There’s an old saying, “The more things change the more they stay the same.” I really have trouble stomaching anything coming from the republican party, but, if you’re paying attention to what’s going on with our government it can’t be helped. So, this week is the annual disgusting CPAC conference where conservatives get together and convince each other that all their LIES are not really lies at all, because if they continue repeating them, well, they’ll magically become true. Of course, for the past quarter of a century (yes, that’s correct) these republicans have been able to focus their “venom” on Hillary Clinton, as the most obvious example – showing their success is the result of negativity and creating targets for their strategy of fear mongering, a prime example of how they focus on character assassination as a routine strategy. And, of course, with Mrs. Clinton it worked because, with the help of the Russians and James Comey, we’ve got individual 1 as our so-called president.

Well, Hillary Clinton is no longer a viable target because she’s pretty much pulled herself out of the spotlight – of course, this doesn’t include individual 1’s venomous attacks when he’s doing his “no collusion” routine, (And, by the way, there may not have been collusion on individual 1’s part – we KNOW his son and son-in-law and his campaign manager “COLLUDED” because that’s part of the official record – if he’s innocent, all I can say is individual 1 is not acting like an innocent man) grouping her together with James Comey, Andrew McCabe (I’m reading his book), Barack Obama, and others he HATES on. So, those at CPAC now have to find a new “bogeyman” in order to keep their “uneducated voter” base in a state of constant fear and anger. I’m sure you’ve already figured out where I’m going with this.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez will nicely fit into the republicans’ plan to keep their base living in fear of a socialist revolution that puts them all in gulags. (Maybe like the ones individual 1 says Kim Jong un doesn’t know much about in North Korea) These people who support individual 1, despite the mounting evidence he’s very possibly nothing more than a mob boss, will believe ANYTHING they are told to believe, and there’s a reason they are coveted as “uneducated voters.” First of all, they vote. Secondly, at least in the instances of the ones I know, they read very little or not at all – and, the ones who read, focus on the “fake books” that come from the world of Fox “news” and their “fake” journalists. So, republicans are in the process of proclaiming Ms. Ocasio-Cortez as the “face” of the democratic party and our so-called “liberal media” – this is my prediction – will fall for it. They’ll report it as it is so.

It’s true Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, at least in my view, is coming across as a potentially brilliant legislator, but the reality is she’s 29 years old and she’s got a lot to learn. I love her intensity and enthusiasm, but my concern is she’s putting herself in the position to be the leader of the democratic version of the republican’s so-called “freedom caucus” – the “tea party” republicans. The right wing “tea party” republicans are what brought us individual 1 and, personally, I’m not anxious for the “liberal” version. President Obama, despite how he was characterized by these CPAC LIARS is no flaming “liberal.” In fact, his “pragmatism” – while I understood why he made decisions he did (see the movie “42”), was one of the reasons I made predictions which actually came true during his two terms – predictions about people failing to vote and democrats losing ground in legislatures around the country and why. (see the archives if you want details)

While I love the diversity and enthusiasm in the new “class” of democrats in the House of representatives, the “real world” focus of democrats, long term, MUST be to make sure individual 1 gets the opportunity to defend himself in court after the 2020 election because he will no longer be protected from legal accountability by some outdated and ridiculous Justice Department Legal Counsel memo written 50 years ago which implies the president is above the law. To me, that’s absurd, and violates any common sense interpretation of our constitution. To me, President Obama’s most egregious mistake came shortly after he assumed office when he BLOCKED all investigations into the ILLEGAL activities authorized by GW Bush and his cohort Dick Cheney – both who admitted to being WAR CRIMINALS. If anyone in America should be held to account for violating our laws it SHOULD begin with the president. He/she takes an oath to defend the constitution and that oath should be a sacred one.

I’m one who is very likely to be in agreement with most of what Ms Ocasio-Cortez is espousing, and I hope she continues to be enthusiastic and intense in how she handles her job – I just hope those with more experience can help make sure she understands she’s one of 435 members of the House of Representatives and, while it’s clear the “conservatives” are targeting her and are going to be vilifying her that just means she MUST be diligent in how she portrays herself. For example, I was driving home today from taking my grandson to school and heard a report that Ms Ocasio-Cortez was “threatening” democrats who “vote with republicans” ? (I didn’t get many details) with a primary opponent. That, if it’s true, of course, is a classic “tea party” tactic. Over the years I’ve watched many times where democrats have proven to me one thing they’re really good at is “snatching defeat out of the jaws of victory.” That CAN’T happen in 2020!

The reality of American politics is that the 2020 election, like any American election, will ultimately be decided by how those in the “center” vote – mainly those who portray themselves like me as “independents.” Now, there’s a significant majority of Americans, something like 54% who have said they will NEVER vote for individual 1 – which should make it impossible for him to win another term (if he’s even running in 2020). However, I’ve watched over the years as republicans will do ANYTHING to win an election (except base their campaigns on the merits of their agenda – truthfully) and, they will find a way to make individual 1 competitive – in 2016 it was the Russians interfering on individual 1’s behalf and James Comey, incredibly, intervening on individual 1’s behalf 11 days before the election. It was like pulling a rabbit out of a hat.

In 2020 there’s already the possibility that billionaire Howard Schultz will attempt to peal off enough centrist voters from the democrats to make the 40% of America which doesn’t care that individual 1 might have conspired with the Russians to win, who don’t care how many women he’s had affairs with while his wife was pregnant with his latest son – and, that he paid ILLEGAL hush money to so his “uneducated voters” wouldn’t know about it prior to the election – or how many women are accusing him of sexual assault, they don’t care about how much money he’s laundered for the Russians or Saudi’s or who knows who else, they don’t care about how many LIES he’s said, many right to their faces, they don’t care that he’s a racist – in fact, for a large segment of his “base” that’s why they’ll be in the streets if he’s impeached, to them,it’s his number one asset, they could care less about his bankruptcies and all the people he’s “stiffed” over the years, and, sadly, they don’t care about all the DAMAGE he’s doing to America both short and long term both domestically and abroad – reams upon reams will be written about the DAMAGE once he’s gone, but, in the mean time………………………

Even people like Schultz appear to be afraid of Ms Ocasio-Cortez, and I really don’t understand why. It’s “we the people” who have the power to determine who our leaders are and, obviously, in New York, the people chose this young lady who appears to be quite brilliant. But, should anyone really be quaking in fear of her? I heard a “conservative” this morning, I don’t remember his name, using the name Joseph Stalin in characterizing Ms. Ocasio-Cortez. I can’t remember all the things he said she wants to take away – but, two of them were “pickup trucks and hamburgers.” Honestly, I had to laugh when I listened to it, but then I reminded myself that these right wing “talkers” are focused on continuing the BRAINWASHING they’ve been “applying” to their “uneducated voters” for the past 50 years and they convince themselves to believe their own LIES. It may not be “death panels” this time, but I guarantee you the fear mongering is just beginning.

And, the likelihood our “liberal media” exposes it for what it is – well, to me – is quite low. The last thing they want to see is a non competitive presidential election – there’s BILLIONS at stake in all the advertising revenue – on which they depend. Even MSNBC, in 2016 went out of their way to “normalize” individual 1 and they created so many false equivalencies it caused me to get indigestion – which doesn’t happen to me often. Like we’re all watching individual 1 being “played” on the international stage by people who shouldn’t even be on that stage – like Kim Jong un – we have to watch our “liberal media” being played by individual 1 – manipulating the media is one thing he’s actually good at. And, when one time I heard him say in a speech that the media wants him in office because they’re making a “haul” (my characterization of what he said, but you should get the point) it was a point in time where I had to agree with him.

So, republicans are going to push Ms. Ocasio-Cortez right to the forefront and, while seasoned democrats likely won’t be so quick to do so, I believe the media will easily get sucked in and she’ll be on the cover of magazines and the topic of many news stories. Republicans will use her to scare the “hell” out of their “uneducated voters” – because it works. It’s going to be “socialism this, socialism that” for the next two years. And, when you think of it, the bottom line is republicans don’t want EVERY American to have access to quality health care, they want the minimum wage to remain – inflation adjusted – to be lower than it was in the late 1960’s, they don’t want our infrastructure brought up to code unless we can do it without the wealthy paying more taxes, they don’t believe climate change is “real” despite the overwhelming evidence to the contrary, and, the only way they will care one iota about the national debt or the annual deficit is if there’s a democrat in the “White House.”

And, that’s the thing individual 1 fears the MOST! A democrat in the “White House.” Of course, that would mean he would no longer be in the “White House” and, therefore, no longer protected from that ridiculous “memo” of 50 years ago which seems to be protecting him from indictment. I woke today thinking maybe today there wouldn’t be another individual 1 SCANDAL. Of course, that was hopeful thinking. We’re all numb to the scandal a day which has been ongoing for over two years. Individual 1 is brazenly arrogant, seemingly daring the democrats to impeach him. Of course, he knows the republicans fear him enough to guarantee he won’t be removed from office. Yes, there was another “scandal” today, right on cue, that individual 1 allegedly interfered with the proposed merger between AT&T (I’m not a fan) and Time Warner (which includes CNN) leading Kellyanne Conway’s husband to say it was an “impeachable offense.” Just another day in the neighborhood, and when individual 1 returns to Manhattan there very well could be a plethora of indictments waiting for him. He’ll no longer be able to hide behind that stupid memo!

Final Thought: As I said above, I’m reading Andrew McCabe’s book “Threat” which is very interesting and a good read. I’ve only read about a fourth of the book and he hasn’t gotten much into individual 1 at this point, but combining what he’s explaining with much of the other “stuff” I’m learning, I believe individual 1 very well could be looking at what’s called a RICO charge once out of office. This would validate my suggestions he comes across as a mob boss – which became apparent to me over a year ago. So, not only are we quite possibly going to be referring to republicans as the party which elected a mafia boss to be our so-called president, but worst yet, as the evidence continued to mount, they kept supporting him. As if having the power is more important than the integrity of our democratic republic. More important than our constitution. This is clearly why I’ve been lobbying for republicans to become a part of American history – in the section presently occupied by Benedict Arnold!