The foolishness (my 5 year old granddaughter has informed me I can no longer use the word “stupid” because she heard Trump use it and said, “that’s a bad word”) associated with our so-called president just continues unabated.  I keep thinking I’ll get a few days off from having ideas swirling around in my head as I attempt to understand how “we the people” managed to get to the point where enough of us think having a buffoon as president somehow will “make us ‘great’ again.”  It seems to me that every time, in my lifetime, we’ve “elected” republican presidents  we’ve become “less great.”  Especially, the last two.

George W Bush was “asleep at the switch” while 20 hijackers were planning 9/11 and he was getting warning after warning that he disregarded.  After the tragedy, he decided the “shock” (read Naomi Klein’s “The Shock Doctrine” – one of the BEST books I’ve read about why we’re seemingly headed in the wrong direction) was enough to allow him and all his “neo-conservative” buddies to LIE the United States into an ILL ADVISED invasion and, ultimately, occupation of Iraq.  This, while destabilizing the Middle East, also led to the creation if ISIS and enhanced the spread of “terrorism” instead of stopping it.  Bush was CHOSEN as president by the Supreme Court – which blocked the recount of votes in Florida which would have given the election to Al Gore – who prevailed in the “popular vote” by nearly 1 MILLION votes.

Trump, however, set the record for “winning” the 2016 election with 3 MILLION less votes than Hillary Clinton using the help of Russia which – due to Trump’s refusal to admit the Russians were involved AND a recalcitrant Congress that appears willing to put party before country – may succeed in hiding their impact on the final results.  What they WONT be able to hide is the FACT they were doing all they could to give Trump the boost he needed to win – and with surprisingly sophisticated methods – almost as if they had Americans guiding them.  For example, Russians were using “Twitter” and “Facebook” in very strategic manners to target vulnerable parts of America as they attacked Mrs. Clinton and boosted Trump.  That’s precisely why the so-called “Russia investigation” was started.  This activity was reported by 17 sections of America’s intelligence community.  It’s really beyond question that the Russians were “here,” what’s still to be determined is who was helping them target specific groups?  (which they did, almost as if they were “guided” by “experts”)

You’d think, if Trump is as innocent as he claims, he would be totally cooperating with the investigation, he would never have FIRED James Comey – and, days later gone on national TV and explained to Lester Holt the reason he fired Comey was to stop the “Russia thing.”  To top it off (and, I want to use that word my granddaughter has forbidden here) a couple days after ADMITTING to obstructing justice to Holt Trump “doubled down” by meeting – IN THE OVAL OFFICE – with the Russian foreign minister AND the Ambassador who was part of MOST of the controversial meetings his campaign had with “Russians” which they had LIED about – calling Comey “a nut job” and saying “I fired him to end the Russian investigation.  The pressure is now off.”  Of course, Trump thought he’d “get away” with that admission of obstruction because NO American interpreter OR journalist was allowed in the meeting.  The problem for Trump is there were Russian interpreters and journalists in the room and they reported what happened on RT TV – which is broadcast around the world.  What’s that word?

Fast forward to yesterday and a speech Trump was giving to a group in Ohio who are still supporting him despite ALL the reasons not to – and he had the audacity to suggest that the democrats who sat through his State of the Union remarks without wildly cheering “the good news” were “un-American.”  Apparently, at the urging of one of the “whack jobs” in the audience, Trump decided to call the democrats “Treasonous.”  I keep wanting to use that word my granddaughter has forbidden – so, I’ll just say “ill informed” – giving Trump the benefit of the doubt.  What it did is accentuate Trump’s lack of understanding (my granddaughter is having an influence on me) regarding the FACT the president’s words MATTER.  My words here don’t matter that much.  I’m just a retired school teacher who loves his country and feels the best way to deal with the frustration of where his country is headed happens with writing.  Sometimes I say “ill informed” things – but, it doesn’t matter as when Trump does so.

In Trump’s attempt to “Make America White Again” he keeps pushing “we the people” over one “cliff” after another.  I’ve listed many examples in previous posts, but his accusation democrats were “treasonous” – whether “tongue in cheek” (as the “White House” claimed after the fact) or not, it’s clear Trump will never be able to control the words coming from is mouth – which is exactly why his lawyers DON’T want him testifying in the “Russia thing” because they KNOW he’ll LIE.  (It’s interesting to listen to Trump’s supporters – from Congressional “minions,” to Fox “minions,” to people like Rush Limbaugh ALL believing Trump will LIE if he’s questioned by Mueller.  Most are calling it a “perjury trap” – which would be illegal – but, in reality they know Trump is a pathological LIAR and they’re all OK with that during the “business day.”  They’re OK with Sarah Sanders LYING virtually EVERY day to the American people, they’re OK with John Kelly being a LIAR and racist (like Trump) – they only care about keeping POWER.

Republicans and their donors scored big with the tax scam which is designed to fool the same people Trump was speaking to when he made the “treasonous” comment that he’s actually “cutting their taxes.”  In reality, it will (temporarily) cut their taxes almost enough to offset the INCREASE in health care costs due to the same bill (and, not taking into consideration the increases caused by their other attacks on “Obamacare”)  What the tax scam did was create enough additional income for people like the Koch brothers (estimates at $1.4 BILLION per year) to allow them to continue comfortably infusing HUNDREDS of MILLIONS of dollars into republican campaigns so they can pay for more LIES going into the 2018 mid terms in a desperate attempt to prevent democrats from retaking control of Congress.  Trump, and the donors, know what that would mean.  (Impeachment!  Yes, I’ve digressed, but hopefully it’s “strategic” :o)

So, back to my point.  Treason:  Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court.  That definition comes from Article 3 section 3 of the United States Constitution, which I doubt Trump has ever read.  It’s not un-American to sit on your hands while the president is giving the State of the Union address and, it’s certainly NOT treason.  Joe Wilson yelled “you lie” to President Obama (when he wasn’t “lying”) during one of Obama’s State of the Union addresses and that wasn’t treason (personally, I thought it was un American).  So, let’s consider what MIGHT be considered TREASON – including in my “mind’s eye.”

Let’s just assume, for the help of discussion, that a foreign country decided they wanted to decide who was elected in one of our elections.  Say they ATTACKED us via cyber ATTACK by STEALING information from one of the two campaigns and using it to influence voters from the other campaign – especially at strategic times.  Say they had a strong interest in preventing one of two candidates from winning the election and wanted, at minimum, to weaken that candidate in case he/she won.  That would be an ATTACK on the nation.  For argument’s sake, say members of the country being attacked (in this case, the United States) chose to work with the ATTACKERS (in this case, say, the Russians) to either swing the election in favor of their chosen candidate OR, the more likely scenario, weaken the other candidate in ways that would enhance the interests of the ATTACKER.  Many, including myself, would consider that “adhering to their enemies.”  Do you get my drift?

It’s true, at this point in time, we don’t know whether Trump knew what his campaign was likely up to – in fact, we don’t know the extent beyond MANY undisclosed meetings what members of Trump’s campaign were up to, but what we do know is America was ATTACKED by Russia at her most vulnerable spot during our previous election.  I could go on and on about all the reasons I believe the Russians were doing this – remember, that they were doing it is an unmitigated FACT – but suffice it to say they ATTACKED our country which makes them our ENEMY.  Many call them an “adversary” – but, by attacking our electoral system and attempting to turn Americans against each other – in my mind that makes them our ENEMY.

Therefore, using the definition of TREASON in Article 3 Section 3 of our Constitution – the thing republicans claim to carry in their lapel pockets – ANY member of Trump’s campaign who was “adhering” to the Russian ATTACK (the definition of “adhere”: to be devoted in support or allegiance) would not simply be doing “campaigning as usual.”  Trump’s own son replied to an offer of incriminating evidence on Hillary Clinton – directly from the Russian government that was “supporting your (Trump Jr.’s) father” – with “I love it.” AND, along with Trump’s son-in-law and his campaign manager (at the time) he met with representatives of the Kremlin and Vladimir Putin in a clear effort (by the Russians) for the repeal, by Trump, of the Magnitsky Act should they succeed in getting him elected.  That meeting alone suggests “adhering to our enemy.”

But, there was much more.  The 33,000 emails STOLEN from the DNC and John Podesta by the RUSSIANS were strategically disbursed at times beneficial to the Trump campaign.  For example, one group (of emails) was released about two hours after the “Access Hollywood Tape” was published, attempting to change the narrative away from Trump’s admission of sexual misconduct.  The emails were selectively released periodically throughout the process which followed the conventions.  Was somebody in Trump’s “orbit” working with the Russians and “Wiki Leaks” (remember, on more than one occasion, Trump’s announcement – “I love Wiki Leaks” – after he had encouraged the Russians to find Mrs. Clinton’s “missing” emails)

And, then there was Facebook and Twitter.  Now, I’ve got to say this – I’ve said it before, I don’t do Facebook or Twitter – but Mark Zuckerberg is fast becoming my least favorite American – at some point he could rival Trump – because, we don’t really know all there is to know about his involvement in the Russians’ use of Facebook to spread the REAL “fake news” Trump SHOULD be concerning himself with.  The Russians “weaponized” Facebook to spread LIES about Mrs. Clinton and PROPAGANDA about Trump during the 2016 election and it had an undetermined (at this time) impact on the final vote.  Twitter was used as well.  This is all very sobering, but the reality is someone was helping the Russians TARGET specific groups of people to make their “fake news” the most effective.  Helping them would be “adhering to our enemy.”

As I’ve pointed out in prior postings, this crap is still going on and the Trump administration is doing NOTHING to stop it.  In fact, they even continue thumbing their nose at Congress by refusing to implement the sanctions Congress passed on near unanimous votes against Russian interests.  I really don’t know how much we need to see before the reality here becomes obvious.  OK, it’s long ago OBVIOUS to me – but, like most other Americans, I’m anxiously waiting Robert Mueller’s “findings.”  But, let me end by saying:  Failing to applaud at the State of the Union is NOT Treason; conspiring with Russia to rig our elections IS TREASON!