Last week a couple of REALLY WONDERFUL friends of my wife’s, from 30 years ago, were passing through where we live and they stopped to visit.  We had a great time – me getting to know them – having dinner, having a bit of a shortened “game night,” and, an extended conversation before bedtime.  There was a nice breakfast in the morning and, then, they were on their way back to California.  Both the husband and wife, in my short “evaluation,” would fall into the “conservative Christian” category – regarding spiritual (and political) beliefs.  The lady who was a roommate with my wife some 30+ years ago in Southern California decided to start a conversation regarding Trump.  What she discovered – in a nice way :o) – is that I’m not a “passive listener.”

Both her and her husband, in my “humble” opinion, were/are the perfect targets of the right wing BRAINWASHING that’s been permeating America since the 1970’s.  They both were strongly Trump supporters – but, virtually EVERY piece of information they used to defend their “position” (keep in mind, both of these people don’t like politics AT ALL) was NOT factual.  The ensuing conversation lasted until the “wee hours” because I’m just not able, anymore, to listen to people regurgitating what they’ve heard on Fox “news” or some other right wing propaganda “machine” without initiating a dialogue.  The great thing about this “conversation” was we were able to talk to each other with NO ONE getting mad – which is usually my experience with people who watch Fox “news.”

They pointed out some other media outlets they feel give “unbiased” information, which I should have written down and checked out simply because, to me, this was a positive conversation that I wish I could have with other “conservatives” who believe Trump is a “conservative.”  To my wife’s friend’s husband’s credit, he accepted a book I asked him to read and told me he’ll actually read it.  The $20 I spent on the book was worth the chance to get him to see the “real Trump.”  (The book was “Trump/Russia” by Seth Hettena)  The first reaction of my wife’s friend was “the book is liberal.”  I pointed out the book was full of researched “facts” and my suggestion was to check them (the facts) out to see if they’re actually true.  (which I’ve already done ;o)

In previous posts I’ve referred to Trump’s reliance on “uneducated voters” and these two (great) people are perfect examples of this – in my view.  Accept, other than politics, they’re NOT uneducated.  The lady is a retired school teacher and her husband was a contractor (builder) in his working days and shared his days of taking physics in college with me – I never asked if he graduated from College – but, clearly, both of them are “educated.”  They just don’t have a “grasp” on American history – at least that was the conclusion I came to talking to them.  My main thought, as the conversation ensued, was I really wish there were more “conservatives” like these two people willing to dialogue about an issue they’re very sensitive about.  (Although, they referred to “liberals” in a manner that would suggest too much Fox “news”)

And, I say “sensitive,” because Trump has his supporters really believing the “Russia Investigation” is a “witch hunt,” and that “there’s no collusion.”  No matter what Mueller says at the end of his investigation, it’s going to be hard convincing “conservative Christians” that Trump is connected to organized crime, that he’s a LIAR, that he’s a racist, and on and on.  These two people didn’t want to hear that “stuff” – but, to their credit, we kept talking and, hopefully, the book will be read.  I asked, “If Trump conspired with the Russians to get elected, would you consider that bad?”  Well, after a long pause, the answer was a tepid “yes.”  They just don’t believe the reporting from the NY Times, The Wa. Post, MSNBC, CNN, and any other place in the media world that’s been labeled “liberal” by Fox and the other right wing propaganda machines.  In other words, they’re “drinking the cool-aid” and don’t know it!

We didn’t talk much about the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, although one of them mentioned his name with the suggestion he’s being railroaded by “liberals.”  Well, there’s no doubt “liberals” are opposed to his confirmation, but – and, I have to say, as usual, I started this post days ago and now Kavanaugh is freaking out in front of the Senate committee which is hell bent on confirming him come “hell or high water.”  To me – and, I guess I’ve evolved into a “liberal” over the years, it’s embarrassing listening to the republicans on this committee, who’ve backed themselves into a “corner” by trying to “jam” this nomination through without even allowing ALL the pertinent information which SHOULD have been relevant to a nomination for a LIFETIME appointment to the Supreme Court be “heard.”

Granted, allegations of sexual misconduct (some of it bizarre to say the least) were made public after the last part of the process and referring to Kavanaugh when he was in high school and college.  As someone who’s had his “moments” in life, especially in my high school and college days, I could easily understand if Kavanaugh had said he didn’t remember any incident such as alleged by Ms. Ford as opposed to categorically denying it.  Especially in the face of all the evidence regarding his braggadocio regarding drinking and sex in his high school yearbook AND the evidence brought forth by members of his class at Yale PLUS a group at Yale which was called “Tits and Clits.”  Let me summarize my thoughts at this point, Brett Kavanaugh is NOT the “choir boy” he attempted to portray himself. (Even had he said he couldn’t remember, I would not believe him – I just don’t believe you wouldn’t remember something like this – unless, I guess, if you’re a sloppy drunk)

Here’s how this will play out if this man is confirmed to the Supreme Court.  We’ve got a likely ILLEGITIMATE (so-called) president with NUMEROUS outstanding accusations of sexual misconduct nominating a man with multiple outstanding allegations of sexual misconduct for the Supreme Court.  In Trump’s case the women bringing the allegations (close to twenty of them – after Trump, essentially, admitting to exactly what was alleged) were ALL referred to as LIARS.  Kavanaugh is attempting to deflect blame on Senate Democrats AND, remarkably, “the Clinton’s.”  In neither instance have the charges received a full investigation from the FBI – which, by the way, has a division specializing in investigating crimes which happened many years ago and are related to sexual offenses.

Kavanaugh may well manage to get today’s republican party to confirm him – which will really demonstrate how removing the “filibuster” from the process is going to politicize the court even more than it already is.  And, Kavanaugh’s opening remarks SHOULD have caused his nomination to be voted “down” by itself, but, in today’s environment, I don’t trust republicans in any way – they’ve been “hornswaggled” (I made that word up for lack of a better imagination) by Trump.  His (Kavanaugh’s) opening remarks showed a man who is clearly PARTISAN (which, by the way, is one reason why he SHOULDN’T be on the court and why democrats originally opposed him) AND a man who is ill-tempered to be on the highest court in the land.

Having Kavanaugh on the court will cause MILLIONS of women all across America to be outraged that a man accused of these assaults on women could be deciding their future as far as control over their own bodies.  With each Senator being limited to 5 minutes with no follow up questions it’s clear Kavanaugh was well schooled on how to deflect from the questioning, effectively limiting the amount of questions Senators were able to ask.  And, probably worst of all, Kavanaugh clearly showed his partisan bonifides both in his prepared remarks and his outbursts during the questioning.  Clearly, he has an issue with women because he was repeatedly interrupting the women asking questions in a manner that I can only say was RUDE!  He was argumentative with senators (democrats of course) and just caused me to shake my head that this is the person Trump sees as a “great man.”  Yikes!!!

Most of the focus is in the allegations of Christine Blasey Ford toward Kavanaugh when they were both in High School.  However, there are three other women who have “come forward” although it’s clear republicans would love to just ignore their allegations – although, some of them are in the bizarre category – beyond “boys will be boys” while they’re in college.  One lady said she was drugged and then gang raped while at Yale – with both Kavanaugh and the friend who was in the room when Kavanaugh allegedly attacked Ms. Ford (I believe Ms. Ford) present – she couldn’t remember if they participated in the “rape.”  There are other people who were at Yale during that time apparently willing to corroborate what was going on at the time in the group labeling themselves – as I said above – as “tits and clits.”  Wowee!!!

The thought goes back to my friends who visited last week.  I have no idea if they watched the hearings yesterday – likely they did not and their view will be “guided” by Fox “news” – and, I’m guessing they will fall into the group of people supporting Kavanaugh’s confirmation.  (I sincerely hope I’m wrong)  I personally know people – both men and women – who’ve been victims of sexual assaults in one way or another who can’t stand to watch what’s going on here.  Just listening to Ms. Ford opens up the “wounds” many victims of this type of assault have swept under the rug.  You have to have lived under a rock in America to FAIL to know that at least ONE THIRD of America’s women have been sexually assaulted.  The damage is pronounced and it’s enduring.  Putting this person (Kavanaugh) into a position as important as the Supreme Court shows how “low” the republican party has evolved.

There’s a simple solution – although republicans won’t do it – and, that’s pull the nomination and nominate someone who hasn’t committed this type of misbehavior.  Kavanaugh KNEW what he’d done in the past and must have known that his nomination was going to cause the most complete scrutiny.  He’s now a judge on the second highest court in the land – he should have considered that as a blessing not to be ruined by ambition.  Kavanaugh presented himself as a “choir boy” – which few of us are.  However, coming across as a sexual predator is a bad look for the highest court in the land – and, no matter how republicans in the Senate view this, that’s how he’s coming across to a significant MAJORITY of Americans.  With Kavanaugh republicans have proven they are all about POWER over process. Once again, they’ve said “women don’t matter!”  This November’s election should be interesting.

Final thought:  There’s so much swirling around in my head – but, if you watched the hearing yesterday you saw a female prosecutor flown in from Arizona who did the “questioning” for republicans when Ms Ford was giving her testimony.  This lady was evidently “FIRED” shortly into the questioning of Kavanaugh.  Apparently, Sen. Graham couldn’t resist jumping in with his own RIDICULOUS claims of some kind of “liberal” conspiracy to take down this judge – as if Kavanaugh’s own actions weren’t the cause of all the trouble.  To me, Kavanaugh and the republican men supporting him, were embarrassing.  And, just to be clear, I’m a WASP (White Anglo Saxon – well maybe not Protestant – 71 years young)

Also, it’s time for Grassley and Hatch to just go out to pasture.  Grassley is REALLY embarrassing!