Every day republicans continue their complicit behavior in supporting our so-called president the DAMAGE to America grows. It’s getting to the point where it may take a generation to recover from what Trump is doing to this nation and its position in the world. Bill Clinton – yes, he had his issues – left the presidency with a high level of popularity both in America and around the world, turning the “Oval Office” over to the Bush/Cheney reign with a huge SURPLUS regarding the budget and a strong standing in the world. In fact, after the 9/11 attack (which, was preventable with a less inept administration) not only did “we the people” come together, but our “friends” around the world united in coming to our defense as well.

Of course, Bush/Cheney did their republican duty in undermining the fundamentals of what had “made America great” after WW II. I won’t go into the details of all what Bush/Cheney did to this nation and the world – it’s still a huge part of why the world has been destabilized – but, the point is Bush/Cheney were another example of republicans destroying what was built by “the greatest generation” – those who built so much of what “we the people” take for granted every day. Of course, I’m talking about the generation of Americans who were part of the “New Deal” which brought electricity to so many rural parts of America and brought so many privileges to Middle Class Americans which are taken for granted today. An example would be the work of the labor unions where things like the 40 hour work week among a plethora of worker’s rights issues were WON with a lot of blood “donated” by our fathers, mothers, and grandfathers and grandmothers (and, for many our great grandfathers and gr. Moms)

These are the same people who pulled together under extremely tenuous circumstances to defeat Adolf Hitler and the Third Reich in WW II where MILLIONS gave their lives in the fight to protect our freedom. What took place in America in the 30 years following the war was the building of the greatest middle class in the history of the world. Of course, other than Dwight Eisenhower, republicans didn’t like this and building on the so-called “Powell memo” written by Lewis Powell in about 1972 republicans have been trying to build a corporatocracy at the expense of this great middle class since the day Powell’s “memo” reached the U.S. Chamber of Congress. (Read Hedrick Smith’s “Who Stole the American Dream?”)

Ronald Reagan was the first republican in the “White House” to successfully change the trajectory of America toward the “top 1%” and away from blue collar workers. Reagan started the tax “scams” that have put America into choking national debt setting the “marker” that annual “deficits don’t matter” – words restated by Dick Cheney 20 years later. (If you remember, Reagan’s campaign “shtick” was “I’ll cut your taxes and balance the budget” – republicans have been pushing this LIE ever since) Additionally, Reagan started the – successful – attacks by republicans and their brethren on America’s labor unions by violating a campaign promise to the union representing America’s Air Traffic Controllers (PATCO) and “breaking” their union on national TV – an action which has been mimicked many times over since resulting in Americans in the workforce represented by a labor union diminishing to less than 10% from around 35% the day Reagan destroyed PATCO. (It’s ironic, at a minimum, that air traffic controllers are working as I’m typing this WITHOUT pay – due to the “Trump shutdown”)

Following Reagan came George HW Bush and he continued the “attack” on the middle class although it was somewhat more subtle. Yet, the deficit continued to pile HUGE amounts of debt on our national “credit card.” Republicans showed no concern whatever with the national debt during Reagan’s and the first Bush’s time at the helm of America’s “ship of state.” And, the disparity in wealth which began to grow almost exponentially under Reagan continued to grow – helped by the continued attacks on America’s labor workforce – under the economic tutelage of Bush 1. This was all part of the “plan” put forth by the “Powell memo.”

Clinton’s eight years in charge put a significant “crimp” in the plans of the “moneychangers” who lurk in the shadows of the republican party. The economic growth during Clinton’s time in the White House was historic. Of course, republicans will never give any democrat credit for anything, but the reality is Clinton handed a surplus of $250 BILLION each year to the Bush/Cheney regime. (In some corners Clinton was referred to as “the best republican president in memory” – giving credit to his fiscal responsibility)

It’s true the economic expansion which happened under the “watch” of Clinton/Gore was slowing as they were leaving office, but Bush/Cheney had nothing but republican “take from the poor and give it to the rich” economic theory and it didn’t take them long to turn the surplus into another HUGE deficit. Of course, they did unfathomable additional DAMAGE to America and the world in their attempt to get “even” with Saddam Hussein along with encouraging reckless behavior by international financial institutions leading to the “Great Recession.” Bush/Cheney inherited a $250 BILLION surplus and handed a $1.5 TRILLION annual deficit to Barack Obama. And, Oh, by the way, republicans were complaining about “Obama’s” deficit before he took the oath of office – “par for the course.” One more thing, Bush/Cheney turned America’s positive “standing” in the world after Clinton “upside down.”

So, along comes President Obama. Obama’s been out of office for two years as I’m writing this and republicans continue to BLAME him for all that’s going wrong in the disaster commonly known as the Trump administration. Aside from many executive orders (the main complaint against Obama by republicans) almost NOTHING’s been accomplished under Trump’s “watch.” (Which makes it all the more curious as how ANYONE can fall for Trump’s claim that he’s the greatest president ever) Not surprising, the ONE thing passed through Congress of note during Trump’s first two years was ANOTHER tax scam funneling TRILLIONS to America’s top “1%” and their corporate “donors” pushing the annual deficit back OVER the one TRILLION per year mark AGAIN. It took President Obama 8 years to get the deficit down to about $400 BILLION (down 70% from when he took the oath of office – with republicans complaining and BLAMING him every “step” of the way) and, as if Trump is a true republican, it took him two years to push it back over the TRILLION mark. (And, trust me, Trump’s ineptitude will push the deficit up toward record territory – and above if, as it appears is on the horizon, there’s a recession. (And, Trump’s recession could be severe! Additionally, that doesn’t even take into account the effect of what higher interest rates would do to the debt if, as I’ve predicted, inflation rears its ugly “head”)

Obama, again, had lifted the United States in the eyes of the world and it didn’t take Trump long to upend virtually all of Obama’s work in putting America back as the “leader of the free world.” Trump has made no pretense in his determination to undermine EVERY bit of President Obama’s “legacy” he can. He’s been fixated on taking health insurance away from MILLIONS of Americans by undermining the Affordable Care Act (AKA “Obamacare”), he almost immediately pulled America out of the Paris Climate Accord, he’s been working to undermine NATO and the United Nations, he pulled America from the TPP (Trans Pacific Partnership) – which has given China a “pass” to the economic development of Southeast Asia, and he’s, curiously, lifted up one world autocrat after another – including the really disturbing relationships with Vladimir Putin and Mohammad bin Salmon. In fact, it almost looks as if Trump is working for the benefit of Putin’s attempt to reconstitute the “former Soviet Union.”

Along with the above, Trump has put in place people to run America’s great institutions who are fixated on destroying the very institutions they are charged to run. For example, Mick Mulvaney was put in place at the Consumer Protection Agency and immediately put in place “rules” undermining the stated purpose of the Agency. Ryan Zinke was in charge of the Interior Department and, until he was forced to resign in the face of numerous alleged scandals, he focused his efforts on turning America’s “interior” into as many oil wells and other fossil fuel “successes” as possible – again, attempting to undermine the great history of this department going back to Theodore Roosevelt. Betsy DeVoss has been an incredible disaster as the head of the Department of Education – unless, you don’t believe in public education. Trump picked Rick Perry to run the Department of Energy – which he had publicly stated he wanted to abolish. Rex Tillerson took the heart out of the Department of State before he was summarily fired – after making uncomplimentary remarks aimed at Russia. There’s more, but you get the idea!

Trump has not made even the slightest attempt to create any kind of coalition beyond his right wing, racist base that, sadly (to me) has a foundation based on evangelical “Christians.” When you put all this together it shouldn’t surprise you to read the articles in the New York Times and Washington Post this past weekend highlighting Trump’s potential as an “asset” of the Russians. Of course, Trump vehemently denies this, but the FACT he’s LYING at a rate in “double digits” per day NO ONE believes anything coming from his mouth. (Except for his supporters who don’t seem to mind him LYING to them). If Trump actually believes he’s not been co-opted by the Russians, it appears the best case scenario for “we the people” is that Trump, in the eyes of Vladimir Putin, is a “useful idiot.” Whether he’s doing the bidding of the Russians on purpose we’ll have to wait, apparently, for Mueller’s report. Regardless, when will republicans wake up? Until they decide they’ve had enough, “we the people” are stuck with this “useful idiot.” (It’s just that he’s not “useful” for America)

Remember, Trump was referred to as a f@#^ing moron by Tillerson and a f@#^ing idiot by James Mattis prior to each of them being dismissed from their posts in Trump’s cabinet. Also, there have been similar reports regarding others in Trump’s “orbit” calling him everything from an imbecile to the above mentioned idiot/moron characterizations. And, this is coming from people inside Trump’s “orbit.” I’ve always believed the reason Trump has claimed “no collusion” over and over again likely in the hundreds of times is because, well, there WAS “collusion.” My word for “collusion” is TREASON which is why I’ve been claiming for the past year or so that Trump’s place in the history books will be right next to Benedict Arnold. Trump is clearly allowing/helping Putin to succeed in his attempts to undermine the “Western alliances.” Of course, the crown jewel in Putin’s war on liberal democracies would be America and, it appears, Trump is the “gift” that just keeps on giving. Again, when all is said and done, this will be a “pall” on the republican party for their complicity in all of this. This disgrace is how people like Orrin Hatch, Mitch McConnell, Lindsey Graham, Paul Ryan, Jim Jordan, and Devin Nunes – to name a few republicans – will be remembered.

Final thought: Earlier (in previous postings) I had wondered whether or not Congressional members, like Devin Nunes, could be held accountable for OBSTRUCTION of Justice if proven they were purposely impeding the progress of the Mueller (or FBI) Investigations. Well, today it appears I got my answer – and that is it was reported Nunes is under investigation by Mueller. Of course, there could be others (like Jim Jordan of Ohio – the first name that comes to my mind), but it was Nunes who was doing everything he could to undermine the FBI (and Mueller) investigation(s). This will send a clear message to other’s in the Congress who decide to put their loyalty to their party over their country. It was NUNES who SHOULD have been leading the investigation into Trump’s alleged COLLUSION (Treason) with Russia – instead of BLOCKING it at every chance!