been writing about the logical conclusion of what will happen with this movement should Trump – their hero – be exposed for colluding with the Russians or other “issues” bound to be uncovered as Robert Mueller delves into Trump’s financial dealings – including his mysteriously never ending audited tax returns.

Fox and the others who “report news” from the “right” are already stoking the dark side of these groups in regards to the ongoing investigations.  First, it was “there’s no collusion,” to then there was “Collusion isn’t a crime,” to Mueller has conflicts of interest, to “Investigating the finances is a ‘red line,'” to who knows where – the bottom line is these people could care less if Trump colluded with the Russians to win the election or if he’s “laundered” money for Russians.  All they care about is they FINALLY have “one of them” as president.  They have been energized and they will continue to push their racist beliefs as far into the “mainstream” as “we the people” will allow.  Richard Spencer and Milo Yiannopoulos, two compatriots of Bannon, Miller, and Gorca are busy spreading the message of White Nationalism around the country at various college campuses – usually, messages that result in MAJOR conflict or turmoil.  Make no mistake, this is a portion of Trump’s “base” he can’t succeed without.

Obviously, his association with this movement is the reason why Trump came out with a very measured (written by Bannon?) “milk toast” condemnation of the violence in Charlottesville this past weekend.  Trump blamed the violence on “many sides.”  Of course, in this instance, that was another in a long line of STUPID remarks coming from Trump since he took the oath of office, but what was he supposed to do?  Even his “measured” tone didn’t sit well with David Duke, former head of the KKK – who reminded Trump of who voted him into office after listening to Trump’s remarks – remarks which made no one happy. The bottom line is that Trump will not publicly associate himself with the likes of Duke – but, he and his surrogates find ways to let them know they have a friend in the “White House.”

Trust me, those in the “Alt Right” know they’ve got more than one “friend” in the “White House.”  It’s been no secret to me why Bannon, Miller, Gorca, and Conway are still “advisers” to Trump – he would enrage a significant portion of his “base” if he got rid of any of them.  I mean, Miller, earlier in the year, while speaking on the so-called “Sunday morning ‘news’ shows” (like Meet the Press, Face the Nation, etc.) was seen flashing the sign of White Supremacists and little notice was taken – this was done, obviously, on national TV. (his supporters claimed he was just “fixing his tie”) And, Conway texting a White Nationalist during a press briefing drew but a slight notice from anyone in the “liberal media.”

Just as our liberal media seemed timid about characterizing the racism President Obama endured over and over during his two terms in office for what it was, it appears they’re doing the same thing (in reverse) with Trump and his associates.  Trump’s racist behavior is no secret, Bannon was the head of Breitbart – the “home” of the “Alt Right” – Gorca has been seen wearing a pin on his suit from a neo-nazi group in Europe, and I’ve already mentioned Miller flashing the White power hand signal on national TV – at some point we’re going to have to be real about who’s inhabiting the “White House.”  Maybe, what happened this weekend in Charlottesville will FORCE America’s media AND “we the people” (along with, hopefully, republicans in Congress) to understand what is really happening to our nation.

Trump’s followers use the phrase “take our country back” – well, while up until now I’ve never considered that phrase anything more than bloviating – it’s starting to ring true with me.  If “we the people” are going to “take our country back,” Trump needs to be impeached as a first step.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m no fan of Mike Pense, but in my naive optimistic mind I’m hopeful he has no affiliation – other than being forced to do so via his position in Trump’s administration – whatsoever with the “Alt Right.”  The reality is that if Trump is impeached Pense would become president.  I’ve watched him closely during Trump’s first 7 months in office and he’s proved to be a willing LIAR for Trump – almost putting the metaphor of “puppy dog” in my mind as I watch him doing Trump’s bidding on MANY occasions.  However, we can hope the “grass is greener on the other side of the fence.”

The next election is 2018 and if Americans don’t wake up to the reality of what’s happening to our nation we deserve the results.  Trump has gained the attention of those around the world who are wondering what on earth is going on in America.  It is up to “we the people” to respond to Trump’s agenda in the most powerful of ways – at the BALLOT box! And, we need to brace ourselves because these people who support Trump will not take him being impeached lightly – there’s a good chance there could be a significant, and very negative, response to Trump being ousted from office.  The evidence of that was very clear in Charlottesville this weekend.

I’m anticipating the republicans will continue enabling Trump because they understand, and FEAR, the backlash that would happen if they “do the right thing.”  Personally, I believe I’m not the only INDEPENDENT American voter who is looking for republicans with the COURAGE to stand up and lead the Congress in doing what’s RIGHT.   I “get” they’re waiting for the conclusion of Mueller’s investigation – but, there’s so much EVIDENCE of incompetence, arrogance to the laws (emoluments clause of constitution), never ending LIES to “we the people,” delusional behavior, and the reality that Trump is unqualified to lead this country in the face of the international issues we’re facing.  The DAMAGE he’s doing could pale to the DAMAGE he might still do – many of us are wondering how much DAMAGE is acceptable to republicans in Congress?  Will it take a national DISASTER to get their attention?

At this point – in the case of a disaster or a national emergency – NO ONE will believe a word that comes from Trump’s mouth.  He has LOST any credibility anyone might have given him after he was sworn in – as  if he was capable of “learning on the job – because of the near CONSTANT LYING.  In fact, the MASSIVE amounts of “leaks” coming from the “White House” suggests to me that many of the Americans working in the White House who are career public servants see Trump for what he is – and, they fear for our nation.  They want “we the people” to know the TRUTH about what’s happening inside our nation’s capital.  We have a narcissist as president and EVERYTHING is “all about Trump.”

If you saw the video of the cabinet meeting where, one by one, Trump’s cabinet members expressed their “thanks” to Trump for the “blessing” of being able to work for him it wouldn’t surprise you to see the video of the campaign events where Trump had followers raising their hands in a Nazi style “heil” salute of allegiance.  Trump was smart enough to “read” the backlash to that strategy, claiming he was unaware of the comparisons to Hitler, and apparently stopped asking crowds for their “allegiance” – but, all I can say is, in the context of everything else Trump has done and said, it didn’t look as if this was innocent to me.  It’s certainly clear he expects people to support him no matter what – he really doesn’t like having a constitution which was written to prevent someone like Trump actually gaining a stranglehold on authority in America.

We are in a “constitutional crisis” and it’s up to “we the people” to defend our heritage – the heritage passed down to us via the “greatest generation.”  Our fathers and grandfathers who gave/risked their lives to defend the world against the ideology of Trump and his most ardent followers.  FDR brought us the “New Deal” where our government (which, by the way, is “we the people”) intervened for working class Americans against a corporate world driven by greed.  We’re now in a similar situation (actually, eerily similar) to the 1920’s and Trump is the opposite of what America needs.  I “get” the frustration of those in the “blue collar” class who feel “left behind,” but they are mistaken in their trust for Trump.  It’s time for the democratic party to wake up and realize they need to open their “doors” to every American – including those who have been sucked into the republican world because of the abortion issue.  (more to come on that issue in a later post)

From the perspective of a retired teacher “we the people” elected republicans determined to destroy our public school system in 2000 when George W Bush was anointed president by a right wing Supreme court despite LOSING the “popular vote” by over half a MILLION votes.  Bush implemented the “No Child Left Behind” legislation that virtually ASSURED there would be many a child “left behind,” as “conservatives” upped their attacks on so-called “liberal” education.  The first day I read the bill (at least the parts I was able to read) as a sixth grade teacher in a high poverty school I realized there was NO WAY our school would not eventually become a “failing school.”  This despite the FACT our staff was FULL of dedicated teachers, administrators, support staff, etc. who were working hard to help EVERY student have the chance to better their lives via education.

Parents were encouraged (those who could afford to) to pull their students from schools like mine and put them in private or “charter” schools – thinning out the peer role models for students in generational poverty circumstances and, thus, making the challenge to the teachers and staff that much greater.  Since that day, there has been one “great idea” after another on how to “fix” our public schools and, based on my experience, most of those “great ideas” weren’t so great.  The challenge continued to rise, the number of peer role models continued to drop, and the test scores continued to drop.  (And, I have to say, I was NEVER a proponent of single day tests as a legitimate measurement of a student’s ability – especially a student living in generational poverty)  As the success on testing got worse the distance from methods that were successful prior to “No Child” got farther away.

Sadly, I didn’t feel the Obama administration did much to “fix” the situation.  For me, it seemed like “business as usual” during Obama’s two terms in the White House.  There seemed to be less of a focus on the testing results, but the overall “mission” seemed, at least to me, to be very close to what preceded President Obama’s election.  More “new ideas” to solve problems that arose due to the previous “new ideas.”  I remember saying to my principal, back when our school was labeled in the “Opportunity Zone” – giving us access to new curriculum which most of the teachers thought was far inferior to the previous curriculum – that we would never go back to what was actually working well once we accepted that people in university faculties knew better than classroom teachers how to improve education.  Progressively, I noticed, after “No Child” the pressure on administrators caused them to have less confidence in their teachers because their “necks” were always “on the line.”  (Making it much more difficult for new [young] teachers to get established.  Many are choosing other professions)

Then, along comes Donald Trump and he nominated Betsy DeVoss as Secretary of Education.  Now, it’s only been a little over 6 months since she took on that role, but (and, I’m guessing here) public education is likely to take an ever greater “hit” due to DeVoss’ previous commitment to school vouchers, charter schools (which, historically have not out “achieved” public schools with far less restrictions), and private schools.  One has to “read between the lines” to fully understand the agenda here – but, I’ll just say the end result is that students in poverty, students of “color,” and students with disabilities end up being the “target” of the agenda we’ve seen since the implementation of “No Child.”

To me, this is no surprise.  During the Bush/Cheney years we didn’t see any focus (at least I didn’t) from the government to reduce the problem of income inequality in America that began to expand during the Reagan years.  (and, yes, it expanded during Obama’s years as well)  But, now we have a president with a history of racism – both in words (ie “Birther movement) and actions (housing discrimination) who’s got the country on the edge of their seats wondering if he “did or didn’t” COLLUDE with the Russians during the 2016 election.  (The meeting with Russians and email chain of Donald Trump Jr. would suggest “he did”)  Trump has an Attorney General who’s operating as his surrogate and, despite unprecedented bashing in the press from his “boss,” an attorney general who’s actually busy implementing numerous racist like policies in the justice department – virtually all of them “under the radar” – apparently to further the “White Nationalist” agenda of the Breitbart wing of Trump’s advisers.

Trump’s Attorney General, Jeff Sessions, is pushing surreptitious policy that is aimed at low income people and persons of color.  Two areas of Sessions’ focus will be marijuana policies and immigration policy.  For example, he’s proposing a return to the draconian sentencing policies regarding the use of marijuana which has been “legalized” in several states (including my own) and ultimately ends up putting more low income people and people of color into ridiculous jail terms. (Sessions is also reimplenting private FOR PROFIT prisons which make money be KEEPING people in jail – not rehabilitating them)  The immigration policies and enforcement is leaving a “bad taste” in many people’s “mouths” as we ponder “are we heading toward being a police state?”  Not to mention that farmers in Southern California are already complaining they don’t have enough people to harvest their crops – with the possibility of great damage to our source of fresh food coming from American farmers.

In addition, Trump has Kris Kobach, the Secretary of State of Kansas (He’s the “king” of voter suppression, what does this say about Kansas?) attempting to put together a national data base of EVERYONE who’s a registered voter which would include ALL the information state governments have on their registered voters.  Like for example, Social Security numbers, who you voted for, how often you vote, where you live, etc. etc.  Is this really what we call “conservative” politics?

Honestly, my friends who support Trump (I can never understand why) can’t explain to me what “conservative” means.  Not one of them!  Every one of them watches Fox “news” and most listen to Rush Limbaugh.  I believe there will become a time when those at Fox and those who “carry the water” like Limbaugh will find themselves in the wrong part of the American History books.  (Of course, I’m assuming Americans come to their senses and vote Trump and his supporters out of office.)  Make no mistake, the BRAINWASHING done by Fox, Limbaugh, and the other right wing talkers – who seem to all operate via the same “puppet masters” – is a powerful force and will require a major “push-back” to overcome.  (and, also, all these “tactics” are designed to reduce those who would vote Trump and the others out of office from the voter rolls.  It’s a sophisticated plan and “we the people” are depending on the media to expose it)

The point I’m trying to get at is the apparent right wing agenda in America to create MORE “low information voters” through multiple strategies and to discourage (or block) those who might vote for democrats from actually voting  – the most offensive part of this to me is the attack on public education in an ultimately futile attempt to keep “whites” as the majority in America.  From that perspective, it appears to me those behind this agenda want fewer people who “think for themselves” and more who are susceptible to their BRAINWASHING.  When you look at the right wing agenda it really is puzzling how they (meaning republicans) are able to “get away” with what they’re actually doing.  (More on that later)  So, through attacking the education system, the justice system, and the voting system Trump and the republicans are trying to find a way to save their “permanent republican ‘majority.'”  And, make no mistake, “white privilege” is a large part of their motivation.

The BRAZEN republican agenda is incredibly unpopular, but they keep pushing it and in such an arrogant way which shows they believe their “base” will continue voting them into office no matter what.  For example, the recent republican attempt to “repeal and replace” the Affordable Care Act (aka “Obamacare”) was actually another “tax cut for the rich” – seemingly, the one part of republican politics which never changes – and it had an approval rating of something in the neighborhood of 12 – 17% from polls I saw.  This meant nothing to them.  They could see a way to cut taxes for the major contributors and that always makes their eyes light up.  There seems to be no concern that of the 20 – 30 MILLION Americans who’d lose health insurance many might be part of their “base.”  This is instead of making the changes to the Affordable Care Act to make it more accessible and more effective.  Remember, The philosophy behind the Affordable Care Act came from the Heritage Institute (“conservative”) and was similar to the plan implemented in Massachusetts by Mitt Romney when he was governor there.

Republicans didn’t “hate” the idea of the Affordable Care Act until the name “Obama” was placed on it.  If your head’s been under a rock, let me explain.  President Obama is “Black” and that’s a non-starter with our republican party.  And, let me be clear on that one.  There are a few “Black” Americans in notable positions in the republican party, but, from what I can tell, it’s mostly for “show.”  Take Michael Steele for example.  During the first years of President Obama (2009 – 2011) Steele was the chairman of the Republican National Committee.  Soon after he was elected to this post he got into a little “tuft” with Rush Limbaugh, who then attacked him causing him to apologize to Limbaugh. This is how republicans have operated since the days of Reagan – if you’re a republican, you live in fear of Rush Limbaugh.  And, it didn’t take Limbaugh long to point out his “ire” that republicans would choose a “Black” person to lead their party.  To me, unbelievable!

Personally, I like Steele.  From what I’ve seen I would disagree with many of his “positions,” but I’m confident he’s the type of “conservative” that “liberals” could communicate with in a way that solves problems.  However, it’s clear his election to chair the RNC was the republican “counterweight” to the election of Barack Obama as president.  Apparently, Steele’s biggest failure in the eyes of his fellow republicans was his willingness to accept that President Obama might SUCCEED – which, to people like Limbaugh, was a non-starter.  (His greatest failure, to me, was his part in the success of the “Tea Party” which emerged during his tenure)  I continue to struggle with how someone as brilliant as Steele could end up in the republican party.  I’m guessing the “blame” is as much on democrats as with the republicans.  It appears to me democrats have the same kind of “barriers” to their party as republicans – just from different directions.  For example, Steele is likely someone who’s opposed to abortion.  To me, the idea that democrats push anyone with that belief away is STUPID!  This is how we’ve ended up with a republican party which initiates arguments on the wedge issues while surreptitiously ripping us all off while we’re not looking.  They do this because “it works.”

So, while we’re all thinking Trump is mentally ill (he may well be) and we’re focused on Russia or now it’s North Korea (now, instead of did he or didn’t he it’s “will he or won’t he”) there’s a very calculated “plan” being implemented right before our unsuspecting eyes that, very likely, will be “in place” before we know what “hit us.”  From my vantage point it’s a very strategic plan to make sure “white privilege” continues to “rule the day.”  The part our schools is playing in this, to me, is very discouraging.  I’ve said this since the first year I started teaching – it was my fifth profession while most I worked with had spent their entire lives in one school or another – schools, by their nature, are not able to fight back against the politics.  The teacher’s unions, to a certain degree, are able to do battle on the state level – but, the result of “No Child” and what has followed it always, at least to me, has created a response from public schools which seems reactionary.  The public schools and the dedicated people working in them are focused on helping students in progressively more challenging circumstances.  They’re no match for (most don’t even think of) national politics.  The public school agenda is being manipulated (and undermined) from “afar.”

By putting people like DeVoss in charge of government institutions – people committed to destroying the institution they’re in charge of – part of the plan to “deconstruct the administrative state” – Trump and his surrogates (like Steve Bannon, for example) are busy “Making America White again.”  That’s what their campaign slogan really intended to say.  Despite all the criticism from his boss (Trump really is worried about the “Russia thing” – that’s the one thing which could put a “monkey wrench” into their plans) about recusal, Sessions, like DeVoss, is doing without much notice EXACTLY what Trump and the others want him to do.  I’m still not sure what the end game for these people is but none of the options are acceptable to me.

Trump has shown himself to be a Vladimir Putin wannabee and Bannon has supposedly claimed, in the past, to be a “Leninist” – and, that’s NOT John Lennon – so authoritarian tendencies in their policies being advanced should be no  surprise to anyone paying attention.  (it will be to the “low information voters” if Trump et al succeed – my friends who voted for Trump still haven’t accepted the reality Trump is a pathological LIAR – and, they can’t bring themselves to believe Trump’s “promises” are hollow)  As a retired teacher I understand how the education system can be used to promote certain agendas – and, I understand the “argument goes both ways” – meaning “conservatives” think public education is “liberal” – but, the duty of our education system SHOULD be to create creative thinkers.  To teach our children HOW to think and NOT WHAT to think.  I don’t believe that’s part of DeVoss’ (or Trump’s) agenda.

As I watch what is going on behind the “headlines” during Trump’s first year in office I’m feeling even more-so the importance that republicans come to their senses and remove him from office.  Honestly, I don’t have a lot more confidence in Mike Pense – and, I actually believe that if Pense becomes president the republicans have a greater chance to get their “agenda” through congress – but, Trump is DANGEROUS, he’s a bully, he’s a classic narcissist, he’s a pathological LIAR, and he’s ruining America’s standing around the world in the countries that are actually important to us.  People are praying he doesn’t resort to the traditional republican strategy of starting a war when the poll numbers are down – but, that’s a thought for another day.  In the meantime, watch what Trump’s doing (behind the scenes) instead of what he’s “tweeting.”  He is the master at manipulating the media.

OMG!  Where to start???  While many in the media and many “leaders” in Washington DC are, rightfully so, focused on the so-called (by Trump himself) “Russia thing” I continue to worry about the stealth damage Trump is doing to our nation that will be difficult to “fix.”  I’m presently re-reading “The Return of the Imperial Presidency and the Subversion of American Democracy” by Charlie Savage to refresh my thinking regarding the power play pushed through a willing Congress by Bush/Cheney during their disastrous administration so that I’m better able to see what Trump and his minions are up to regarding their attempt to turn America into a dictatorship/oligarchy type of government.  The sad reality is that Congress conceded many of their own “rights” to the Bush/Cheney administration in the disguise of “national security” – that “catch all” phrase which would suggest Bin Laden was successful for more than the obvious on 9/11.

Sadly, I believe many around the world understand our government better than a significant portion of those who participate at the ballot box.  “Terrorism,” by it’s very “title,” is a strategy based on FEAR.  And, America’s leaders, I’m sure this was understood ahead of time by Bin Laden and others of his ilk, were primed to get “sucked in” after the attacks on the World Trade Center in 2001.  Fear has been the mantra of our political dialogue pretty much ever since.  We are crumbling from the inside out as our “leaders” stoke the “fear card” to the point where it’s become second nature.  I believe many of us – meaning “we the people,” have just accepted this ENDLESS “war on terror” as something we have to just live with – accepting the premise given us by those in Washington DC – and, never, apparently, trying to understand what is really happening and, more importantly, WHY it’s happening.

The end result of all this is “we the people” giving up more and more of our “liberty” that republicans, especially, used to be the main protectors of – at least rhetorically.  Bush/Cheney pushed through legislation that essentially enabled their TORTURING, their MULTIPLE violations of the FISA law as they routinely EAVESDROPPED on American citizens, the deregulation of our most basic institutions – including financial institutions leading to the “Great Recession,”  and the Patriot Act giving the president virtually unlimited powers in regard to the use of our military.  I’m sure the republican Congress which went along with all the power grabs couldn’t envision Donald Trump as some day sitting in the White House – but, that’s the reality we now find ourselves in.  At the time I remember saying, “Privileges/rights are much easier to lose than to get back.”  Now, we have Trump in the White House and some of the surreptitious things he’s “up to” are, to me, even more alarming.

Trump is ostensibly a buffoon in regard to his ability to “govern,” but, he’s got that Putin-like instinct of “my way or the highway” as he struggles with a media as a check on his power, a court system that actually, to a degree, follows the constitution (although, one of Bush/Cheney’s major accomplishments – from their perspective – was “stacking” the courts with right wing political appointments along with the Justice Department), and a Congress that, at least, seems to be aware they’ve abdicated their responsibility in the face of “terrorism” giving unfettered power to the “Oval Office.”  The idea of Trump as the “unitary executive” is sobering to say the least.

Trump has been “going after” the media since the day he was inaugurated.  If you remember Sean Spicer’s initial LIES on the day of the inauguration – regarding the size of the audience – you have to believe Trump was “locked and loaded” regarding his impending attacks on the press from day one.  Of course, at that time, he knew the TRUTH about the “Russia thing” so there was “method to his madness,” as he began portraying our media as “fake news.”  He’s also been attacking the intelligence community – really from before the inauguration – to the point where he’s undermining what should be one of his strongest assets (of course, they know what you and I don’t  – but, Trump does).  And, he’s been busy attempting to purge voters from the voting rolls since day one – which includes, what to me, is the almost unbelievable request for personal information on EVERY voter in the U.S. in history – via, the “king of voter suppression” Kris Kobach, the Secretary of State (and future governor???) of Kansas who’s proving the people of Kansas qualify as “low information voters.”  That, of course, makes it “Trump country.”

If you want to be afraid, well, what Trump is up to behind the scenes should get your attention.  When you put all his antics together, you can see someone who admires Vladimir Putin for a reason.  I’m sure Trump is envious that Putin doesn’t have to deal with a media that actually checks his power – or a legislature that doesn’t bow down to him – or voters who actually expect their leaders to say stuff that at least resembles the truth.  I’ve, on many occasions, pointed out the similarities I see in Trump and a certain leader in Germany during the 30’s – which would include policy based on the “big lie theory” – but, I’m coming to the conclusion that Trump’s LYING is pathological in most instances.  Certainly, some of it is “planned” – such as the statement Trump dictated for Don Jr. regarding his COLLUSION with the Russians (along with Paul Manafort and Jared Kushner) but, for the most part, I believe Trump is delusional and the LIES are of the pathological nature – where he actually believes he’s not LYING when he CLEARLY is!  He may actually believe his crowd was large or that he’s actually popular – I know that’s hard to believe, but he keeps saying it – so, the choice is brazen or pathological – I don’t see any other explanation.

Of course, that all is what makes him so dangerous.  I don’t believe Trump will ever resign as Nixon did back in the 70’s – but, I believe his “transgressions” – once they’re all made public, will make Nixon look like an amateur.  It’s well known that the Russian government operates in a parallel fashion to organized crime.  Trump, who’s had his “fingers” in all sorts of places I believe they shouldn’t have been is going to be exposed because of the “Russia thing” – the investigation – is bound to find itself in the middle of some of Trump’s previous “schemes” he’s been able to keep “under the radar.”  His own sons pointed out that he has relied on MONEY coming from Russia – because, after being “stiffed” enough times, American banks would not “touch” him.  The evidence of money laundering is significant even though “we the people” have only seen “the tip of the iceberg.”  I point this out because I believe Trump doesn’t believe he’s vulnerable to our system of laws – especially now that he’s president (he’s already publicly explored his power to pardon – even to pardon himself – what does that suggest?) and, I believe he’ll be lashing out at his critics, his opponents, and anyone who would attempt to stop him – including the republican Congress – to the last day he’s in office.

From what I’ve seen lately, Trump is “ginning up” his most ardent followers to believe he’s the victim of some sort of “witch hunt” as he calls it.  Unfortunately, the state of things in America right now seems almost like an “us against them” – and,  your personal political philosophy would determine whether your an “us” or a “them.”  It really is a sad state of affairs.  I know people who are Trump supporters and they get angry at the thought that the “fake news” might not be “fake.”  The “big lie theory” (which was the work of propagandist Joseph Goebbels in 1930’s Germany) is designed to BRAINWASH people into believing information to be true that is categorically FALSE.  It worked back then and the republican party (and Trump) are counting on it working now.  The reality is that the republicans have been practicing this since the days of Reagan and it’s been working for them.  Hopefully, there will be more and more members of the “liberal media” who will point this out to educate America’s “conservative” voters what they’ve been getting “fed” for the last 35+ years.

So, again, if you choose to live in fear, I would suggest you start by considering what America would be like if Trump succeeds in turning us into a Russian satellite.  Think about what it would be like if his “voter integrity” project succeeds and you lose your right to vote.  Think about what it would be like if Fox “news,” Breitbart, Rush Limbaugh, and the like was the only acceptable form of information (we’d all be “ditto heads” as Limbaugh’s followers call themselves – I shake my head as I write that).  Think about Trump having the ability to name ANY American an “enemy combatant” to be imprisoned without charges and without a right to a trial as was the scheme of Bush/Cheney in their blatant overreach using the “FEAR card” following 9/11.  Think about a Justice Department, and FBI, and an intelligence community that answers directly to Trump.  I could go on, but I hope you get my point.

This man is dangerous and the more the evidence points toward him the more dangerous he will get.  As I said above, I don’t see Trump resigning when it comes to impeachment time.  We’re going to find out how much our Congress is ruled by FEAR.  After 9/11 they willingly gave up their own rights and those of “we the people”  The “resistance” has been strong and needs to be even stronger to get the attention of members of Congress.  I pointed out early in Trump’s term that the only thing which would turn the republican congress against him would be FEAR for their jobs.  “We the people” need to make it clear to our representatives, no matter their party affiliation, that Trump and his LYING is unacceptable.  Unfortunately, I feel if we have to wait until November of 2018 to act, the damage could be catastrophic.  (which means, like it or not, we’re depending on republicans to end this disaster)  At some point there’s going to be a true national emergency and I, for one, have ZERO confidence in Trump’s ability to make a rational decision.

I listened the other day to Donald Trump taking claim for the latest “jobs numbers” and the low unemployment numbers – yes, this is the same Donald Trump who blasted these numbers as being phony when President Obama was in office – but, now he’s (Trump) supposedly the reason why our economy is moving upward.  However, if you actually look at the statistics the economy is moving – and has been moving – in almost a straight line up since the Obama administration – with the help of a democratic Congress (I believe there may have been a couple republicans voting with them, one being Susan Collins) passed a “stimulus bill” that was barely enough to pull the United States out of the “Great Recession” caused by the previous republican administration’s lenient regulatory policies toward financial institutions.  I believe, since then, the country’s GDP has averaged an increase of somewhere between 2 and 2.5% which Trump characterizes as anemic. (Of course, he hasn’t commented on the FACT the GDP is no better today than it was then)

Before I delve into the sheer hypocrisy of Trump’s most recent claims (hypocrisy could be a code word in defining Trump and his “administration”) I have to say I pointed out, at the beginning of Trump’s term (however long that may be – Mike Pense is already planning to be the president) that, as with all presidents, he’s operating the first year (at least, I believe, until September when the new “budget” – which they can’t seem to pass – takes effect) on the policies of the Obama administration.  You’re correct, I’m no expert economist, I’ve just read this from multiple sources and observed it many times over the course of my life.  The reality is that Trump will have to wait until 2018 to do his boasting – every “boast” he makes now is, in reality, a claim supporting the policies of Barack Obama and the democrats.

From a recent historical perspective – it took Bush/Cheney about six months to destroy the tax surpluses they inherited from Clinton/Gore – which were reducing the national debt by 250 BILLION dollars per year – and, by year two turning them into a near TRILLION dollar deficit (if you count the wars they were “putting on a credit card.”  It took President Obama several years to reduce the deficits he “inherited” by over 50% and it will be interesting, to say the least, what Trump does with what he inherited.  There are many “budget hawks” in the House – at least while a democrat is president, we’ll see as Trump proposes a budget if they still believe in “balancing the budget” while they’re proposing BILLIONS in tax cuts for the wealthy.

It’s true that via executive orders the president can have a minor impact on “the ship of state” but he can’t turn it in a different direction without legislative support.  So, in effect, Trump is now claiming credit for the same policies he lambasted President Obama over while running for office – and, of course, with the help of Fox “news,” Rush Limbaugh, and the other right wing “water carriers” he’ll get away with this as far as his “base” (the low information voters) is concerned.  Trump has ZERO major legislative accomplishments to this point so whatever he’s done has been “under the radar.”

Here’s some of what Trump has “accomplished”:  Coal companies can now dump their sludge in the rivers and streams around their coal mines AND there’s a reported 800 jobs created due to the support of Trump and his pulling the U.S. out of the Paris climate Accords (we now stand with Nicaragua and Syria as the only countries in the WORLD not part of that agreement).  I want to say that’s like taking one step forward and five steps backward, but, I’m having trouble saying anything to suggest support of the dying coal industry is a step forward – especially, allowing the dumping of the sludge into rivers and streams again. (those 800 jobs represent a fraction of 1% of the jobs created just in the last month) Additionally, Trump is surreptitiously rolling back financial regulations which benefit those in the swamp he’s supposed to be “draining.”

All the moves Trump is making “under the radar” will play out in the years to come.  As I’ve said, starting in 2018 he’ll be able to legitimately start taking claim for any rise in the economy or BLAME if it goes “south.”  Many, like myself, feel there’s another “bubble” in the making and, while it doesn’t take an expert to figure this out, at some point a “bubble” will “burst.”  I’m not sure about you, but I have NO sense of confidence that Trump will be able to figure out what to do in the case of another financial meltdown.  Trump has shown himself to be a pathological LIAR and he’s filled his cabinet and inner circle with people of the same “ilk” or people who are willing to LIE if ordered to do so.

It’s been reported many times that Trump watches the cable TV shows that are reporting on the investigation of the “Russia thing,” along with other aspects of the Trump administration to the point where he’s supposedly yelling at the TV while watching it.  Supposedly, Trump’s surrogates who are sent out to defend him on television are always “playing to an audience of one.”  Meaning, they’ve got to defend Trump’s LIES in order to keep their jobs.  I believe, for example, Sean Spicer – who recently resigned as press secretary – damaged his career by LYING repeatedly for Trump.  This stuff is on TV, it’s recorded, and you have to live with it if you’re willing to do it.  Sarah Huckabee Sanders is rapidly putting herself in the same spot.  I have to say, I can only hope this LYING about virtually EVERYTHING is not going to be an acceptable norm in America going forward.

As I wrote in a previous post I asked a friend of mine – who watches Fox “news,” especially Hannity – and says he’s a conservative (which he can’t define) and voted for Trump for “moral” reasons – if he still supports Trump for “moral” reasons.  (He had been programmed to actually HATE Hillary Clinton)  When he said “yes,” I asked him how he was processing all the LIES and his response was: “you’re not going to change my mind.”  (I told him I was only trying to understand his reasoning)  I guess one of my major frustrations is with Christians who continue to support Trump despite the CONSTANT LYING.

But, I digress.  Here’s some of the hypocrisy I mentioned above.  In the campaign Trump claimed he would never “touch” Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.  Well, that went out the “window” once his “health care” proposal – supposedly to repeal and replace “Obamacare” (ie The Affordable Care Act) became public knowledge.  Even when dealing with health care republicans can’t get out of the “tax cut for the wealthy” mode – “Trumpcare” would have cut almost a TRILLION dollars from Medicaid over the next 10 years – virtually cutting the legs from under the program (which insures more people than any other program in America) while giving tax cuts in the same amount to the wealthiest 2% of Americans.  Clearly, in the legislation both Social Security and Medicare were in the “cross-hairs” of republicans in Congress.  I don’t believe Trump even understands what is in the legislation republicans are (and will be) putting in front of him to sign.  Shortly after signing (and celebrating) the House version of “health care” he characterized it has being “MEAN.” Go Figure!

Trump claimed he would “drain the swamp.”  All you have to do is check out the “resume’s” of those he’s put in his cabinet and it becomes immediately apparent that he’s making the “swamp” DEEPER.  Most of them appear to have no idea how the government actually functions so they’re not getting much done – but, I fear, that may be the objective.  For example, Trump is threatening to withhold funds earmarked for the Affordable Care Act in order to cause it to “fail.”  I can only hope that won’t be an acceptable strategy of governing going forward.  Many department heads are held by people committed to destroying that department.

Here’s another tip:  when someone refers to someone else as being “crooked” take heed.  There’s an old saying, “The skunk smells his own hole first.”  I have to say, one of the greatest ironies (hypocrisy?), to me, is Trump using the term “Crooked Hillary” – which he’s still doing, by the way, in his attempt to deflect his “base” from learning the TRUTH about the “Russia thing” – and, the other stuff Robert Mueller will undoubtedly “uncover” in his investigation of the “Russia thing.”  Like everything else that comes out of Trump’s mouth, his claims about the Clintons are either exaggerations or just plain LIES, but his strategy is ALWAYS to DEFLECT whoever’s listening from his own transgressions.  The more Trump fights back on the investigation of the “Russia thing” the more I believe he’s got MAJOR problems when it concludes.

Trump claimed, almost EVERY day, during the campaign he was going to “build a wall” (between the U.S. and Mexico) and “MEXICO’S GOING TO PAY FOR IT.”  Of course, every American, except those who believe in Trump, knew that claim was preposterous from the git go.  Yet, he continued making the claim even after taking the oath of office.  Now, even Trump’s most ardent supporters know the truth about those claims due to the release of a phone transcript of Trump’s conversation with the president of Mexico – where Trump was PLEADING with his Mexican counterpart to at least publicly support the claim – even though Mexico  was NOT going to pay for ANY of the so-called “wall.”  So, if there’s a wall, “we the people” will pay for it whether we want it or not – remember Trump LOST the popular vote by around 3 MILLION votes – meaning MOST of us don’t want that wall! (and, if we voted again, I’m convinced he’d lose by a lot more than 3 MILLION)

All this suggests to me that when 2018 rolls around and Trump gets (has) to claim credit for the economy and the general direction of the “ship of state” he could be tempted to do even more LYING.  I actually hope things take a turn for the better.  For example, Trump’s incompetence could FORCE the Congress to find BIPARTISAN solutions to problems and return to what John McCain referred to as “regular order.”  I’m not one to hope our president “fails” as republicans not only hoped for under President Obama, but tried to facilitate – because if the president fails the country fails.  It’s just that if there’s any credit go give the economy at this point it’s mostly because of the leadership of President Obama.  Trump can legitimately start bragging about the economy in 2018.

Final thought:  I’ve mentioned Joseph Goebbels “Big Lie theory” many times on this site.  There’s no doubt in my mind that the republican party – in conjunction with the right wing media personnel – have been proponents of this theory for years.  The theory is based on the belief that if you tell a LIE over and over enough times, people will begin to believe it’s true.  This worked in Germany in the thirties and it’s worked for republicans since the days of Ronald Reagan.  I honestly don’t believe Trump is consciously even aware of this philosophy.  I believe his LYING is pathological.  I’m not sure which I find more disgusting – Trump as a pathological LIAR or people like Hannity, Limbaugh, and the others who do it as a “means to an end.”  Either way, it will work as long as “we the people” continue to “fall” for it in significant numbers.  I’ve yet to hear a media commentator even explain to their audience what the “Big Lie theory” is.  I discovered it in my reading and once aware of what’s going on it’s much easier to understand the inner workings of those who use it.  You’d think it would be the “conservatives” who’d be the most disgusted by all the LYING – but, instead, it appears they’re willing recipients of the LIES!

The “swamp” in Washington DC, as Trump proclaimed it during the campaign, is getting deeper.  Observing how this is all playing out is, at best, discouraging, at worst, alarming.  Many Americans were relieved the other day when the republican attempts to “repeal and replace” the Affordable Care Act went down in “flames,” due to republicans’ insistence on disguising their tax cut agenda as a health care plan.  Even republicans couldn’t get a unanimous vote on a bill that would reduce the insured in America by anything from 16 to 32 MILLION mostly lower socioeconomic class Americans.  The bill would have been especially cruel to women from what I could tell – but, of course, just like the members of the Senate, I was not able to read the bill so I’m basing my thoughts on commentary from those who had access to it (plus, the Congressional Budget Office which “scored” the bill)

Here’s the sad reality of that “hollow victory.”  Trump hates anything with President Obama’s name on it and he’ll do what he can to MAKE SURE that the Affordable Care Act implodes.  From what I understand, Trump can order the funds used to support the health exchanges to be withheld causing insurance companies to abandon the market place, thus causing “Obamacare’s” implosion.  The FACT doing so would essentially cause the loss of insurance for numbers of Americans in the neighborhood of the republican’s proposed legislation, apparently, is meaningless to Trump.  I’m sure what we’ll hear from his lips will be “I told you so” – and, he’ll be counting on “we the people” failing to understand why the markets are imploding and he’ll attempt to place the “BLAME” on democrats.  This will be another challenge to the intellectual capacity of the American public.

Honestly, I’m not a big fan of the democratic party in America – I’m not going to go into all the details why – but, let me just say that’s the other option to Trump and the republicans. Right now, aside from my concerns about them, they have basically  no power in Congress.   I keep hoping there will be republicans who will have the courage to “step up” and lead the fight against Trump, but apparently it will take a national disaster to get their attention.  The brazen disregard for our constitution and our laws, the issue with the obstruction of the “Russian thing,” and the demonstrated lack of knowledge about how our government functions – not to mention our history – has not been enough to get republicans’ attention.  Trump continues to “gin up” the “base” who voted for him, as shown through his reliance on campaign type appearances in “friendly country” – like West Virginia where his claims to be revitalizing the coal industry are a big hit.

What is really happening, from what I can find out, is that coal companies can now dump their sludge in local streams (overturning a regulation passed during President Obama’s term) and, with Trump’s blessing, there’s been something like 800 jobs created in the coal industry since he took office.  If you’re any good at math you know that’s a fraction of 1% of the jobs created this year.  And, worse than that, the coal being mined is apparently headed over seas to other countries who will turn it into steel.  Obviously, I’m no expert on the steel industry or the coal industry – other than to have observed what burning coal does to the environment.  If we don’t need to burn it, we shouldn’t be burning it.  And, there clearly are MUCH better options!

Last night I watched a segment on MSNBC by Richard Engel which showed how the Chinese are, in the words of an American executive working in Beijing, “killing” us – meaning the United States – in the advancement of clean energy technologies.  As a person who invested in solar panels on my own home (3 years ago) it’s apparent that MUCH energy can be produced via “clean energy.”  Clean energy is the FUTURE and Trump is encouraging people to live in the past.  My guess is that Trump, himself, has investments that would lead him to encourage more use of fossil fuels as opposed to the “clean energy” alternative.  India and China are working toward a future where there are NO gas powered vehicles on their highways in the next 10-15 years.  Under Trump’s leadership, the United States is falling farther and farther behind.

Of course, the real reason Trump is out “ginning up” the base is because he knows what we don’t about what Robert Mueller is bound to uncover in his investigation of the “Russia thing.”  In Trump’s West Virginia speech he, again, referred to the “Russia thing” as a HOAX.  He’s busy convincing these willing audiences – that apparently rely on Fox “news” for their information (or people like Rush Limbaugh) – that the “media” is “fake” and that there were “no Russians involved in his campaign.”  By now, we all know that Trump is a pathological LIAR, but that statement could have been a sly “truth.”  (I have no idea if there were any “Russians” as official parts of his campaign)

What we do KNOW is that Donald Trump Jr., Paul Manafort (at the time, Trump’s campaign manager), and Jared Kushner (Trump’s son in law – and, apparently his senior adviser) ALL met with a group of Russians representing the Kremlin with information about Hillary Clinton that would help Trump’s campaign for president.  No matter what they say – THAT IS COLLUSION – just attending  that meeting with the intent to gather what is being referred to as “dirt” on his opponent.  This is no longer deniable.  Soon after the details of that meeting were made public (and, of course, the “details” evolved as Trump Jr. was FORCED to tell more because the NY Times had the info – although he still continued LYING) the right wing water carriers – ie Fox “news,” etc. – began a public campaign proclaiming: “Collusion is not illegal” or something like what’s wrong with colluding?  Yikes!  (Apparently, Trump, himself, dictated the original LIE about what took place at that meeting)

So, members of Trump’s campaign are in serious legal jeopardy as are his son, Donald Jr. and his son in law Jared Kushner.  Just attending the June 9 meeting under the circumstances made apparent by the series of emails leading up to the meeting was a violation of American election laws.  As I’ve said before, “I’m not a lawyer” but, that meeting has “conspiracy” written all over it.  (not to mention the other “C” word – COLLUSION)  The sad reality here is that Trump’s most fervent supporters are somehow OK with this COLLUSION evidently because it’s Trump doing it.  Can you imagine what all these people would have been saying if Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama had colluded with the Russians (or any other country) to gain an advantage in an election???? (just to be clear, another word for “collusion” is TREASON)

As is the usual with Trump, he’s attempting to “deflect” the information aimed at him and his surrogates regarding Russia by making baseless claims about Hillary Clinton and her “ties” to Russia.  All you have to do is “google” his claims to find out they are not based in fact.  Actually, this situation is making the relationship with the United States and Russia more tenuous than it was prior to Trump – meaning, the Russians’ attempt to influence the election in Trump’s favor – while succeeding in helping to get him elected – has caused a larger rift in U.S./Russian relations.  There are many in America – including, thankfully, many in Congress – including republicans – who don’t like the idea of foreign countries invading our elections.  This is a larger problem than the “Russia thing” – which I’ll touch on in a bit – but the Russians essentially attempting to create a “puppet” for them is more than even most republicans can stomach.

Except for those who are ardently supporting Trump “no matter what.”  I have a Christian friend who actually believes Trump is “conservative” (he watches Hannity on Fox) and said he supports Trump for “moral” reasons.  When I bring up the “Access Hollywood” tapes all he can do is say something like, “but, what about Bill Clinton” – evidently assuming I support Clinton’s misbehavior while in the White House.  When I ask him about the LYING he just says, “you can’t change my mind.”  I point this out because Trump, Fox, Breitbart, and others on the “right” are preparing Trump supporters for what appears to be the inevitable reality there will be indictments of some in the Trump sphere (we already know about much LYING both verbally (to “we the people” and maybe the FBI?) and on security documents that clearly require an “oath” when you fill them out) which could include impeachable offenses by Trump himself.  (Many respected lawyers already believe Trump has committed “obstruction of justice” among a plethora of other issues)

Not only Trump, but many of his supporters who have roles on Fox “news” and other right wing outlets are almost encouraging the most ardent of his supporters to revolt if he’s impeached or indicted – or any of his family members are indicted. These people, who, in the past, have been preaching the “constitution” as they attack anything they consider “liberal” and have based many of their positions on “law and order” seem to be suffering from selective amnesia.  It appears that, in the case of Trump, there’s no expectation he would follow the law – or that his surrogates would follow the law.  The numerous LIES on the security clearance forms, for example, are being excused as “forgetfulness.”  Despite the clear directions that false statements are PERJURY.

What we’re seeing is that Donald Jr. appears to have inherited the LYING gene from his father and he’s on shaky legal ground regarding his meeting with Russians on June 9, 2016 (and, who knows about any other meetings – if they happened, they won’t come out until the “media” finds out about them).  Jared Kushner is probably on more “shaky ground” – because he filled out at least three Security clearance forms – which require an oath to the truth on the consequence of perjury for LYING – because he ONLY disclosed various meetings with Russians after the “media” found out about them.  Personally, I don’t find the “I forgot” excuse very convincing.  And, Kushner’s defense of his attendance in the June 9, 2016 meeting defied common sense – to me, it was like Swiss cheese – full of holes. (I’ve written about this in a previous post)

So, if we truly do live in a country that is bound by a constitution and the rule of law, there is soon to be what many are calling a “constitutional crisis.”  Will Congress uphold its solemn duty to defend the constitution – in this instance from a person who thinks like a dictator, is a pathological LIAR, has no idea how to do the job he’s been elected to do, who may have committed treason – but, regardless, is apparently attempting to block “we the people” from finding out the truth?  As I mentioned above, I’ve been waiting for a republican, or republicans to “step up” and do the right thing in regard to Trump and stop the DAMAGE he’s doing to this nation sooner rather than later.  Until the republicans decide to act, nothing will change – because they have the control on whether or not Trump is impeached.  I don’t believe Trump will resign – as Nixon did.  If he goes down, it will be in flames – and, he’ll be encouraging a revolt in the process.  (remember Cliven Bundy?  His followers are Trump’s “base”)

And, maybe in this regard there’s a “light at the end of the tunnel.”  Just the other day I listened to a senator from Arizona, Jeff Flake talk about how Trump is no conservative.  He just published a book with the same title as one of the first political books I ever read – “Conscience of a Conservative.”  Evidently, Flake is a “mentee” of Barry Goldwater, the author of the original book (which I still have – and, still disagree with much of).  I was totally encouraged by Flakes’ COURAGE to publicly express his frustration with Trump and his administration – enough that I will purchase and read his book.  Additionally, republicans created a situation that prevents Trump from making a “recess appointment” – should he still be trying to replace Jeff Sessions as Attorney General – in his attempt to stop the Mueller investigation, during the August recess.  To me, this is encouraging.

There’s more – I’m no fan of John McCain, but I have to say that I was further encouraged when I listened to him make a plea for a return to “regular order” in the Senate.  Now, I have to admit I don’t understand what “regular order” truly means, but in my naive mind I’m thinking maybe that means republicans and democrats working together to solve problems.  I realize that is idealistic thinking – but, I can hope.  Of course, to make this work, there would have to be a mechanism to stop the FLOOD of money going to members of Congress from lobbyists and special interests – for example, Citizens United would have to be repealed – but, anyone who can get the money out and get Congress to solve problems on a bipartisan basis will be the hero/hero’s we’re all looking for.  And, personally, I don’t care what party they “belong” to.

I’ll end this by saying MOST Americans understand Trump is a disaster as president.  Unfortunately, I don’t think most of us understand fully how much DAMAGE he’s doing to this country – both domestically and internationally.  We just know it’s BAD, and MOST of us are sickened at the thought a foreign country may have influenced the outcome of our most BASIC principle – the right to decide our own leaders.  I’ve been lamenting the republican’s drift to the right since the Bush/Cheney regime (motivated by the invasion of Iraq) but, the reality is the place we find ourselves REQUIRES republicans to have the COURAGE to do the right thing and SAVE us from Trump’s agenda (whatever it might be).  I give credit to Jeff Flake (I really am going to read his book – I’ll probably disagree with much of it – but, he’s clearly putting his beliefs ahead of his political future – he will undoubtedly get “primaried” – and, I have to respect that) and, I’m looking for more republicans to step up and do the right thing in regard to Trump.  Here’s the ultimate irony:  If the “swamp” in Washington DC is to be drained, Trump has got to go!