I get a seemingly endless supply of emails (mostly) from democrats or democratically leaning organizations EVERY day seeking money.  I actually read some of them and, occasionally, I send some money when I have it and I feel it’s for someone or something I can get “behind.”  (Often, the little money I have to donate goes to veterans organizations that I HOPE actually use the money to help veterans – who, it appears to me, have a HUGE need, and, just like post Viet Nam, their needs are often not being met.  (Actually, somehow, some Trump supporters got my email address and I had to learn how to funnel their emails to the “junk” folder – because I’m not giving ANYTHING to ANYONE who’s affiliated with our so-called president)  The past couple days have been one democrat after another writing about their panic over the impending choice of the next Supreme Court justice – which, in reality, I don’t believe they can stop.  However, this is just like the democrats – they work and act almost like clockwork.

Now, it’s true they might be able to delay the nomination fight for a few months – they’re actually calling for the vote to be after the fall elections.  All I can think of is “are you kidding me?”  Do you really want to give the republicans who support Trump a reason to show up at the polls in November?  Take a sober look at the “map” for the upcoming election and the odds of democrats taking control of the Senate lie somewhere between very unlikely to impossible.  Of the seats up for election over 20 are now controlled by democrats – including several in states where Trump is popular (as hard as that is for me to believe – but, the very reason he’s popular is his ability to appoint right wing judges to the Courts – so, democrats, think about your typical knee jerk reaction to Justice Kennedy’s retirement) – and, only around 10 or 11 are republicans up for re-election.  (A couple republicans “retired” so their seats are  “open” but the reason they retired is the reason it’s unlikely a democrat will win those “open” seats – although, it’s not impossible.)

Before I get to my point for this evening’s rant (there seems to be a “rant” almost EVERY day) I would suggest the democrats would be much wiser to work with moderate republicans to force Trump to nominate a somewhat “centrist” judge in the mold of Kennedy.  (Keep in mind, Kennedy was surely a conservative in his voting record)  Democrats want to preserve Roe v Wade as “established precedent” as do at least a couple republicans – so, they have the power to force that issue if that’s what got them all worked up.  The reality is they are not in a position to stop Trump from nominating the next judge and they need to think clearly about their strategy.  In my mind, they are playing right into Trump’s “hands” and, as I said, they are too predictable.

While democrats are getting worked up about one Trump TERRIBLE scandal after another, or one HORRIBLE thing he says after another, he’s almost FLEECING them behind the scenes.  Let me give you an example.  As Trump is busy blasting and complaining about the “liberal media” he’s got sycophants on the “right” busy creating more opportunity for him to BRAINWASH all those unsuspecting “conservatives” who believe he’s actually a conservative.  I’ve been pointing this out for some time – Trump is a FASCIST.  Regrettably, the republicans in Congress, especially in the House, are right there with him.  They’re doing his “bidding” and they’ll willingly take over the job of OBSTRUCTING Mueller – as they’re doing – to protect him from the need to do so.  Evidently, Congress persons can OBSTRUCT justice – although, in my mind, if the president can’t, then the Congress shouldn’t be able to as well.  But, these “tea party” thugs are very adept at pushing the boundaries of the law just as their fuhrer.

So, what am I suggesting Trump is doing while democrats are busy arguing about a Supreme Court Justice they can’t stop?  Well, for starters, lets look at that “liberal media” he’s so enamored with attacking.  I don’t think there’s a “progressive” in America who doesn’t understand the DANGER posed by Fox “news” – a TOTAL propaganda machine for Trump – reaching millions of “ditto heads” every night.  Sean Hannity:  well, he’s truly one of the “deplorables.”  But, there’s another less well known, but, by virtue of being less well known, likely MORE dangerous “arm” of the media than Fox and that’s the “Sinclair Broadcasting network” which controls something over 200 TV stations in America.  Right now, Sinclair is attempting to merge with Tribune Broadcasting which will give them control of the TV stations “fed” into 3 out of every 4 American households.  Sinclair is claiming they are “divesting” stations to meet the requirement set up to prevent monopolies, but their plan is disingenuous, to say the least.  Their idea of divesting is moving stations to family members, associates, or others with the same “bent.”  This is how FASCISM takes hold in countries like America where the people just assume they live in a “democracy” AND many choose NOT to participate.  In the upcoming midterms, it’s likely far less than HALF of America’s eligible voters will head to the polls.  America has become the perfect setting for the republicans’ “permanent ‘majority.'”

Who knows how many surreptitious schemes Trump and his supporters are “up to,” but, I guarantee you they look at the retirement of Justice Kennedy as just another way to keep democrats focused on irrelevant “stuff.”  Now, I know if you’re a democrat you don’t consider the Supreme Court nomination “irrelevant” AND, you’re still PISSED about what Mitch McConnell did back in 2016.  But, here’s where you don’t “get it.”  It was the ability to appoint Supreme Court Justices that motivated MILLIONS of Americans to vote for Trump and AGAINST Hillary Clinton back in the 2016 election.  These are people willing to “hold their noses” in regards to Trump’s personal shortcomings in order to get “conservative” judges.  All they care about is overturning Roe v Wade.  And, Trump understands the more democrats push to prevent “conservative” judges (especially via November’s election) the MORE likely “conservatives” will be to vote in November.  And, trust me, he’ll play this to the “hilt” and democrats – seemingly one and all – are “falling for his shtick.”

Democrats, do you really want this issue to be the “gift that just keeps giving?”  You’ve got so MANY legitimate issues you can run on in 2018 – why would you choose an issue that the very best you could do is temper who’s chosen to the court via a “partnership” with moderate republicans like Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski.  Work out a “deal” with them and you can block your worst nightmare.  In my mind, if you get a judge who will recuse from any Trump Russia/Cohen investigation related issue and assure Collins and Murkowski he/she believes in “established precedent,”  you’ve got a “win.”

Instead of making a big deal about the Court appointment, you should be making a big deal out of the merger between Sinclair and Tribune.  You should continue to make a big deal about 2000 children pulled from their families.  You should be focused on the impending attacks on Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.  You could be pointing  out the realities of the tax “scam.”  And, there’s much more, but, Just the Sinclair/Tribune merger alone will allow Trump and his minions to do possibly irreversible DAMAGE to the America we’ve known since I was a kid in the 50’s and 60’s – through more organized BRAINWASHING!  Behind the scenes I have to believe republicans are commenting on how democrats are such “patsies.”  CHOOSE your battles wisely!

I have a tendency, as I’ve explained here, to watch MSNBC when I force myself to watch TV “news” and yesterday Chris Matthews put on a display that was, well, deplorable.  Evidently, in his futile attempt to urge democrats to do just what I’m suggesting is the EXACT wrong thing, Matthews exposed himself to, well, criticism from EVERYWHERE.  This is one of the MSNBC “pundits” who went out of his way to “normalize” Trump during the 2016 campaign and will likely never even understand his role in creating this MONSTER and DANGER to America.  Now, he’s making a scene in an apparent attempt to show his “progressive” bonafides while, almost in the same breath, gushing over what a wonderful judge Kennedy was.  Like when he voted to anoint the Bush/Cheney regime that gave us Iraq and 9/11???  Like when he gave us “Citizens United?” (possibly the WORST decision in the Court’s history – plus shortly thereafter followed up by McCutcheon v FEC at almost the same time and almost as bad)  And, just the other day, he voted to uphold Trump’s travel ban??  The list is long – yes, rarely, he would vote with the so-called “progressives,” but, he’s retiring because he WANTS Trump picking his successor.  To me, Justice Kennedy is no Supreme Court “saint.”

I guess it wouldn’t surprise you if I told you I’m often times YELLING at my radio while trying to stomach listening to Matthews while I’m driving around (listening on XM radio).  And, yesterday may have been the “icing on the cake.”  I always tell myself, Matthews has been around long enough he should know better – but, there he was encouraging democrats to take an approach that would accomplish NOTHING accept likely make them feel like they’re “putting up a battle” while they’re losing the “war” and simultaneously motivating MORE Trump supporters to go to the polls in November.

Any “wave” election needs two things – one party energized and the other party discouraged.  Why give republicans a  reason to go to the polls?  Maybe it’s me that doesn’t get it, but this just seems obvious to me.  I doubt Matthews even knows about the Sinclair/Tribune merger proposal, or if he does, cares little about it.  Maybe he thinks everyone watches cable news.  To me, that potential merger (among other Trump schemes) makes me really uneasy!  I’d feel much better if democrats were focused on battles they could possibly win and, if not, will motivate THEIR base to the polls!  I’ll say it again, choose your battles wisely!

Final Thought:  NOTHING is more important in American politics than stopping Trump!  I have a good friend who I’ve mentioned on this site before who is a Trump supporter and we have breakfast occasionally and hash out our differences.  (We manage to do it without being disagreeable with each other.  We call each other “wack jobs” good naturedly and we talk transparently – just as our Congressional leaders SHOULD – today we noticed he pours pepper on his breakfast and I pour salt on mine – we’re different)  Today, as he was claiming “progressives” are fascists – he watches Sean Hannity on Fox (despite not being willing to admit it) I challenged his “notion.”  He got his phone out and looked up “progressive” – a long definition in “Wikipedia” that I read aloud and couldn’t disagree with.  However, I said, it in no way referred to fascism (I had just finished reading “Fascism a Warning” by Madeleine Albright – who he suggested was a “fascist” until I reminded him she’s a “Holocaust survivor” – AND the “Hitler Virus” which points out a FACT he agreed with – that Hitler’s “virus” is still alive and well in Europe (and, I forgot to add, America – remember Charlottesville and all those “very fine” neo-Nazi’s).  I had pointed out to my friend that Trump, who he supports is a FASCIST.  He said, “define fascism.”  I said, “Well, you’ve got that handy phone, look it up.”  He did, and the definition started off, “A fascist is an authoritarian with nationalist tendencies.”  He didn’t want to talk about Trump and Fascism anymore.  I believe another version of “fascism” would be a “corporate/government partnership” – which some would call the Mussolini “version,” which is the “version” republicans have been pushing since the “Powell memo” back in the early 70’s. Either way, Trump is a FASCIST and the republicans in Congress are, at best, enablers, at worst, right there with him!  To me, people like Matthews would be better off spending their time pointing this out than encouraging democrats to fall for Trump’s tricks!