Apparently everyone who’s paying attention in America EXCEPT our so-called president understands what Vladimir Putin’s objectives are as he foments his surrogates around the world pushing to destabilize the Western alliances that have worked to keep countries, including America, MORE safe (than likely would be otherwise) for the past 70+ years. Yes, America has her issues – and has had over her history – but, one thing she’s accomplished since WW II is preventing Russia – ie the “former Soviet Union” from accomplishing goals of international domination. (Unfortunately, there are those in America with the same objective) It’s clear to me Putin has been “busy” trying to re-ignite what Peter Wyden refers to as the “Hitler Virus” which is the right wing “nationalistic” movement being led by Trump in America and spreading across Europe as I’m writing this.
Clearly, Trump has some kind of “connection” to Putin that many of us in America are trying to figure out “why?” Why does he NEVER say anything negative about Putin? Why do MOST of his “foreign policy” decisions end up on Russian TV where the commentators are saying things like “I never thought I’d live to see an American president supporting Russian objectives like this?” (or words to that affect) Why is Trump doing Putin’s “bidding” as he seems to be undermining our NATO alliance? Why does Trump feel empowered to actually meet with Putin BY THEMSELVES in a so-called “summit” and what is he prepared to give away for NOTHING? (If his “summit” with Kim Jong-un is any indication of his diplomatic ability) Why is Trump so comfortable LYING (all the time) to the American people? And, while changing the subject just a bit, here’s maybe the biggest “why” for me: Why are the republicans WILLINGLY going along with Trump’s selling America out to Vladimir Putin?
Despite my constant “ranting” about the need for “we the people” to vote out “today’s version” of the republican party, I’ve always said, “We do need two political parties.” It’s just that today’s version of the republicans – which has been “trending” in this direction since the days of Reagan – has “evolved” to where people like me are seeing them as “un American.” Yes, I totally believe in the republicans’ “free speech” rights – however, it’s time for “we the people” – at the voting booth – to overwhelmingly REJECT Trump’s republican party next November. If we fail to do so, it’s possible by 2020 this country will be unrecognizable.
While I’m sure I disagree with him on much, I have much respect for (former) republican Steve Schmidt – who I’d like to see challenge Trump for the republican nomination in 2020 – of course, he’d have to rejoin the party. He’s a republican with a grasp on both world and U.S. History in a way that certainly impresses me. The difference between Schmidt and, for example, the republicans in the House who yesterday made (Benghazi like) fools of themselves as they “grilled” Peter Strzok for, seemingly, forever – and, the difference is HONOR and actual patriotism. The republican House members seem to have no concern that “we the people” were (and are being) attacked during the 2016 election and beyond by Putin’s cronies.
Trump is doing DAMAGE (as I’ve called it) to America that could possibly last well beyond whatever time I have left on this planet (I’m a “baby boomer” in my 70’s) and, it grieves my heart the amount of DAMAGE he’s doing to my (and quite possibly your) children and grandchildren – AND, for example, those who are risking their lives to immigrate to America seeking asylum from extreme violence in countries like those in Central America. Trump denigrates good people fleeing violence to get to America as generation upon generation of immigrants have done while he kisses up to, as Keith Olberman used to say, “the worst person(s) in the world.”
Lately, Trump has been referring to Kim Jong-un as “chairman Kim” AND as a very smart and good “leader.” Had any other president said he/she would like “his/her people to respond to him/her as Kim’s people responds to Kim in North Korea” – it would be at the top of news cycles for weeks – or more. (If you’re confused the “him/her” is in reference to the reality that we SHOULD have our first female president as I’m writing this) In Trump’s case, it barely brought a “whimper” from our “liberal media.” Kim, of course, simply KILLS anyone who even disappoints him, let alone criticizes him. And, he does it in the most BRUTAL ways. Apparently, Trump is willfully oblivious to this.
And, of course, Trump has put Kim right in the middle of the international stage with their “so-called” summit in Singapore where Trump came away with a piece of paper causing him (Trump) to claim: “I’ve solved the nuclear threat in North Korea that our previous presidents were too stupid to solve. It was easy” Of course, while those words were coming from Trump’s mouth – and, he also said, “many are saying I deserve the Nobel Peace Prize” – Kim’s forces were wrenching UP their nuclear program while likely having a good laugh at Trump’s digging his own “hole” deeper with each passing day and each successively STUPID remark about their meeting.
Before meeting with Kim, Trump had withdrawn from the Iran deal that was actually NEGOTIATED over an excruciatingly LONG period of time by expert diplomats, ultimately with Secretary of State Kerry right in the middle. This was an agreement that involved the major world powers and Trump torpedoed it right before declaring – based on an unsigned piece of paper – that he’d solved the North Korean nuclear problem. The world is watching and collectively scratching their heads – with the exception of the Russians. Next job? Prop up Putin’s place on the “world stage.” Yikes!!!
The list of Trump’s “transgressions” goes on and on, but there’s another thing “we the people” should be thinking about. Of course, our attention has been on how much influence the Russians ACTUALLY had on the 2016 election in regards to Trump v Clinton. While there seems to be no evidence of Russians actually changing votes, it seems apparent to me, there were many people influenced by their TARGETED propaganda campaign – both propping up Trump and blasting Clinton in areas where many swing voters reside.
We KNOW James Comey’s ill advised letter to Congress 11 days before the election likely changed enough votes in the key states that swung the Electoral College in Trump’s direction (Florida, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin – remember Trump LOST the “popular vote” by almost 3 MILLION votes) – but, what we haven’t been paying attention to is what were the Russians up to regarding the campaigns for the Senate. There was a lot of speculation the Senate was going to “flip” to democratic control prior to the election itself. And, it’s proving CRITICAL to long term American interests – the make up of the Senate after the election.
For example, RIGHT NOW there’s a big “battle” going on for Trump’s SECOND Supreme Court nomination. Shortly after the 2016 election Mitch McConnell, who had BLOCKED President Obama’s Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland from getting an “up or down” vote in 2016, “blew up” the filibuster in regard to Supreme Court nominees opening the “door” for Trump to easily get Neil Gorsuch on to the court and NOW he’s got a second nomination – another right wing corporatist – who will impede “we the people” for much longer than I will be alive. Here’s the rub as I continue thinking about this (and, keep in mind, I see no way democrats will be able to stop this nominee) – what were the Russians doing in regards to Senate campaigns?
It would only have taken two democrats who lost to actually win to “flip” the Senate and allow democrats to block these nominees. I would say, at the minimum, Trump should have had NO nominees until the Mueller investigation is complete. Now, he’s going to have TWO nominees beholden to him if and when any charges against Trump reach the high court. While Trump’s nominees SHOULD recuse from any decision before the court, I don’t expect it. That would take what I referred to above with what’s missing from the republicans in the House: HONOR.
So, you think I’m loony? Well, Ron Johnson was re-elected to his Senate seat in 2016 in somewhat of a surprise by defeating Russ Feingold. What if the Russians were targeting this seat – There’s no question in my mind they were busy in Wisconsin, essentially working in conjunction with the voter suppression tactics there which kept as many as, from what I’ve heard, 75,000 from voting – they certainly would understand Feingold would be no surrogate to Putin. But Johnson? Well recently, over the 4th of July holiday no less, Johnson was in Russia schmoozing with Russian leaders (with 6 other “patriotic” republicans) who may or may not have been involved in the election “meddling.” Johnson came home sounding like Trump: “They said they didn’t do it and I believe them.”
What if the Russians actually succeeded in helping the republicans hold the Senate? These Supreme Court nominees will have an effect on our nation for the next 30+ years. As the evidence becomes clearer that (at a minimum) some in the Trump campaign were aiding this Russian ATTACK on our election – how will people react when they have to “digest” that an illegitimately elected president with an illegitimately elected Senate put TWO justices on the court while “we the people” were trying to figure out, in Trump’s own words, “what the hell is going on?” (And, if republicans hold the Senate in 2018, which is likely, Trump could get one or two more nominees. “Put that in your pipe and smoke it!”)
To say the Trump “era” is going to be a significant part of American History is looking more and more like an understatement. It won’t be because of his unparalleled unpopularity – both here and abroad – but, instead, by the DAMAGE he manages to inflict before it’s totally clear what a menace he is to our nation. Not only are “we the people” facing the ever more likely scenario that the Russians and Vladimir Putin succeeded in determining who our 45th president (so-called president – with 3 MILLION less votes than a “girl”) would be but, even MORE devastating, Putin and the Russians will have determined the right wing make-up of our Supreme Court for the next 30 or more years!
The Russians were busy in the presidential election and, very likely, in the Congressional elections as well. I FULLY expect them to be right in the middle of the 2018 Mid Terms with people like Mr. Johnson of Wisconsin showing they are as gullible as Trump. Yikes!! It keeps getting worse. And, the so-called “summit” between Putin and Trump is yet to come. What would you give to be a “fly on the wall” in the room with just Trump and his idol Putin? We’ll likely NEVER know what was said!
Full disclosure: I started this post before the Putin/Trump “summit” and I’m publishing it post summit. That means, as of this moment I know what a FOOL the so-called president of the United States made on the “world stage.” (AGAIN) This is after previously making a fool of himself in the Kim Jong-un “summit,” the NATO “summit,” the G-6 (Trump would like it to be the “G-7” again, with Russia included) “summit,” and in virtually EVERY other thing he does. So, NONE of this is a surprise anymore. I believe his meeting with Putin would have been declared a “success” had he simply declined to comment to the reporters question regarding the election meddling. You have to watch his answer to believe it – in my mind, even if you’re a republican who supports him. It was the worst exhibition, in my mind, by ANY president during my lifetime. It made me long for GW Bush and “mission accomplished.” It was THAT bad!
Trump is a daily example of EXTREME narcissism and pathological LYING on display and, as I’ve said MANY times here, “we the people” are stuck enduring this as long as REPUBLICANS choose to force us to do so. (It would be interesting trying to figure out who’s the bigger LIAR: Trump or Putin?) Considering the emoluments violations alone, Trump has pushed the “high crimes and misdemeanors” bar set by our founders past any conceivable limit. That SHOULD be enough to get republicans in Congress’s attention. But, regarding the “Russia thing,” which, in my mind, is much more significant than Trump’s FLEECING of America, I guess this republican Congress will need to be hit up side the head with devastating EVIDENCE from Robert Mueller to even consider ending the MOST tragic nightmare in American political history.
Kids torn from their parents hasn’t been enough; OBVIOUSLY the Access Hollywood tape and the subsequent 19 female accusers wasn’t enough; the “Stormy Daniels” saga wasn’t enough; the “very fine people” in Charlottesville wasn’t enough; the MULTITUDE of LIES hasn’t been enough (in fact, to be in Trump’s administration, it seems, rule number one is a willingness to LIE); the tax scam pushing the deficit over $1 TRILLION (this year and likely MOUNTING going forward) wasn’t/hasn’t been enough; (Oh yes, EVERY republican (except McCain) was complicit on that one), and, now, Trump SELLING OUT our nation and our nation’s intelligence community while standing next to Putin in front of a world TV audience likely WON’T be enough for these republicans to act. Actually (and sadly) the list is much longer than that. The message to the American people is “loud and clear” – get your butts to the polls in November and vote these republicans out of office or this nation will be begging Russia to be our friend – because no one else (except maybe North Korea) will be interested. And, trust me, the economic hardship European countries and Asian countries can inflict on America will make even Trump’s “base” regret the day they somehow brought themselves to vote for him! I’ll say it once more; Yikes!!!