Please know that when I “pat myself on the back” while writing these posts I fully understand I’m just an old man venting my frustration that the country I love seems to keep “shooting herself in the foot.”  In my head, I’m constantly reminded of the danger of things like GREED, PRIDE, dishonesty, and I could go on and what these “issues” do to people.  And, sadly, I’m reminded that our “leaders” may be even more susceptible to these “issues” – than us ordinary “peons.”  Maybe I should be saying their “failure” in these areas can have untold (unimaginable?) damage for “we the people.”  I started writing here in response to, what to me was, the unbelievable invasion of Iraq by the Bush/Cheney regime.  That was a reminder to me of the Viet Nam days and I’ll never forget it was the members of the church I was attending who almost accused me of being a traitor when I questioned why on earth would “we the people” do something this stupid.

I suppose when I really think about it, the Reagan years are what originally turned me against the republican party.  I wasn’t sure, at the time, why I was so repulsed by what was happening – with the exception of the HUGE budget deficits, which I’ve always “deplored” – but, since, I’ve read enough about Reagan and his surrogates to realize why I began my anti-republican mentality during those years.  (Well, I was no fan of Nixon either but, at the time I didn’t put that experience in the “anti-republican” platform – maybe because there were some republicans involved in the investigation and, who, ultimately “turned” on Nixon)  What I DIDN’T do during the Reagan administration was SAY anything.  I voted, but otherwise I was silent.

At the time George HW Bush was president I hadn’t yet read “A Family of Secrets” (I believe the author was Russ Baker – I’ve since “loaned” my copy of the book to someone, I can’t remember who – I’ve read it twice and would recommend it to anyone wanting to understand how the Bush clan has affected American history) so I was a bit ambivalent to his administration – I was certainly happy that “Desert Storm” was a short war and HW Bush chose NOT to make the mistake his son ultimately made – a mistake made, in my view, at least somewhat because of PRIDE.

So, after George W Bush brought back the Viet Nam memories to me (keep in mind, I joined the Marines in 1967 during my junior year of college and was set to go to boot camp once the school year ended – this was right in the peak of the “war” – but, when I took my “real” physical just prior to boot camp, I was disqualified because of a severe knee injury received while playing football in high school – so, I was medically discharged – therefore, I didn’t experience the REAL horror of Viet Nam – like coming home in a body bag like 13 of my high school classmates) I knew I had to, at a minimum, start writing to vent my frustrations and I had to stop being silent when confronted to right wing ideology by the people around me.  I believe the Bush/Cheney regime was DIRECTLY responsible for the DEATHS of hundreds of thousands of people and the dysfunction of a significant region of the world’s population, not to mention the United States of America.

“We the people” NOW have a so-called president railing against the very immigration problem that was created by the previous republican regime.  It was during the Iraq FIASCO that I started reading as many books as I could which, in my view, were written by legit authors explaining what was/is REALLY going on with the government of the country I love.  (For example, NOT books ghost written for Fox “news” hosts by right wing sycophants)  I believe the number of non fiction books I’ve read since “Shock and Awe” is now somewhere between 100 and 200.  Books about the wars themselves, about American History, about economics, about how religion is affecting our government (and, I’m a Christian), and about the various people and families involved in the decisions being made which affect virtually ALL of us.

So, what am I going to “brag” about, or “pat myself on the back?”  Well, if you’ve been on this site at all, you know I’m NO fan of our present so-called president.  I believe he’s the result of the republicans “hitching their wagon” to right wing extremists progressively more each election cycle since the days of Reagan.  I’ve made numerous observations since I started writing that have proved true over the course of time – including predictions of what would happen due to some of President Obama’s decisions – and, make no mistake, I’m a “fan” of President Obama.  Despite any foopahs he may have committed, he’s the type of honorable MAN I look up to as a true “leader.”  Regarding Trump, I’ve pointed out numerous things that are “bearing fruit” and beginning to be observed by our “liberal media.”  But, one thing became clear the other day which is likely going to be a “game changer” for our so-called president.

The one I’m thinking about today is the FACT Donald Trump was in on the now infamous meeting that took place in Trump Tower on June 9, 2016 with his son, son-in-law, his campaign manager (who, of course, is now behind bars), and a BUNCH of Russians offering “incriminating information” on Hillary Clinton.  Trump KNOWING about that meeting was obvious from the start to me – I’ve been pointing it out for months.  For heavens sake, he predicted in a speech prior to the meeting he was going to have this information “probably on Monday.”  And, when they said the meeting was about “adoption” and the “liberal media” said, “OK” I almost got sick to my stomach.  OBVIOUSLY, the meeting was some kind of negotiation regarding the Russians’ desire for the Magnitsky Act to be repealed.  (The Russian response to the Magnitsky Act was to prevent Americans from ADOPTING Russian children)

The Magnitsky Act was in response to the Russians torturing and murdering Sergei Magnitsky and, if you want to know more about it click HERE.  The bottom line is a bunch of Russian oligarchs were sanctioned from entering the U.S. and had assets frozen.  Apparently Vladimir Putin feels some of his own assets are in jeopardy, so this meeting was apparently designed to set the groundwork for the Trump administration, should the Russians succeed in helping Trump “win,” to get this Act repealed.  Fortunately for “we the people,” and, I suppose, unfortunately for Putin, the Russian “interference” being exposed put a “damper” on their plans.

So, it was no surprise to me when Michael Cohen, according to multiple sources, pointed out he was present in the meeting when Donald Trump Jr. ran it by his Dad this meeting had been offered – which led to the email titled, “If it’s what you say, I love it.”  (That tells you all you need to know about what “dear old Dad” thought) Now, allowing for the acceptance of the theory “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree,” it should surprise NO one that Donald Trump Jr. is a LIAR! It’s likely in the genes.  It appears anyone who manages to stay in Trump Sr.’s “good graces” (if that’s even possible) MUST be a LIAR.  Trump himself., Trump Jr., Jared Kushner, and Sarah Sanders (and others – including Trump’s lawyers) have been LYING about what happened at this meeting (along with just about EVERYTHING else) and who knew about it since day one!  And, it was foolhardy to think Trump Sr. was not “in the loop.”  It’s been obvious to me and MANY others, but I guess our “liberal media” needs explicit proof before they can broach any serious topic.  Well, it appears they now have it.

And, the next thing our “liberal media” needs to do is educate the American people on what’s behind all the LIES.  For example, Trump Sr. has been saying since this all started “no collusion, no collusion” EVERY chance he gets. This is the Nazi “Big Lie Theory” in all its glory.  And, despite the FACT we now know there WAS “collusion,” Trump’s “base” will continue to believe otherwise because the “Big Lie Theory” is a tried and true BRAINWASHING technique.  The Nazi’s proved IT WORKS!  Trump’s “ditto heads” will believe the investigation is a “total witch hunt” because Trump initiated that LIE as soon as he realized he’d been caught. (Read Corn and Isikoff’s “Russian Roulette”) And, I’m not talking about “collusion” – I’m talking about TREASON.

Which is another aspect of this entire scenario I’ve been trying to point out.  On many occasions I’ve said Trump, Fox “news,” the republicans in the so-called “Freedom caucus” led by Devin Nunes, and the other sycophants willing to put our nation aside for their own self interest, are going to reside right next to Benedict Arnold when the history books of this era are ultimately written.  And, Trump gives the “why” to anyone still curious as to what’s happening in our nation EVERY time the name Vladimir Putin or the subject of Russia comes before our so-called president.  Trump is finding himself in a very awkward situation – more-so by the day!  As he tries to explain it all away, his throat must be getting tight!

We saw the reality of the “squeeze” Trump finds himself in as he stood next to Vladimir Putin at Helsinki.  He returned “home” to an uproar which caused him to feebly attempt a “walk-back” – words that were clearly ordered upon him by those in the “White House” thinking more clearly than himself.  I watched him try to explain the difference between “would” and “wouldn’t” and the reason his voice was cracking was because EVEN Trump is smart enough to know MOST Americans KNEW he was LYING!  He spent the week walking in and then trying to “walk” out of self inflicted trouble only to end the week with his former lawyer turning on him and, essentially, “cooking his goose.”  While I’ve been “reporting” there WAS “collusion” and it’s “provable” for over a year I’m not trying to prove I’m a “genius.”  (Although, I’d argue I’m “very stable” :o)

My point here is that I, like Millions of other Americans, have been able to piece together what really happened in the 2016 election thanks to the “free press” that Trump has been attempting to quash since the first day he was in office.  If you remember, “This is the largest crowd at a presidential inauguration EVER! PERIOD!”  I’ve purchased subscriptions to The Washington Post, the New York Times, and I support “The Nation” whenever I have a few extra dollars because I feel an obligation to support their journalism – it’s NOT “fake news.” There are a lot of young investigative reporters out there proving our founders as geniuses for protecting the “fourth estate” – a free press with the obligation to inform “we the people” about the actions of OUR government.  In my mind, they are proving to be true patriots – muckrakers in the words of Theodore Roosevelt.  And, there are some other “patriots” helping we the people to see the full picture of the work of these great reporters – great journalists as well.

Rachel Maddow, for example, does a great job, in my view, of piecing all the information coming from the various investigative reporters together and “connecting the dots.”  Lawrence O’Donnell is, in my mind, the most knowledgeable “news anchor” regarding how the government SHOULD work and how Trump is ruining it on TV.  O’Donnell doesn’t “beat around the bush” and I, personally, find that informative and refreshing.  I also appreciate the perception of several others on MSNBC – but, more specifically Nicole Wallace – as a republican – is, to me, another refreshing voice in this time of – well, potential disaster.  I really like listening to a republican perspective on why Trump is a disaster.  (I’ve pointed out I’d love to have lunch with Ms. Wallace and Steve Schmidt – another republican, or former republican thanks to Trump – to have a dialogue on how to unite “liberals” and “conservatives” who basically believe in many fundamental “truths” together)  I know I should give CNN a “try” but, I can only handle so much TV.

My point in all of this is, thanks to all these members of the “free press,” I was not surprised when Michael Cohen “outed” our so-called president on all the LIES related to the June 9, 2016 meeting with all the Russians.  What was that?  The 30th or 40th meeting with Russians that members of Trump’s “circle” LIED ABOUT?  My frustration with our “liberal media,” I suppose, is, despite all the “muckraking,” they seem over cautious in the piecing together all of the “evidence.”  To me, Trump, at a minimum, KNOWING about this meeting was a “no brainer.”  He gave a speech the day before the meeting “teasing” his followers he’d have a big surprise in a few days “probably Monday.”  (His speech was on a Friday, the meeting on the following Saturday, I believe)  And, if anyone from the media somehow would happen on this article PLEASE – inform the public on “The Big Lie Theory.”  It’s real and it’s dangerous!