Yesterday I listened to Trump speaking to Troops in his FIRST visit to those on the “front lines” of whatever the “war” is we’re fighting in Iraq and, as usual, I came close to regurgitating. Now, keep in mind, this “blog” was the result of Bush/Cheney LYING America into this ill-advised invasion of Iraq back in 2003 in the first place – apparently thinking the Iraqi’s would willingly give up their oil in return for the demise of Saddam Hussein. I graduated from high school in 1965, right at the beginning of the acceleration of the Viet Nam war (based on a LIE) , and Iraq, to me, was “deja vu all over again.” Trump, in his remarks to the troops, sounded as if he was speaking to one of his “rallies” – to a bunch of “ditto heads” who seem unable to think for themselves. I can’t imagine the troops are in the same place intellectually. (Although, many of them are in the 18 – 20 year old age group)

One thing you can count on when Trump’s mouth is moving and words are coming out is that he’s LYING! He said, right to the faces of the troops, that HE was responsible for their 10% pay raise – the biggest ever. Of course, the troops got the same “pay raise” I got on my Social Security checks and that is the 2.6% increase which matches inflation. You have to wonder if the troops went back to their quarters and rechecked their pay stubs to see if they were missing something. Trump even said “this is the first raise in over 10 years. The reality, and you would think most of the troops would understand this, they get a cost of living “raise” every year. As someone who enlisted in the Marines back in 1967 I have to wonder what it would be like to have your “commander in chief” LYING right to your face.

In addition to LYING to the troops about their pay (really, what would cause him to do that? Answer, in a word: Pathological) Trump went off on them (remember, these troops are in Iraq) in regards to his “wall” and the fact that not only is MEXICO refusing to pay for it, so are the “dems.” Somehow Trump is expecting “we the people” to “pony” up BILLIONS for this “wall” that few besides Trump see as necessary and that he PROMISED Mexico would pay for – and, incredibly he thinks troops in Iraq give a rip about his “wall.” (Actually, they pay taxes, so I guess maybe he was lobbying them to pay for it) Now, Trump and the sycophants who CHOOSE to align themselves with him are suggesting the part about MEXICO paying for the wall will come later. Like, for example, the NAFTA trade deal which was renegotiated – by most accounts simply renamed – will create additional revenue from Mexico, enough to pay for the wall. It must be true; Trump and his minions believe “we the people” are incredibly STUPID!

Now, every time I see Trump’s image I’m reminded of watching Vladimir Putin and Mohamed bin Salmon (MBS) giving each other an aggressive handshake at the G-20 Summit with a sh@t eating grin on their faces – leaving the impression they’re overjoyed at how they have the American president “over the barrel.” The reality, at least to those who are paying close attention, is that a so-called president who is likely in office due to illegal activity – even if it’s just the campaign finance violations which have been agreed in a court of law that Trump is “individual 1” – is undermining much of our government in ways that will have an affect for a generation. This will seem even worse if the Mueller investigation comes out with proof that Trump was working in concert with the Russians to get elected.

While I’m not a lawyer I took enough constitutional law classes in college to feel confident in believing Trump has OBSTRUCTED justice on multiple occasions during the course of his first two years in office. As I’ve said many times here Trump is acting like a MAFIA boss who believes the Justice Department should be protecting him instead of investigating him. He doesn’t seem to understand their job is to follow evidence wherever it leads, that their oath is to the constitution and not him, and the Mueller investigation actually began in July of 2016 as the Russian “meddling” into the election became apparent to our intelligence community during the campaign – and, at least a couple Trump surrogates were right in the middle of it. And Trump, along with his “lawyer” Rudy Giuliani, seem to make it worse every time they open their mouths (or push “publish” on their “Twitter” accounts.)

The Russia stuff is very real and alarming – and, Trump has managed to get focus off Mueller in curious ways – he’s got legal jeopardy coming from all directions and he continues to spew the LIES beyond most people’s ability to comprehend. To me, the Russia stuff is going to place Trump and his surrogates, as I’ve said, into the American history books right next to Benedict Arnold. I’ve actually heard Trump supporters say, “Collusion is not a crime” as if to say conspiring with the Russians to get elected is just business as usual. Well, to me, it’s unbelievable that someone would stoop to that level. I see it as TREASON!

Think about it, if it proves to be true: (and, Trump is telling us it’s true in every one of his actions that have anything to do with Putin or Russia) The Russians very well may have what they call “kompromat” on Trump that is causing him to do Putin’s “bidding” – as many besides myself have been lamenting. If you remember, when Sally Yates came to the “White House” to warn about Michael Flynn “lying to the Vice President” the concern was him being subject to blackmail by the Russians. Well, if Flynn was subject to blackmail for LYING to the Vice President think about where that puts Trump for “colluding” with the Russians to get elected??? Yikes!!! (And, by the way, I in no way believe Flynn was “lying” to the vice president. I believe Trump and Pense BOTH knew exactly what Flynn was up to when he suggested to the Russian Ambassador not to worry about President Obama’s sanctions. They had orchestrated every word which came out of Flynn’s mouth – which, I believe, is why Flynn LIED to the FBI)

And, there’s likely much more that is going to come out that has Trump wishing he had actually lost the election so that he could be leading the “lock her up” chants as the republican Congress would have ruthlessly gone after Mrs. Clinton. One thing I always admired about Hillary Clinton was that she was willing to do that battle – for sure, she knew exactly what she would have been getting into. It would have been Benghazi, Benghazi, Benghazi, Emails, Emails, Emails, and republicans would have blamed all that on why nothing got done. (Of course, had Mrs. Clinton won, there wouldn’t have been the tax “scam” and Kavanaugh would not be on the SCOTUS.

Well, even though republicans had control of Congress along with Trump in the “White House,” essentially, still NOTHING got done – unless you consider the tax “scam” some kind of historic accomplishment. Personally, I’ve been watching these tax giveaways to America’s wealthy elite since the days of Ronald Reagan. At some point in time (and, I’m thinking it may have been 2018) Americans will realize the TRILLIONS we’ve been funneling “up” to the top “1%” NEVER “trickles down.” Republicans are so committed to giving tax dollars (even dollars that have to be borrowed – I guess those are the tax dollars of our children and grandchildren who we evidently believe ought to be paying this money back at some point in their life time) to the “rich” that after this “scam” was passed they all went out on the lawn of the “White House” for a picture session where the part I remember most was Orrin Hatch calling Trump the “best president ever.” My stomach quivered as I heard those words. (Of course, Hatch has been around “forever” and I’ve, personally, never considered him a sane human being – but, that was too much!)

Hatch was later quoted as saying “I don’t care” when asked about what he thought about our “so-called” president being an unindicted co-conspirator in two felonies, that is, being now referenced as “individual 1” in the FELONIES. Hatch said he didn’t care “because Trump’s doing a good job.” Well, how he came to that conclusion is beyond my ability to comprehend, but the reality is that there are still a lot of republicans who are “circling the wagons” around Trump which will be enough to keep him in office unless the Russian “collusion” becomes more than speculation. Republicans seem willing to destroy their party in the name of Trump.

Of course, Trump will be facing a plethora of investigations in 2019 and, I hope, we’ll be looking at a different democratic party in this next Congress. I’ve pointed out how the 2006 election provided us with a democratic House that was elected to stop the Iraq fiasco and they equivocated with the result being another republican “wave” in 2010. (Yes, I understand much of that wave was the result of a person of color being in the “White House” – but, many of the democratic base started staying home when they felt the democrats were “spineless”)

What I expect in 2019 is the oversight of maybe the MOST corrupt administration in American history – oversight which has been missing with republicans in control. It appears to me republicans have degenerated to the point where they protect each other no matter the circumstances. Can you imagine their response had Barack Obama been credibly listed as “individual 1” in two FELONIES? Or if Obama was blatantly violating the emoluments clause of the constitution on a DAILY basis? What if Obama paid off a porn star to help himself get elected – would republicans have been “ho-hum” about that? Or, what if President Obama was doing the “bidding” of Vladimir Putin? Can you imagine the response to that? (Do you remember Trump in Helsinki? What if Obama had done what Trump did in Helsinki???) How would republicans have responded to Obama LYING over 3000 times per year? I could go on and on – but, I hope you get the point.

Nothing surprises my anymore when it comes to Trump. I’ve accepted that each day I should just expect another “scandal” being uncovered. In fact, I believe there’s so much we DON’T know there will be further surprises down the “road” – remember, Trump has sycophants in charge of federal bureaucracies who are determined to destroy the institution they head. Slowly the DAMAGE caused by this assault on the fundamentals of our government will become apparent and, I believe, will add to the depressing feeling of what Trump is doing to America. Trump manages to screw up EVERYTHING he “touches,” and it’s getting to the point where he’s “touching” too much! For example, while I don’t know anyone who would criticize an American (so-called – sorry, I can’t help myself) president visiting troops in Iraq, It’s hard for me to stomach watching a (so-called) president standing in front of troops in a war zone and LYING to their faces! This has to stop! “All hands on deck!!!”

For years I’ve been lamenting about the direction of America’s republican party, since the days of the Iraq fiasco initiated by the Bush/Cheney regime under false pretenses while they were taking a sledge hammer to the national debt via two ridiculous tax cuts and, incredibly, initiating two wars on “credit cards.”  They not only mismanaged the two “wars” in the Middle East but they led the WORLD economy into what could have been another “Great Depression” – which was prevented by Barack Obama and democrats who turned what was described as the “Great Recession” into a progressively burgeoning economy which was handed off to Trump in 2017. Trump was “handed” and economy which was SLOWLY progressing into one of the strongest economic situations in modern American history.  Then came our so-called president who immediately started taking credit for the economy he inherited from President Obama while turning it into another mess.

At the beginning of the Trump administration, Trump was, as I just said, taking credit for what President Obama left to him – 200,000 or more jobs gained each month – low unemployment – a systematic reduction of the annual deficit, and a straight line of improvement on Wall Street since President Obama’s economic team turned the disaster he inherited from Bush/Cheney into a complete turnaround.  After Trump’s “election,” I pointed out it would be one year before Trump would be able to take credit for anything regarding the economy. The reality for any president is that the first year “on the job” the economy functions based on the policy of the previous administration.  Trump’s first year was very good.  I told anyone who would listen, wait until you decide whether or not Trump can manage what he inherited from Obama until he’s been in office for a couple of years, at a minimum.

Obama, for example, turned the $1.5 TRILLION deficit he inherited – per year! – into a deficit of just over $400 BILLION – a decrease of 70% when he left office.  During Trump’s first year he managed to add a few BILLION to the deficit, but what happened in the second year regarding the deficit, in my view, was telling to what those of us who were repulsed by Trump’s “election” (with three MILLION fewer votes than Mrs. Clinton) have been predicting for the future.  This year he’s already caused the deficit to BALLOON to almost double what he inherited from Obama – thanks to the tax SCAM for the top 1% – and the annual deficit – which Trump and republicans complained incessantly during Obama’s two terms, despite its steady decline – is now predicted to be over $1 TRILLION per year for the foreseeable future.  Every time I watch the head of Trump’s office of economic advisors, Kevin Hassett, with his painted on “s@#t eating” grin, as he gives predictions even a retired sixth grade teacher can see as complete bulls@#t I shudder for the future of America.

Trump is the result of the republican party’s direction since the days of Ronald Reagan.  Reagan started the “trickle down” assault on our Treasury, an almost annual funneling of taxpayer money to America’s wealthy, plus the push toward a corporatocracy. Bush/Cheney turned the party into a pile of ruins (which included the two aforementioned tax cuts – turning a $250 annual surplus into TRILLION dollar deficits) to where republicans willingly embraced the so-called “Tea Party” once “we the people” chose to elect a person of color to the “White House.” For republicans, the “Tea Party” was an act of desperation.  Anyone who doesn’t recognize the RACIST roots of the “Tea Party” wasn’t paying attention back in 2009 and wasn’t watching their rallies – with all the despicable RACIST signs  aimed at Obama – and the despicable RACIST speeches at their rallies.  (And, hasn’t been listening to the words coming from the mouths of the so-called “freedom caucus in the House since the advent of the “Tea Party”) 

This all led to the “birther” movement which catapulted Trump to the forefront of the “Alt Right” white nationalist movement in America.  Again, anyone who doesn’t realize the RACIST roots of this movement have their heads way deep into the “sand.”  Republicans brought this on themselves! (30 years ago the Koch brothers were part of the fringe of American politics)  And, trust me, these people (I’m talking about the “money changers” who finance republicans in Congress from behind the scenes) will not go away – they have unlimited amounts of MONEY and they’ll spend it to get what they want – which is something approaching total destruction of many of the government institutions resulting from the “New Deal,” (FDR) the “Fair Deal,” (Truman) the “Great Society” (LBJ), and even remnants of the Nixon years like the Environmental Protection Agency.  They’ve (The Koch’s and their brethren) been “chipping” away at all this for as long as I can remember – it’s just that someone like Trump, who has no “scruples,” is the perfect (so-called) president for them because anything he can consider a “win” for himself is, well, OK. (Also, Trump has made it clear his true advisers come from Trump TV – Fox “news”)

I believe it’s true there are many Trump supporters who weren’t motivated by his clear RACIST history, but it’s hard to argue that MANY, likely MOST of Trump’s supporters are, at a minimum, subliminally (for lack of a better word) RACIST.  This is an indication of the lack of education by so many Americans – Trump even went so far during the campaign to claim “I love the uneducated voters.”  Well, it seems to me, that’s almost a requirement to be one of his supporters.  Ruefully, much of the “destruction” Trump is causing to America affects the very people who consider themselves his “base.”  That being said, the sad reality is those “money changers” behind the scenes in the republican party have been pushing a BRAINWASHING scheme since the days of Reagan – resulting in people like Rush Limbaugh dominating the right wing talk on the radio airwaves and, worse, Fox “news” – the brainchild of Roger Ailes, an extreme republican dirty trickster back in the days of Nixon – which has been LYING to a significant segment of America for the past 20+ years with the express purpose of creating division in America.  Clearly, Fox has succeeded in its mission.

That puts what is happening, presently, right in the heart of the republican party.  The American economy is about to come apart at the seams, the U.S. is enabling countries like China and Russia to expand almost unopposed across Europe and Asia.  America’s traditional allies are likely looking “jaw-dropped” at America and simply wondering what on earth has happened to “The beacon of the free world.”  As Angela Merkel said earlier in the year – “we’re on our own” – as she was contemplating the future of the European Union.  It’s gotten to the point that people like Mitch McConnell, Paul Ryan, Lindsay Graham, and almost any republican make me feel sick to my stomach when I even see their image, let alone listen to the bullsh@t coming from their mouths.  I don’t believe “we the people” can even imagine the depth of the DAMAGE which will be the result of Trump’s time in office.  The question in my mind is whether or not the DAMAGE will be reversible.

And, I’ve always said those of us who have been blasting the republicans since the day Bush/Cheney LIED us into Iraq are stuck with democrats as the means to stop this disaster.  I’ve always claimed the problem with the democrats is they are “spineless” – but, this version of the republicans is making the democrats look like Ninja warriors.  However, the reality is “we the people” are STILL depending on democrats to stop this republican ATTACK on our country.  Trump is doing Putin’s bidding and he MUST be stopped – sooner rather than later – and, it’s up to the democrats to do so.  I recommend that democrats begin the legislative session which begins in a week or two very aggressively fighting against everything Trump.  It’s clear he SHOULD be impeached – However, I predict democrats will be very tepid in dealing with the issue of impeachment. 

Back in 2006 we had both a president and vice-president who had publicly ordered TORTURE, making themselves to be WAR CRIMINALS and “we the people” voted in democrats to put an end to their tenure and the fiasco in Iraq.  At the time I managed to get my very own 15 seconds of “fame” at a televised town hall by questioning my democratic representative as to whether Bush and Cheney SHOULD be impeached for authorizing TORTURE – I might add to a resounding standing ovation from the thousand or so people at the town hall.  His response was what I (unfortunately) expected;  they would likely not impeach Bush and Cheney because they couldn’t get a “conviction” in the Senate.  I’m guessing we’re going to hear the same logic in the coming months by this (new) version of the democratic party.  (As I’ve said on many occasions here: “I hope I’m wrong”)

Many, including myself, have been pondering how “we the people” negotiate the next two years.  The reality is that Trump continues to push boundaries, just like a sixth grade bully, and “we the people” could be in for a situation that will continually get more unbelievable.  Many, again like myself, don’t believe the republicans are going to have the guts to stand up to what MANY of them have to realize is antithetical to their own beliefs simply because they’re getting judges or some other disgusting reason.  Right now, it’s become even more apparent that the national security of this nation is MORE at risk than it’s been for close to 20 years and quite possibly much longer than that.  That’s what is obvious, but Trump’s sycophants continue to undermine the institutions they were installed to do just that – they’re doing it surreptitiously – and most of that fails to reach our so-called 24 hour news cycle.

All of this is being done by a so-called president who, it appears, gained the office he holds via a variety of ILLEGAL maneuvers.  While there can be no doubt Trump was paying HUSH money to women who threatened to expose his sexual exploits which would have confirmed what he said on the Access Hollywood tape – “to affect the election” – there’s more.  The “hush money” payments would be bad enough for just about anyone at any other time in history, to say “bye bye” to a president, but that doesn’t even compare to what likely happened with the alleged conspiracy with the Russians to affect the outcome of the election.  (and, of course, Trump continues to do the bidding of the Russians and, apparently, they’re [Trump and Russia] still working in tandem as they attack the “Russia investigation” via social media almost in unison – with most Americans still not realizing the Russian ATTACK on America is still ongoing!)

As a (liberal) Christian the worst part of all this to me is that Trump’s base consists MAINLY of the so-called “Conservative Christians” in America who just keep giving Trump “Mulligans” – which is how one of the right wing Christian leaders rationalized their support for Trump.  They (“conservative Christians”) continue to believe what they hear on Fox “news” (Trump TV) and from LIARS like Rush Limbaugh – and they do this willingly because they’ve convinced themselves the abortion issue is the ONLY meaningful issue in America and they’re getting “conservative” judges. Well, there’s a “price” to pay in all this that goes well beyond all the judges.

I listen to so many Christians upset that their children are no longer “walking with the Lord” and they just can’t figure out why.  When I point out it’s because young people see right through all this LYING and “DAMAGE” (to the country, to the world, and to the planet) and the FACT it’s the “Christian right” which is the group making up Trump’s base – the hypocrisy is just too much for them – well, many of them, to handle.  They see the RACISM, they see the GREED, they see the attack on our environment (The polar ice caps are melting, for heaven’s sake, and republicans continue to deny “climate change”), they see children pulled from their families at our southern border while simply seeking asylum from horrific conditions in their home country, they see the national debt being increased so rich people can be even richer (I suppose that’s part of the GREED), and they see “Christians” supporting a (so-called) president who’s LIED close to 7000 times since taking office (and, they see his supporters LYING for him).  To them (and me) that’s NOT “Christian” and they don’t want any part of it.  For me, that’s the saddest part in all this.  The “GOOD NEWS” in all this is I can guarantee you, Jesus Christ would NOT be supporting Donald Trump!

Final Thought: I read in the New York Times an article which was startling, to say the least, about how the “Christian right” views Trump. You can read it HERE. To me, it’s just further confirmation of why young people are rejecting Christianity. This just proves that people who are susceptible to conspiracy theories will believe just about anything. I guess it’s why so many are referred to as “ditto heads!”

Donald Trump continues to demonstrate he’s unstable and the reality is “we the people” are likely stuck with him for the next couple of years unless republicans in the Senate come to their collective senses.  Unfortunately, the “plan B” option is Mike Pense who I, personally, consider almost a worse option.  Here’s a really SERIOUS issue in all of this.  Europe is heading in a 1930’s “nationalistic” movement direction which is alarming when you look closely at it.  Somewhat of an extension of what brought Trump upon us in the U.S.  And, the antidote to that movement would be leadership coming from the “White House” which is impossible as long as Trump is the occupant.

And, while I’m part of a chorus wondering what’s going on with the republican party which has clearly been complicit in allowing Trump to continue RUINING America and, essentially, her alliances in the “Western World” in the face of the onslaught coming from Vladimir Putin – who must be almost disbelieving as to the mushrooming benefits from this ordering Russian cyber criminals to launch the attack on America which brought Trump into power.  The only explanation I can come up with regarding the complicity of the republican party is that the CORRUPTION in Washington D.C. is so DEEP that they believe their silence will allow them to keep their “dirt” incognito.  Robert Mueller is “following the money” and it’s beginning to appear there are others at the helm of the republican party who are going to be in the “news” before all is said and done with Trump and Russia.

For anyone paying attention to our government it should come as no surprise that Congress, for example, is corrupt up to their eyeballs – meaning members of Congress – resulting from the Citizens United decision of the Supreme Court back in 2009 which unleashed an incredible flow of MONEY from “who knows where” into the political spectrum – much of it undisclosed.  It appears many members of Congress are more focused on the moneychangers than our country’s best interest, and, trust me, the republicans are at the forefront.  That being said, investigators are beginning to uncover how the RUSSIANS have managed to filter MILLIONS into the process, allegedly much of it through the NRA – either “witting or unwitting” vessels of RUSSIAN illegal money.  I’ve read where Mitch McConnell, for example, may have received close to a MILLION dollars from RUSSIAN sources which could help to explain why McConnell is so willing to BLOCK virtually any “microscopic” look at Trump and his administration. 

The republicans are the so-called party of “family values” gone terribly bad and they seem to be so far over the edge that a bunch of them are willing to go right over that “edge” with Trump – the “edge” which is getting closer and closer every day.  For example every day I’m hearing more and more people using terms like “Mob boss,” in describing our so-called president which I (and many others) started picking up on over a year ago.  One pundit after another are looking closely at the unraveling series of Trump scandals which seem to be getting piled on top of each other and seeing “organized crime.”  The plethora of law breaking is beginning to look well beyond the unbelievable stage I found myself in over a year ago – and, it’s going to get a lot worse.

Watching Trump continually trying to LIE himself out of “hot water” is both telling and, to a degree, sad – to see someone so pathetic finding himself in such an important position and being solely focused on trying to LIE himself out of a crisis that’s only going to get worse by the day.  I say “sad” because it’s just hard for me to understand how someone this dishonest could get himself into that position (answer:  Apparently, he’s a really good LIAR) and watching someone like this “squirm” as the LYING intensifies is beginning to feel like watching someone in a hopeless situation facing legal charges from virtually every direction.  And, the more Trump continues trying to LIE himself out of trouble the WORSE it’s going to get.  Even a retired sixth grade teacher can figure this out!

And, putting a stop to all this is dependent on the republican party coming to its senses.  That doesn’t feel very likely as I watch what is happening day by day.  First, republicans in several states where democrats have taken back the governor’s mansion in the recent mid-term election, while republicans remain in control of the legislature, are undermining the traditional power of the incoming governor – to me, almost unbelievable they would do this in “broad daylight.” (Actually, some of this legislation has passed “in the middle of the night”)  Now, the republicans in Congress who will soon be in the minority are attempting to push through ANOTHER tax scam which will funnel even MORE taxpayer dollars to their “donor class” who seem to endlessly have their arms extended for as much tax money as they can get their hands on.  And, trust me, they (the republicans) will attempt to do this “under the radar” so “we the people” won’t even know what’s happened!

Clearly there’s no election result which will get the attention of the right wing republicans until they’ve virtually all been voted into the history books.  I believe that will be the height of Trump’s legacy as our so-called president – that he’s led this group of greedy, mean-spirited, corrupt people out of OUR government.  This disaster is, hopefully, going to wake up the Americans who have grown to take the benefits of living in America for granted to the point where much of what “made America great” in the first place has been destroyed.  Time and time again republicans have caused “we the people” to question whether or not they are even capable of putting aside their personal interests to those of our nation.  And, today, things got even worse.

In the wake of Trump’s decision to unilaterally pull American troops from Syria – getting an “atta boy” from who else but Vladimir Putin, James Mattis, the Secretary of Defense, has resigned in protest to Trump’s impulsive and irrational behavior which is taking America perilously close to the “brink.”  The FACT about the only person applauding the Syria decision is Putin doesn’t even get the attention of a single republican.  Of course, to top it off, Trump is following through on his threat to shut down the government because Mexico is refusing to pay for his wall.  In regard to Syria, possibly the worst outcome of this reckless decision (and, I’m certainly not in favor of our military adventurism in the Middle East post 9/11) could be the slaughter of a group of Kurds who agreed to help in the battle against ISIL along side American troops – all the while trusting the Americans to protect them from Erdogan of Turkey who hates the Kurds.  This will be historically BAD if it happens the way many experts feel it’s likely to “play out.”

If republicans don’t come to their senses “sooner rather than later” the DAMAGE (as I’ve phrased it since Trump took office) could become irreversible.  I could write all night trying to explain all the peril which is looming as long as Trump is allowed to remain in office, but the reality is Trump is both “Making China Great Again” and “Making Russia Great Again.”  It appears more and more he’s a traitor to the “American Way” and, evidently, republicans won’t have the courage to act at least until Mueller has finished his investigation – and, it’s looking more and more likely that won’t even get their attention.

Trump has spent two years LYING to his “base” to prepare them for whatever he anticipates is coming from the investigation – convincing them it’s a “witch hunt” and that they can not believe a word that is found in it.  This, of course, as many like myself have pointed out numerously, is the clear work of a pseudo- autocrat.  I can only imagine Trump is envious of the power enjoyed by people like Putin, Erdogan, Duterte in the Philippines, and other ruthless dictators.  Trump has even expressed admiration for Kim Jong un – arguably the most egregious and ruthless dictator on the face of the earth.

America has a lot of history she has been unwilling to face over the years and my hope is that, when all is said and done, once Trump is out of office “we the people” will be more willing to take a honest look at our REAL history.  If that somehow happens, then ultimately these HORRIBLE four years maybe someday will be considered worthwhile.  Racism; a lingering problem.  Huge deficits as the result of a seemingly never ending run of “tax cuts for the wealthy;” a lingering problem.  Militarism; a lingering problem.  Sexism; a lingering problem.  Refusal to provide health care for her people; a lingering problem.  I could go on – but, I hope you get the idea.  Presently, I’m reading a book about the history of liberalism, and right wing republicans have been working to undermine “we the people” since the days of FDR.  For example, the fight to create a national health care plan started in the New Deal and the republican fight to prevent national health insurance started during the New Deal.  It’s really hard to understand why republicans are OK with MILLIONS of Americans without health insurance.  Of course, there’s more:

“We the people” in the form of our CIA have participated in the overthrow of endless popularly elected governments around the world over the years.  We’ve got a lot to be repentant about, a lot to ponder as we attempt the challenge of retaking American idealism at home and around the world once Trump is out of office (and, in jail?) – and, the world needs our leadership likely now more than it has for as long as I can remember – right now Vladimir Putin is “winning” – not only here, but all across Europe and Trump’s doing the “bidding” for him – helping to undermine America’s strongest allied relationships.  Again, Americans are dependent on republicans to end the nightmare and their lack of courage is unbelievable – even to me, someone who’s railed against republicans since Bush/Cheney LIED us into Iraq.  I believe Trump’s “instability” is such that “we the people” can’t afford to have him in the Oval Office for another two years.  Let’s just hope and pray republicans come to their senses “sooner rather than later.”

Today I was driving around and who, but Rudy Giuliani, comes on spewing what is almost unbelievable nonsense – except that we’ve come to expect that from Giuliani and the so-called president he portrays himself as supporting.  I’m going on my 71 year old memory, but I believe Giuliani said something like “first they were looking for collusion, then obstruction, and now this” in regard to those pointing out Trump is credibly accused of at least TWO felonies regarding “hush money” payments made prior to the 2016 election – according to the court filings in Michael Cohen’s pleading – “to affect the outcome of the presidential election.”

Giuliani, who was once the head of the Southern District of New York’s prosecuting attorney’s office which is where the charges are originating, seems to be continually debasing himself and whatever public credibility he still commands outside of the world of Fox “news.” (AKA Trump TV)  I’ll point out the absurdity of his remarks in a bit, but this is a great example of how ANYONE who gets affiliated with Trump comes out on the other side in shambles.  Trump very well may have been operating a “crime family” operation in his private “business” – but, that’s just not going to work in the federal government.  Trump is clearly attempting to undermine the fabric of our constitution, but it appears the document is strong enough to overcome (although, no yet a certainty).  The question remains to be determined if America and “we the people” are strong enough to overcome although I have the feeling that “we” will actually come out stronger, eventually, once Trump is out of office, in prison, or whatever – just plain GONE!

Let’s start with the absurdity of Giuliani’s remarks from the bottom up.  For example, his contention that the campaign finance violations are minor and there’s some kind of conspiracy to “get” Trump is ridiculous.  If it’s no big deal then EVERYONE associated with the issue should STOP LYING about it!  In reality, hiding the two affairs in question may very well have allowed Trump to “win” the “election” because of the razor thin margins in the swing states of Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina.  Who knows, maybe some of the “Christians” who support Trump “come hell or high water” might have reconsidered if his affairs, which happened while his wife, Melania, was caring for their newborn son, had become public knowledge – especially after the Access Hollywood tapes were made public.  Of course, we’ll never know, but the reality is that BOTH of these payments were, according to Giuliani’s former office, serious campaign finance violations.  Our so-called president is what amounts to an unindicted co-conspirator in TWO felonies!

Then there’s Rudy’s lamenting “then there was obstruction” which is almost laughable on it’s face in regard to making any sense of what he’s complaining about.  Obstruction of Justice occurs when someone attempts to influence, block, or in some way impede an ongoing criminal investigation.  Trump brought this one on himself with all his “tweeting,” his public comments, his threats, everything he’s done in an attempt to undermine Robert Mueller’s “Russia Investigation.”  If he (Trump) was innocent all he had to do was let the investigation proceed – in fact, I would say cooperate fully with it – and, well, “no worries.”  Based on Trump’s actions it doesn’t appear he’s innocent and his actions, along with Rudy’s, are getting more bizarre by the day.  Rudy, and Trump, know most of their supporters are either stupid, they don’t care, or they get their “news” from Fox so they believe they can say anything they want and their “base” will simply suck it up.  This is apparently why Rush Limbaugh refers to these people as “ditto heads.”

Finally, there’s the “collusion” piece in all of this – which is actually CONSPIRACY to defraud the United States of America which conceivably could be determined to be TREASON.  We’re talking about Americans working with Vladimir Putin and the Russians to illegally influence the outcome of an American presidential election – which was an ATTACK on our nation – look up the definition of TREASON.  Now, if that doesn’t get your attention, then I would question your loyalty to our nation.  If this is proven true – and there are many indications already in the public record suggesting it is true – then it’s the worst CRIME I’ve witnessed in my lifetime (and, quite possibly, in our nation’s history) and, as I’ve said on this site before, it will put Trump in the history books right next to Benedict Arnold.  And, there are going to be a lot of republicans along with Fox “news” and other outlets participating in a cover-up, if that is what is ultimately proven, right next to Trump when all is said and done.

Just the now infamous meeting in Trump Tower in June of 2016 which Donald Trump Jr. replied to the email setting the meeting up – knowing it was intended to present incriminating information about Hillary Clinton from the Russian government – with “If it’s what you say it is, I love it!”, well, that was COLLUSION, conspiracy, whatever you want to call it.  It was ILLEGAL!  And, Trump Jr., Jared Kushner, and Paul Mannafort were all present.  Suggestions that Trump Sr. didn’t know about the meeting are preposterous in my mind – I mean right before the meeting he (Trump Sr.) boasted he would have “incriminating information” on Mrs. Clinton “probably Monday.”  (The meeting, if I remember correctly, happened on a Saturday and Trump Sr.’s boast happened on a Thursday or Friday.)  What is the significance of all this? you say, well, in a word, COLLUSION.

Then there was Cambridge Analytica which was “guided” at this point in time by Steve Bannon and they. at Cambridge Analytica, had pilfered “data” from Facebook on something like 50 (or more) MILLION Americans.  Putting that FACT together with the incredible “targeting” the Russians did with their (real) FAKE news which was aimed at vulnerable Americans with amazing efficiency during the run-up to the election causes me to wonder if, when Mueller makes his final report, Cambridge will be exposed as having some nefarious connection with Russian cyber warriors – remember this was an ATTACK on America orchestrated by Vladimir Putin.

The evidence continues to mount suggesting there’s a good reason why Trump does NOT act like he’s “innocent,” there’s a good (well, maybe I should say bad) reason why Trump STILL has not said a bad word about Putin, and, in reality, the “walls” are closing in on Trump.  When I was teaching (middle school – often Trump reminds me of a spoiled 6th grader who acts like a bully – we had a sign over the door to the office which read: “Tell the Truth, there’s less to remember.”  Well, Trump and Giuliani BOTH continue to contradict themselves in an embarrassing manner over and over again because they have no compulsion with the TRUTH.

As I’ve been saying for over a year I don’t for one minute believe the Russians are NOT still in our midst, I believe they were doing everything they could to prevent the “Blue Wave” in the Mid Term elections and they’re already busy with their plans to help Trump in 2020 (if he lasts in office that long).  Just the other day more reports have been made public suggesting that Trump may STILL be “colluding” (or whatever word you want to choose for TREASONOUS behavior) with the Russians – as their actual “Fake News” is mirroring Trump’s tweets and his laments when he’s caught incriminating himself (well, answering questions) on camera.  These latest reports, which were published, I believe, by the Senate Intelligence Committee, would suggest I’ve (and many others) been correct in assuming the Russians “are still among us.”  Obviously, Trump will need to be IMPEACHED for “we the people” to begin the LONG road to recovering from the DAMAGE he’s been inflicting on our Republic.

Of course, Trump isn’t going anywhere until the republican party grows a spine and decides America is worth risking their jobs over – that is, if they actually believe the 35% of Americans STUPID enough to suck up every word of Trump TV, Rush Limbaugh, and the rest of the right wing “water carriers” who LIE for money in the face of the mounting EVIDENCE that our so-called president is a criminal.  In fact, it appears from the way the Justice Department is handling this investigation Trump really is a mafia “boss.”  And, of course, that means he’s not going “quietly” as witness to him attempting to plug “loyalists” into as many phases of our government – especially, the Justice Department – as he can who he believes will “protect” him.  And, of course, he’s been busy attempting to undermine Robert Mueller from the day he was appointed.  In response to what Trey Gowdy said about “if your innocent, act like it” – Trump does not appear to be “innocent.”

The bottom line here is that for Giuliani to be out on the “airwaves” continually attacking the Mueller investigation – showing a willingness to repeat every LIE that originates in the mouth of Trump – to me, puts Giuliani right in the middle of the obstruction.  And, today, we saw there are still Americans who don’t look at what is going on here lightly.  The Judge overseeing the sentencing of Michael Flynn, today, sent a clear message to Flynn and possibly to Giuliani and Trump.  (I believe his name is “Judge Sullivan”)  Flynn’s supposed sentence of probation appears to be in jeopardy after he, via his lawyers, sent a veiled “I want a pardon” message to Trump where he claimed entrapment by the FBI. 

While those on Trump TV were speculating this brief filed by Flynn’s attorneys could be “the end of Mueller’s investigation” and that the judge might throw out Flynn’s conviction they couldn’t have been MORE wrong.  Judge Sullivan not only DIDN’T throw out the conviction, he put Flynn under oath and asked him whether or not he was treated fairly and whether or not he LIED on his own volition.  Flynn admitted he LIED with no help from the FBI and the he KNEW he was committing a crime in doing so and then the Judge reminded him that he had been given a “cushy” (my term) charge from the special prosecutor and questioned whether he had committed TREASON in his representations of Turkey during the campaign – when he famously conspired to kidnap a Turkish Cleric for Turkey’s president Erdogan.  Then he suggested Flynn do some more cooperating because if he got sentenced right there he was likely going to JAIL – despite the recommendation from Mueller’s team other wise.

To me, this should send a message to Trump, Giuliani, Trump’s children, and anyone else with a propensity for LYING there are people in our court system who actually still believe America is a “nation of laws and not men.”  I even believe members of the republican Congress were participating in the OBSTRUCTION of this investigation and should be held accountable.  If all the people who have participated in the cover up of the Russia investigation go to jail, there will be even more over crowding.  Trump should be feeling very nervous facing a reported 17 investigations.  I believe Judge Sullivan’s message today was clearly intended for Trump and Giuliani as well as Michael Flynn – undermining your country is really BAD!  Trump very well may soon be standing before him in court!

For a couple years now I’ve been referring to Donald Trump as the head of a “crime family” and it’s interesting that more and more people who give “expert” opinions on our 24/7 Cable TV world which includes MSNBC – which I watch when I watch anything – are including similar references.  Today I heard a former prosecutor refer to Trump as someone who reminds him of a Mafia boss.  A couple days ago I heard a different former prosecutor say that the Mueller investigation, based on how they are proceeding, as reminding him of investigations of organized crime syndicates.  These former prosecutors are examining the filings of the Mueller investigation and the Southern District of New York’s (SDNY) case against Michael Cohen.

One former prosecutor after another point out we now have a (so-called) president who would be facing felony charges had he not been (the so-called) president because the Justice Department guidelines suggest presidents can’t be indicted.  Trump’s response to the documents leading ALL these former prosecutors to imply Trump is in “deep water” was beyond curious.  Trump claimed the documents essentially exonerated him and ended his “tweet” pointing this out with a “thank you.”  Even the husband of Trump advisor Kellyanne Conway – a conservative lawyer – pointed out Trump’s response was laughable.  (My interpretation of reading Conway’s comments)

Michael Cohen has a history of LYING and that makes him a witness who needs to have everything he says to prosecutors corroborated by other evidence.  It appears there’s enough corroboration to Cohen’s guilty pleas that Trump should be very leery of what he’ll face the day he leaves office.  I’m guessing we’re getting close to the point where Trump will be working on some kind of deal with Mike Pense to pardon him once he has vacated his (so-called) presidency.  And, of course, Pense also has “issues” which will make any time when he’s the “so-called” president as awkward.  (Keep in mind I’ve predicted Trump will never resign, however, the idea of an orange jumpsuit may cause him to come up with a “Plan B.”)

While there are surely a certain number of Democrats in Congress who are in the pocket of the “moneychangers” so many Americans are disgusted with, there surely are MANY young Democrats who came to Washington DC on the “blue wave” of 2018 who have the courage to FIGHT for the basic American values which have been stripped away since the days of Ronald Reagan as America’s corporate interests have consolidated POWER into what has become a right wing ATTACK on what has become the remnants of the New Deal and the push for a system of government which melded socialist ideals with a capitalist form of government.

This ASSAULT on our government by right wing groups led, in part, by the now infamous “Koch brothers” has resulted, in effect, to a group of people who are willing to continue supporting Trump, now looking at a series of issues facing legal jeopardy, because while “we the people” are all worked up at every STUPID thing Trump does, they are skimming off as much taxpayer MONEY as they can before the “gravy train” reaches the end of its “line.”  For example, I’d like to know how much MONEY the Koch’s claimed from the one piece of legislation Trump was able to push through Congress – the tax scam.  My guess is it’s BILLIONS!  The so-called “donor class” of the republican party got what it wanted – “mo money!”

They could care less about Trump’s legal jeopardy, they could care less how Trump gained the office of the (so-called) president, and they could care less about the DAMAGE Trump is causing to our government – in fact, they FAVOR the DAMAGE Trump is inflicting on the institutions which are the backbone of our government – because they HATE the government because it limits the DAMAGE they can do to America as they are profiting from America’s natural resources with NO concern about the future of this nation or, for that matter, the world.  They’ve apparently got two more years to be plundering America’s taxpayers, America’s resources, and America’s wealth in general.  This has been ongoing for 30 years, but it’s at a climactic point in 2018/2019.

Donald Trump is now referred to as “individual 1” in court documents describing illegal payments to women who had affairs with Trump which he wanted to hide from voters, especially after the Access Hollywood tape came out and 19 women were accusing Trump of sexual misconduct.  The court documents state Michael Cohen arranged the payments on the instructions of “individual 1” for the purpose of affecting the election results.  In other words, it’s possible the election, which swung on a small percentage of votes in three states, put Trump into the “White House” because of these campaign law violations.  In fact, it’s  exactly why these laws were enacted – to keep anyone from surreptitiously gaining access to the presidency by hiding information from voters which they SHOULD have before an election via illegal payoffs.

Even though the Justice Department has determined a President can’t be indicted while in office there’s several people speculating Trump will be liable for an indictment once he’s out of office if he doesn’t win re-election – the statute of limitations will not have run out after 2020 so Trump will be very intense in his efforts to get re-elected.  While many people, including – I suppose – me, are suggesting much of Trump’s “policy” is “inhumane” the reality is he’s “human” and it stands to reason his focus is NOT on what’s best for America.  In fact, most observers have pointed out over and over that Trump is focused on himself under any circumstance – let alone one where he’s the TARGET of an investigation which could identify him as a traitor.

In the mean time the problems facing “we the people,” the world problems America traditionally would  be taking the lead on. and the general problems of the economic system go without competent leadership.  Of course, that’s been the case since Trump moved into the “White House” it just wasn’t so obvious.  In fact, there are a plethora number of questions in reference to how the Trump family is enriching itself at the expense of “we the people.”  Jared Kushner is allegedly doing all sorts of covert actions with various middle east moneyed interests in order to save his bad investment on 5th avenue – which, apparently, he managed to pull off – while “advising” Mohammad bin Salman how to “weather the storm” after he (MBS) allegedly ordered the MURDER of Jamal Khashoggi.  Yikes!

Trump, himself, is liable to be exposed to a significant number of Emoluments Clause violations which our founders put in the constitution in anticipation of exactly what is happening right now – preventing the president, or any elected official, from profiting off of their office.  Obviously, we’ve been watching one politician after another getting rich either while in office or soon after leaving office.  We just haven’t seen the willingness to “flip off” the constitution in the way Trump and his family has – as if they are clearly a MAFIA organization.  This plundering wherever they can find the opportunity is just “business as usual” for the Trumps.  They were not concerned with our constitution prior to Trump’s “election” (with three MILLION fewer votes) and they’re certainly showing NO signs of concern now.

If fact, Trump showed his disdain for the constitution well before he ever became our so-called president.  He was “vaulted” into the presidential “picture” by leading the so-called “birther” movement when Barack Obama was president.  He’s expressed an affinity for one dictator after another since “winning” (with 3 MILLION less votes) the “election,” along with a disgust of a legal process he finds contemptuous – along with not in the least understanding it.  He expects to be able to do whatever he likes and he lashes out at anyone who would disagree with him – including the “free press,” the justice department, and any people he doesn’t like either in the democratic party or honorable republicans.

Of course, this national nightmare would have long since been OVER except for the complicity of the chicken s@!t republican party.  Surely, there’s enough republicans in Congress who care about something more than their next election to have some kind of accountability for Trump.  Well, obviously, the answer to that stupid statement is “NOT!”  Fortunately Devin Nunes and his republican cohorts will no longer be in charge in the House starting in January.  The Mid Term elections, to people like me, means our republic still has a chance to “turn things around.”  The Senate is another matter.  Mitch McConnell is still in charge in the Senate which means NOTHING of substance which will affect Trump is likely to even receive a vote – although, if Trump is impeached republicans will be FORCED to vote – essentially on whether or not the president is “above the law.”

If you remember, McConnell famously claimed, during the first days of Barack Obama’s administration the number one goal of the republicans was that Obama would fail.  He wasn’t willing to allow Obama to stand or fall on the merits of his own decisions he led an orchestrated agenda of OBSTRUCTION to BLOCK virtually EVERYTHING Obama introduced.  McConnell initiated around 700 FILIBUSTERS.  Now McConnell is BLOCKING every attempt to hold Trump accountable for his illegal behavior – this despite, at one point, being belittled by our so-called president.  For some reason, these republicans are cowering to Trump.  Recently I read that McConnell, himself, may be compromised by Russian money along with other Senators whose behavior has been, at a minimum, curious – like Lindsey Graham.

Now we’re finding out more about how the Russians allegedly filtered MILLIONS of dollars through the NRA which was then “funneled” to republicans like Trump and very likely McConnell and Graham – and, who knows who else.  The bottom line is there are a few republicans who may be facing charges along the lines of treason.  Keep in mind, unless you’re Trump, Vladimir Putin is no great “leader.”  He’s the head of maybe the world’s most significant organized crime syndicate which has infiltrated the U.S. along with many other countries and he’s the EXPERT, as the former head of the KGB, at “compromising” people who help him achieve his ends – the clearest one significant to “we the people” is destabilizing America and other Western nations – like Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy, and many others.  The right wing “push” going on around the world very likely is the work of Vladimir Putin.

Robert Mueller is going to expose ALL of this and it remains to be seen if republicans continue to act like cowards in the face of the Trump assault on out republic.  I believe Trump and several members of his family are looking at the potential of legal jeopardy.  They really are acting as if they are an organized crime family – very small time compared to Putin who Trump appears to be totally envious of – and the Justice Department seems to have more than just Trump in their “sights.”  I’ve said before that Trump would rue the day he decided to run for president and I believe that day is here or, maybe, it’s past that day.  Trump can’t even find a chief of staff because everyone who gets near him needs a lawyer!

 

When analyzing Trump and the DAMAGE he and his sycophants are doing to America both domestically and around the world it’s hard to keep the mind from spinning out of control.  Today as I listened to Mike Pompeo speaking in Europe about America’s foreign policy and claiming Trump is attempting to “bring America back from the void created by previous administrations” due to their “retreating” on the world stage I honestly had to fight back the urge to vomit.  Trump and his willing surrogates are either deluded or just a bunch of willful LIARS!

Pompeo’s words come just a few days after I watched Mohammad bin Salman (MBS) and Vladimir Putin giving each other a “high five” at the G-20 Summit in Argentina as if to be laughing in the face of how they’re “playing” Trump and his willing bunch of LIARS.  “We the people” continue to watch in dismay as one world leader after another “schools” Trump in world diplomacy as they publicly show they’ve figured out that, with Trump, “flattery will get you everywhere,” and Trump is the very “vehicle” they’re using to destroy America’s role in the world.  Putin almost looked “giddy.”

If it wasn’t so disgusting it would be laughable listening to Pompeo suggest Trump and Co. are, essentially, filling the space created by President Obama and presumably his predecessors  whom he accused of “retreating” on the world stage.  My thoughts immediately went to the pulling out of the Paris Climate Accords, the pulling out of the TPP, the trashing of our traditional alliances, and the pulling out of the Iran Nuclear “deal” – for starters.  These are issues that required much EXPERT diplomacy which is no longer an option for America’s government because, for example, the State Department has been purged of HUNDREDS of years of experienced EXPERT diplomats!

The idea that Trump’s “gut” is going to “Make America Great Again” would be even more laughable – again, if all this wasn’t so serious.  Trump is, in reality “Making China Great Again,” he’s lifted up the status of Putin and Kim Jong un, he’s publicly “stained” himself over the MURDER of Jamal Khashoggi – clearly, stating to the world Saudi MONEY is more important than any human rights issue, and he’s still acting in ways that would suggest he is “owned” by Putin and, apparently, now also MBS.  Personally, I’m anxious for Mueller to “follow the money” in regard to Trump’s ties to both Russia and Saudi Arabia and who knows where else.  When “we the people” are OK with our “allies” going to diplomatic meetings with reporters carrying BONE SAWS, America has become anything but “great.”

Here’s what’s the most UNBELIEVABLE to me – as I ponder all this.  Trump is so BRAZENLY violating on American LAW (and “norm”) after another that “we the people” are apparently numb to all this.  Daily, it seems, Trump is committing some act of OBSTRUCTION of justice, witness tampering, or breaking some other law as if to say FU to “we the people” and OUR Justice Department.  As this all progresses, the Justice Department is being directly challenged, our intelligence agencies are being directly challenged, and, of course, he’s calling the “media” “the enemy of the people” – all signs of someone who longs for autocratic power.  It must really “gall” Trump knowing that Putin and MBS can laugh about how they take care of dissident reporters – right in Trump’s face on the “world stage” – and he’s “stuck” with simply calling them (the media) “the enemy of the people.”

So, Trump’s actions, which, as I said, are making “we the people” numb to the daily routine of one scandal after another is causing the “liberal media” (and, people like me) to spend a lot of time “chasing their/our tails.”  It’s a never ending barrage of DISTRACTIONS designed to keep “we the people’s” minds off of things that are important.  Over the next few years I believe we will slowly uncover – because of disasters that show up “after the fact” – a lot of the DAMAGE which is “flying under the radar.”  As much as I appreciate our “liberal media” and support actual investigative journalism I believe this unending FOCUS on the Mueller investigation and the desire to see Trump INDICTED for his CRIMES (which is unlikely while he’s president – and, maybe after – which I’ll try to explain in a bit) is causing an untold amount of DAMAGE to go unreported – apparently, just the way people like Mitch McConnell like it!  Republicans are getting judges and, I’m guessing, a lot more “stuff” we’ll only find out about LATER!

And, I do worry about what’s going to happen when Trump leaves office.  Personally, I want Trump to have to answer for his BRAZEN disregard for our legal system.  Instead of upholding it, he’s undermining it.  So, is the next president, hopefully in 2020, going to do as President Obama did and “look forward instead of back?”  I’ll get into the Obama fiasco later, but the past couple of days has seen our “liberal media” at what I consider it’s absolute worse.  And, believe me, I understand how we have a history of honoring our “past presidents.”  (In fact, Jimmy Carter is one of my favorite people in the world)  And, while George HW Bush is lying in state in the rotunda of the nation’s capitol it’s probably the wrong time to “tell the truth about him.”

However, I watch MSNBC, and one host after another on their network is almost trying to turn HW Bush into a “saint.”  Trust me, this man was no saint.  He did manage, as many of the other members of Yale’s “Skull and Bones” secret society have done, to keep his true “history” pretty much to himself.  (That “society,” by the way, has reportedly been the source of many of the stalwarts in the CIA)  And, I admit, there was a lot about HW that I appreciated – especially after two years of Trump, it’s more apparent.  But, here’s the reality – and, much of this is coming from the memory of a 71 year old man (me) who reads a lot of books and forgets a lot of “stuff.”  (For reference, read “Family of Secrets” by Russ Baker if you want to get a more accurate “picture” of George HW Bush – and, for that matter, the Bush family, including “Bush 43.” I’ve read other books revealing the “secrets” of the Bush dynasty as well)

Bush, somehow, kept his long association with the CIA secret – less the time he served as the head of the CIA – and, to be fair, many who were there when he was the head of the agency give him credit for “saving it” – keep in mind the similarity with today – Bush took over the CIA right after Watergate.  It was in disarray and it was always a bit curious why Nixon put Bush in charge. The CIA was, at the time, being accused by politicians “on both sides of the isle” of abusing it’s power.  Some of the worst of their abuses were being exposed and, according to those who were on the inside, at the time, Bush began the rebuilding of the agency’s image.  But, the reality is Bush was put at the CIA because, based on what I’ve read, Nixon wanted to get him “out of the way.”  Nixon realized Bush had greater ambitions.

I’ll put it this way, Bush was a very ambitious person, and his road to the “White House” was “littered” with stuff no one’s talking about right now.  According to Baker, HW became part of the CIA right out of college and he was part of the notorious “Phoenix” program in Viet Nam which was, essentially, a death squad program gone wild – similar to what happened years later in the Iran/Contra scandal – I believe in Nicaragua.

In “Family of Secrets,” Baker weaves an interesting “web” around HW Bush and how his activity, allegedly while working for the CIA, centered around the assassination of JFK.  I won’t go into it all, but “Family of Secrets” is a VERY interesting book – I’ve read it twice and I’m feeling I need to read it again as I’m listening to all these so-called “liberal” commentators (like Chris Matthews and Chuck Todd) fawning over HW Bush.  (I guess that’s what you do when a president dies, but………………..)  At some point in America’s “history” “we the people” are going to examine history honestly.

HW Bush was also up to his ears in the Iran/Contra “episode” during the latter years of the Reagan administration (another republican reaching “saint hood” apparently because all republican presidents of previous years are now being compared to Trump – but, trust me, Reagan was no “saint” either – unless we’re just going to throw out our contention that “America is a country of laws.”  I referred to the American tradition, earlier, where the new president allows the previous president to simply “go out to pasture” with all “transgressions” forgiven.  Well, Clinton looked the other way regarding HW Bush who easily could have been prosecuted for his involvement in Iran/Contra – and, as I said, he had a lot of “non-saint” issues along the way to the “White House.”  (Somehow, Reagan avoided true scrutiny as well)  To HW Bush’s credit, he always acted like a statesman – which seems to be what the pundits are fawning over as they remember him.

Of course, for me, the most egregious example of a president overlooking ILLEGAL behavior by his predecessor would be President Obama (who I very much admire) actually BLOCKING any of the investigations which were ongoing as he took office into the WAR CRIMES of George W Bush and Dick Cheney.  I listened the other day, again on MSNBC, how outgoing presidents “give space” to the incoming president and how GW Bush did so regarding President Obama.  My first thought was Bush SHOULD have been giving Obama space in the hopes Obama would do exactly what he did; “Look forward instead of back.”

There’s a myriad of problems with that “approach” which I’ve gone over ad nauseum on this site – mostly during the first years of the Obama administration.  The main point in my argument against “looking forward instead of back” is that each administration is setting “precedent” for the future and, sure enough, Trump was claiming “I’d do waterboarding and a whole lot more” if elected – during the 2016 campaign – EXACTLY what I had predicted a few years earlier would be the result of Obama’s choice to “look the other way” from REAL WAR CRIMES.  “We the people” prosecuted adversaries after WW II for the same things Obama was “looking away from.”  “We the people” were instrumental in founding the Geneva Conventions that were set up in order to STOP war crimes.  And, OUR OWN LAWS were clear that both GW Bush and Dick Cheney had willfully authorized WAR CRIMES.

And, that doesn’t even get into the LYING that caused the Iraq fiasco which led to the loss of HUNDREDS of thousands of lives and is STILL to this day the cause of much of the destabilization in the Middle East and therefore, the WORLD.  President Obama is the ONLY president since, you guessed it, Jimmy Carter to make it through a term in office without some kind of scandal that is clearly based in lack of respect for our system of laws.  In addition to what I mentioned above, Bush/Cheney authorized illegal wiretapping – en masse – they “outed” a CIA agent to get “revenge” for someone attempting to expose one of their LIES, and, in general, they pushed boundaries everywhere.  Now, especially with Trump in the “White House” many people – including a lot of republicans – are looking at GW Bush in a much better “light.”

My point is, the problem with allowing this lawbreaking by our “leaders” is that, just like the sixth graders I used to teach, they will keep pushing the boundaries until forced to stop.  Now we have a so-called president who doesn’t believe there are ANY boundaries as far as his behavior is concerned.  He’s running this country as if he’s the head of a crime syndicate and MILLIONS of Americans are OK with that because, generalizing, they are white nationalists to some degree  or they’re happy getting right wing judges – no matter what Trump is “up to.”

As I’m watching virtually everyone in Washington DC giving their respects to George HW Bush and as I’m listening to the commentators I can’t help but wonder what are these people going to be saying after Trump has “met his maker.”  Are they going to be rationalizing his behavior?  Are they going to be making him out to be something he wasn’t – simply because he figured out a way – with the help of Vladimir Putin – to “win” an American election?  (With 3 MILLION fewer votes than his opponent)  Are we going to look the other way from ALL the misdeeds Trump is foisting on “We the people” and – as is likely to be uncovered – has been “doing” for the previous 30 years, or so.

I love studying history, but it’s often very frustrating when I learn the “truth” about stuff that has been “watered down” or worse in the mainstream history books.  There’s a lot of historians heaping praise, for example, on George HW Bush – but, it comes across to me as people who didn’t look beyond the surface when doing their biography of him.   Many people in America who write the history books have an aversion to the truth.  It’s really a bad policy and I’m often reminded that “those who ignore history are destined to repeat it.”  I’ve just turned off the TV so I don’t have to listen to all the “fawning” of HW Bush – and, he obviously was a kind and good man in the eyes of many – but, hiding the real truth about him will lead to the lost opportunity for “we the people” to learn.  I guess my point here is, I really hope Donald Trump is not allowed to get away with his lawbreaking simply because he’s our so-called president!

Final Thought:  I believe Nixon is the only president who faced any serious accountability for his lawbreaking – and, yet, by the time he was out of office for a few years all was forgotten and forgiven – he also acted somewhat (although less than Trump) as a mob boss.  People have to look purposely to find the real truth about Ronald Reagan and most people have no idea what the truth is regarding the working life of George HW Bush.  In my mind, America continues to flounder because we just can’t come to grips with the reality of our own history!

Did you ever imagine what things would be like in America if a MAFIA boss could somehow make his/her way into the “White House” as a so-called “president?”  Naturally, I’m not talking about places like Russia where Vladimir Putin is regarded as not only the head of the country but, also, the head of an incredible world-wide crime syndicate.  Of course, I’m talking about America’s so-called president Donald Trump who, every day, acts more and more like the crime syndicate boss many have alleged he actually is.  What “we the people” are seeing, is the tearing down of our traditional institutions – deconstructing the administrative state as Steve Bannon put it – right in broad daylight!  And, somewhere around 35 – 40% of “us” are falling for it.

America, as “we the people” have come to know her since the days of FDR in the 1930’s and 40’s is clearly “on the line.”  People like me didn’t understand the level of Trump’s lack of “scruples” until seeing him in action over the past couple of years.  It’s like a mafia boss brazenly pushing one boundary after another until he realizes the republican party, as it exists in America as of 2018 is incapable of standing up to this national disaster, and then thinking, “I can do whatever I want!”  Every day this continues, things get worse for “we the people,” looking at the long term health of this nation.

Trump’s motto was “Make America Great Again.”  As each day passes that he remains in office America becomes “less ‘great.'”  He’s attempting to destroy our Justice Department, our Intelligence Agencies, our Congress, and, virtually, everything our founders set up to prevent someone like him from gaining control in America, not to mention the fundamental structure of the institutions which have been evolving since WW II.  His actions are clearly consistent with the worst tyrants of the last century and, so far, the only thing preventing him from completely destroying America is those “checks” our founders put in place that Trump continues to struggle against.  (And, Congressional republicans refuse to enforce)

Of course, I haven’t even mentioned the media – the “fourth estate” in America’s system of checks and balances.  Trump may despise the media more than he despises Robert Mueller, if that’s possible.  Members of our media, many who are going to be regarded as TRUE patriots when all of this “is said and done,” keep attempting to uncover the TRUTH about Trump and what he did in his attempt to gain the “White House.”  Curiously, I don’t believe Trump ever expected to succeed and, as I’ve said several times previously on this site, he’ll come to “rue” the day he decided to obliterate President Obama’s legacy and run for president – if he’s not already at that point.

Yes, America’s government is much different than America’s business world and many of Trump’s supporters believe(d) that coming from the business world was an “asset.”  Maybe that would be true if it was a person who was the head of a public company that had to answer to stockholders and a true board of directors.  Trump’s business is a closely held private enterprise where he did what he pleased when he pleased.  Do you get the impression he thinks that’s the way the government should work?

In reading Michael Lewis’ “The Fifth Risk” it’s clear Trump – and those he brought with him – had no idea what he/they was/were getting into when he took the “reins” of government.  To top that off, “we the people” had no idea how he managed to get those “reins.”  And, it’s true there’s a significant minority of Americans who don’t care how Trump got the “reins,” but, thankfully, there’s WAY MORE of “we the people” who absolutely do care – including a few republicans.  As departments like the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Energy, and the Center for Disease Control – to name a few – become dysfunctional, even Trump’s most ardent supporters are going to begin realizing the level of DAMAGE he’s inflicting on this nation.

And, while “inflicting” this DAMAGE, we are all learning about what kind of person was somehow “elected” (with THREE MILLION fewer votes than his opponent) to be our so-called president.  He acts like a Mafia boss and, as I watch the investigation of the “Russia thing” unfold, it’s clear the investigators are acting like they’re investigating a Mafia boss.  Trump lashes out at anyone who challenges him – in any way, kind of reflexively – and he talks like someone who should be cast in the next version of the Godfather.  Just the other day I heard him reference his former “Lawyer” Michael Cohen (usually referred to as his “fixer” – that, alone, should have told us all we needed to know) as “weak” because he’s now cooperating with the investigation.

Let that sink in a bit.  Our so-called president is calling someone who’s doing the right thing as “weak.”  He’s stated on multiple occasions, which I’ve heard with my own ears, that he hates “flippers.”  To him, a “flipper” is someone who decides to cooperate with the government to save their own skin (That they’re telling the TRUTH apparently is irrelevant) .  Of course, the corollary of that statement is that he would prefer people NOT cooperate with the government he’s in charge of which he took an oath to defend while upholding the constitution and the laws of the land.  We’ve definitely never had anyone remotely like him living in the “White House.”  Even Richard Nixon had a basic underlying respect for the constitution.  While many are seeing the parallels between Nixon and Trump, I will be totally surprised if Trump resigns.

Keep this in mind.  When Trump is out of the “White House” he’s likely to be facing legal jeopardy – unless, of course, Mike Pense becomes president and pardons him as Gerald Ford did for Nixon.  Of course, Pense would be guaranteeing NO CHANCE to get elected in the next election and this would all presuppose Trump is impeached – which is hard to imagine with the present membership of republicans in the Senate.  They appear to want to be “standing” right beside Trump (and Benedict Arnold) in America’s history books.  (I’m guessing Trump could be facing State “issues” after leaving office which are out of the reach of presidential pardons)

Not only has Trump become exposed for HOW he managed to “win” the “election” (with THREE MILLION fewer votes than his opponent – oh yes, I already said that) but, as the investigation has proceeded I believe it’s uncovered and is uncovering Trump’s Mafiya background in dealing with the Russian “underworld” along with the Mafia families who’ve been in New York for generations.  Multiple reports have suggested Trump has long ago been “cut off” by American banks due to his propensity for refusing to pay back loans.  Many have wondered where Trump got the funds to buy a bunch of golf properties with cash – the suggested answer being Russia.  In fact, Trump’s connection to Russian “dirty money” is well documented and goes back 30 years or more.  (Ponder that along side Trump’s claim, “I have nothing to do with Russia”)

Trump has been bullying his way through life and skirting the legal system for most of his adult life, according to what I’ve read.  He talks of his “Roy Cohn” who was, apparently, a lawyer for the underworld who also represented Joseph McCarthy during the “communist purge” after WW II.  According to reports it was Cohn who “taught” Trump to never apologize and to always “attack, attack, attack.”  This “trait” has been on display over and over again since Trump became our so-called president.

Another thing; Trump is a master proponent of “projection.”  (Unfortunately, I’ve come to believe our “liberal media” thinks every day Americans understand what “projection” is, so – even when they’re pointing out it’s happening AGAIN – they don’t explain what it is.  I’ve asked several people who are “educated” “What is projection?” and, almost NONE of them could even give an answer (other than talking about movie cameras).  Trump is constantly accusing his opponents of doing exactly what he’s guilty of.  (Remember all the “lock her up” chants?)  The latest example is a “tweet” (keep in mind, I don’t do social media so I’ve seen this in “second hand” reporting – from multiple sources) showing Trump’s “political enemies” (I guess – Bill Clinton was in the photo – I thought Trump gave him money) “behind bars” with a caption that referenced the term “treason.”

Well, I’ve pointed out many times on this site I believe Trump’s actions in the 2016 election, if proven to be true – and, I’m talking about conspiring with the Russians to get elected, will amount to TREASON.  Actually, I felt his performance while standing next to Vladimir Putin in Helsinki was essentially TREASON.  And, as I’m writing this Trump is in Argentina at the “G-20 Summit” and we’ll see if he’s smart enough to listen to his advisors to avoid a meeting with Putin while Americans are digesting he was secretly working on a “deal” in Moscow during the 2016 election while repeatedly denying it.  I suppose NO ONE should be surprised he was LYING, now should they?

Of course, Trump has a long history of associating himself with people who don’t know the TRUTH – and, that should be no surprise considering the connections to the Mafiya.  (That’s the spelling of the reference to the Russian “Mafiya”)  And, what about his strong supporters from New York like Roger Stone and Jerome Corsi?  Trust me, they don’t have a “history” of truth telling.  Corsi is the person who came up with the “Swift Boat” character assassination of John Kerry which Kerry famously failed to adequately respond – likely costing him the “White House” and Stone has been a republican “hit man” since the days of Nixon.  Corsi came up with the “Birther conspiracy” re: Barack Obama and, I believe, it was Stone who, along with Lee Atwater,  came up with the “Willy Horton adds” during the campaign of George HW Bush.  (Despite the lack of “scruples” by the Bush’s they seem like saints to me,  compared to Trump)  (RIP HW – who passed away while I was writing this – I could write much about him, read “Family of Secrets” by Russ Baker – it’s an “eye opener”)

Have you heard the saying, “Birds of a feather, flock together?”  Well, I just listened to Jerome Corsi interviewed by Ari Melber on MSNBC and it’s apparent why he’s associated with Trump.  I’ll put it this way, pathological LIARS actually believe their LIES as the words come out of their mouths! Interestingly, I just finished reading “The Death of Truth” by Michiko Kakutani and she eloquently points out the danger in America right now as so many of “us” are willing to allow our “leaders” to get away with LYING.  She clearly explains first, how our founders set up our constitution in a way to prevent “factions” from taking control and turning America into an autocracy.  Then she points out how Trump, his sycophants like Corsi and Stone,  and the Russians are working to “incite” the very “factionalism” our founders worked to prevent via “checks and balances.”

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard the phrase, “All politician LIE.”  Well, to varying degrees, I suppose, all human beings LIE.  But Trump and people like Putin take LYING to the extreme which most people can’t even comprehend –  likely, explaining why so many Americans continue to support Trump.  They just can’t bring themselves to believe he’s the LIAR he’s portrayed by the “liberal media” – AND, unfortunately, they believe Fox “news” and people like Rush Limbaugh – who are paid LIARS.  This is all putting our nation at risk every day it continues.

As I said above, I believe Trump is acting as if he’s a Mafia boss (whether it’s true or not) and Putin has been credibly defined as a Mafiya boss – the head of Russia’s Mafiya.  It appears Mueller is investigating Trump as if he’s a Mafia boss and, I believe, Trump’s family is likely a bit nervous after Michael Cohen’s admissions in court the other day.  Republicans in Congress could put an end to this disaster today if they had the courage, but clearly, they’re comfortable in being complicit.  I guess the question becomes;  When Mueller’s probe is completed will they (republicans) continue to act as sycophants???

Final Thought:  Every day I wonder, “why are republicans OK with the DAMAGE Trump is inflicting on America?  Have they really evolved to the point where they’re OK with the destruction of America’s traditional (since WW II) institutions – which took so much BLOOD to establish and grow?  And, when are democrats going to fight for the votes of Americans who are working class and live in the rural areas of this country?  From my vantage point, they are the ones being hurt the MOST by republican policy.  I continue to believe many “conservatives” support the republican party strictly because of the abortion issue – yet, there’s never a national dialogue about abortion.  Personally, I believe the issue is much more complicated than “pro life” or “pro choice.”  It seems to me, that’s the issue which must be “bridged” for this nation to once again “pull together.”  Just sayin…………………….