The other day, as I was driving around, I was thinking about all the issues democrats are supporting in the next election which have overwhelming public support and the reasons why MOST of those issues will likely “never see the light of day.” The reason: republicans (And Moscow Mitch).

If you’ve studied recent American history at all, this is no surprise to you. (And, I’m talking about post WW II history) For example, there’s a raging debate among democrats about how to fix our “broken” health care system – the solutions ranging from “Medicare for All” to fixing the Affordable Care Act starting with the “public option” which, save for Joe Lieberman, would/should have been in the original version, are part of every democratic message. The bottom line is “health care for all” is of MAJOR concern to an overwhelming MAJORITY of Americans and who is doing EVERYTHING they can to stop any reform? Republicans, of course! (Actually, republicans have been blocking democratic attempts at “universal health care” since WW II! Somehow, democrats managed to get Medicare passed in the early 60’s – with Ronald Reagan predicting it would destroy our nation – you know, “socialist medicine.”)

I was listening to the mayor of Dayton Ohio the other day referring to the recent mass SHOOTING which killed at least 9 people (in less than a minute) in Dayton and she said that incident was the 250th MASS shooting in America – just THIS year! People have been fighting for sensible gun reform in America since (at least in my memory) the shooting of Ronald Reagan and his press secretary James Brady back in the early 80’s. In fact, at one point, there WAS an assault weapons ban – but, “we the people” are no match for the NRA and their republican sycophants. Recent polls, for example, show that over 90% of Americans support meaningful background checks to buy a gun, but who is blocking this? Of course, republicans!

Americans overwhelmingly support raising the minimum wage (which is ridiculously low) and democrats are arguing not only about how to do it but, also, how high to make it. This one affects MILLIONS of workers who, in many instances, need public assistance or more than one job to survive. Who is preventing the minimum wage from increasing? You guessed it, Yep, republicans!

Then there’s things like keeping the Russians – and anyone else who’s attempting to make a cyber attack on our nation – from gaining access to our voter systems and from INTRUDING on our election process (as well as our cyber infrastructure). To me, this one is a no brainer – do whatever you have to do to guarantee our elections will be fair and our internet systems are safe. There’s legislation in the Senate right now which would address this issue – it’s already passed the House – and, it would, I believe, insure there is a “paper ballot trail” in the elections process in EVERY state – and, it has overwhelming public support. Who’s blocking it? You got it right again: Moscow Mitch and the republicans! I’ve read where McConnell has received HUNDREDS of thousands of dollars from the Russians – not to mention the NRA!

If you’re someone who’s tried to get ahead by going to some kind of advanced education institution, like COLLEGE, and aren’t someone like individual 1 who was “born with a silver spoon” in your mouth and you’re suffocating from the debt you incurred to get that education, only to find jobs which don’t pay the rent and your loan payments, there is a solution which many democrats are supporting. There’s absolutely NO reason to force our younger generation to suffer from this debt when we SHOULD be INVESTING in our own people, to the point of ENCOURAGING them to gain education with “we the people” helping to (or actually) pay(ing) those, in many cases, massive debts. Paying the college debt of young working class Americans would be MUCH cheaper and a MUCH better investment than a tax cut for the wealthiest among us along with the corporations who are flush with cash and use the money to buy back shares. Why don’t we do the former and but someone actually does the latter? Who? You guessed it: republicans! (Oh yes, the long term return on that investment – that is paying off the debt of those who have chosen to gain an advanced (above High School) education – is exponentially greater than the return on individual 1’s tax scam – a scam which has already “fizzled” and could be part of the cause of the next recession)

Most Americans believe in our constitution and agree that no one SHOULD be above the law. Clearly, only a small “sliver” of Americans have read the Mueller report so many don’t understand the level of criminal activity coming directly out of the “White House” and being almost encouraged by William Barr, the new Attorney General. It will take a look back in history for the full level of criminality of individual 1 and his supporters to be fully known by the public. I, the optimist, still believe most of the 30 some percent of Americans who continue to support individual 1 don’t understand his level of corruption and actual law breaking. To those who are actually paying close attention it’s clear there’s a challenge to our system of “laws and not men” which is under a systematic assault and there’s a group of our Congressional leaders who are supporting the lawbreaking by their silence. Who are they? You’re right again: republicans!

Over the past 35+ years there’s been a very sophisticated system of right wing propaganda developed which spans the media via radio talkers, “conservative” cable TV outlets, and a “diseased” part of the internet which is growing as if it’s dry rot on the foundation of your house. You can listen to people like Rush Limbaugh on the radio (and many “junior” Rush’s who will say ANYTHING for money – and, believe me, they’re hauling in bundles of money), you can watch Fox “news,” and there are increasing right wing outlets on the internet which are all part of a push to scam as much MONEY from America’s (soon to be former) middle class before “we the people” figure this out. This propaganda scheme will, at some point, become exposed and it will “burn” – and, that day seems on the horizon. The DAMAGE? It’s likely to be lasting! And, sadly, there’s a clear segment of our “leadership” in Washington who will support this LYING attack on our unsuspecting “uneducated voters” till the “bitter end” and that’s the republicans. (What’s worse for me is that they’ve adopted the propaganda scheme of the Third Reich which is known as “The Big Lie Theory.” It’s worked for them for years and the FACT this “strategy” was what was used by Nazi Germany means nothing to those using it and the republicans enabling it)

Getting to the foreign policy issue, well, is there one? Here’s what we know: individual 1 is AWOL from any semblance of “running the government.” One of his “successes” is the gutting of important government institutions which are required for the security of our nation and there’s a deafening silence coming from one segment of Washington DC. Individual 1 has the world’s economy “teetering” on the “edge” – helped along by his “tariff war” – and there’s a group of “free market” leaders with “lock jaw.” Our so-called president has our traditional allies looking away from the U.S. for their own security requirements as individual 1’s CURIOUS connection to Vladimir Putin has become more public – to the silence of one of our political parties. The autocratic tendencies of individual 1 are undeniable to all, seemingly, except this “blind” political party. You know where I’m going – it’s the republicans who “the cat has their tongues.”

And, this connection to Russia? We/re talking about OVER 100 meetings between staff of individual 1 and Russians which were LIED about. (There was – and is – a LOT of LYING) Individual 1, himself, in a public setting ENCOURAGED the Russians to “find the missing emails” – in reference to Hillary Clinton emails he said were “missing” – and, withing 5 hours, the attacks – coming straight from the Kremlin – on the Clinton servers were underway. Personally, I’ll NEVER forget individual 1 standing next to Putin at podiums in Helsinki after they met for a couple hours (with NO ONE from America present besides our so-called president) and with individual 1 saying in regard to Putin’s denial of the allegations made by our 17 intelligence agencies that the Russians ATTACKED our election, “His denial was forceful” and then saying in regard to Putin denying the allegations coming from the heart of America’s intelligence community, “I don’t know why the would have.”

To me, John Brennan put it best when he said, “Individual 1 (he, of course, used his real name – not the one given him by the Southern District of New York in which he’s listed as a “co-conspirator” to two FELONIES as “individual 1” which is where he got the “name” I choose to “give” him) is either a “witting or unwitting asset of the Russians.” Since Brennan said that, individual 1 has done NOTHING to cause me to question whether he was correct or not. The only question i have is whether it’s “witting or unwitting.” After individual 1 going out of his way to promote the Russians as part of the G-7 summit this past weekend, I’m beginning to believe it’s “witting” and that the only reason Robert Mueller was unable to prove a conspiracy on the Russian side of his report is because of the stonewalling individual 1 is masterful at.

Yes, individual 1 commits what seems like childish blunders as he FIGHTS to prevent “we the people” from knowing the TRUTH about his connection to the Russians but the sad (and dangerous) reality appears to be that America has a so-called president who is beholden in some kind of serious way to Vladimir Putin and the Russians. The blunders are one thing, the connection to Russia is quite another. Putin is in the middle of a decades long attack on the fundamentals of the Western democracies and his plan is working. America is divided as never before in my lifetime, Britain is about to pull out of the EU after a “Brexit” vote which was subversively impacted by the Russians similar to how they attacked America during the 2016 election, Germany, France, Hungary, and other European countries are being “attacked” by this right wing fascist plan of Vladimir Putin. Individual 1 seems to be “right there” with Putin!

That’s the ONLY way to explain some of his actions. And, just like all the other things I’ve listed in this rant, the republicans just continue to accept behavior that, for example, if it came from Barack Obama, they’d be apoplectic! I believe, ideally, our nation’s system would work best with TWO vibrant political parties which represented a large swath of the population and could work together to find sensible solutions to problems. I believe that is possible, but the first step in getting there is, as I’ve been pointing out for years now, is for “we the people” to vote out the republican party as it exists today.

Final Thought: If you’re eligible to vote in the 2020 election, DO SO! Talk to others and encourage them to VOTE! Here’s the reality, there NEEDS to be a WAVE election – that means a massive, overwhelming rejection of this republican assault on our basic values and basic institutions. The ONLY way individual 1 has ANY chance to be re-elected would be if he can turn off enough progressive voters so that they stay home. Some young people in America are in their late 20’s to early 30’s and have NEVER voted. I believe if they turn out and vote for the issues that matter to their lives individual 1 will be in the history books – very possibly with a stint in the jails of New York. Personally, I feel that whatever lies ahead for him, he’s earned. Early in his term I predicted he would come to rue the day he decided to run for president. I believe that day has already arrived and he’s now attempting to get a second term because that is the only way to protect himself from all the impending legal issues. Once out of office I believe he will be treated as the mafia like “boss” he really is. His narcissism has brought this upon himself and he’s beginning to look like a pathetic old man!

A “pathetic old man” who, reflexively, lashes out at his “enemies” with classic projection. Today, James Comey was (partially) vindicated by the IG report ordered by individual 1 (and William Barr) in our so-called president’s FUTILE attempt to perpetrate the “no collusion, no obstruction” LIE he’s been spewing since the day he asked Comey to “let Flynn go.” Individual 1 has been claiming Comey should be jailed and, at his rallies, his idiotic minions follow his lead into shouts of “lock – her/him – (depending on the target of individual 1’s venom) up” so, as one might expect, our so-called president considered the IG saying Comey shouldn’t have “leaked” the memo which led to Mueller (That’s one thing Comey’s done he’s been reprimanded for which I’ve been very thankful) as agreeing with his accusations Comey “lied” and should be “jailed.” In fact, Comey wasn’t accused of LYING (of course, how would individual 1 be able to discern that – because he LIES about EVERYTHING) and he won’t be prosecuted. Also, the memo he leaked was not “classified.” As one might expect, it’s our so-called president who’s LYING – AGAIN! The real IRONY here is that it’s individual 1 who is facing JAIL, virtually the day he leaves office. If you don’t know what projection is, look it up!

I’ve come to almost dread opening my emails because I have a seemingly endless number of requests for money every single day, most of which, I end up deleting. I also get many emails from the Washington Post and New York Times which I keep because a couple years ago I felt the need to support their investigative reporting by subscribing to their online newspapers. Well, today, as I was deleting three days worth of (mostly) spam, I noticed a byline from the Post which suggested now that the economy is “slowing” our so-called president’s “erratic behavior” is becoming “more problematic.” The first thought through my mind was: “Why did the economy have to “slow” for individual 1’s “behavior” to seem “problematic?”

For heaven’s sake, (and, I didn’t use that term because individual 1 referred to himself as “The Chosen one”) – it’s hard for me to think ANYONE could have missed the reality that our so-called president is exhibiting “erratic behavior” prior to this week. Well, actually, the Post article suggested (via the headline) that his (I’m assuming) BAD behavior is more “noticeable.” I’ve been “noticing” it for over two years now and I have to believe there are MILLIONS more who call themselves Americans who’ve been noticing it (Not to mention the MILLIONS around the world). Individual 1 is acting like a MAFIA boss or a wannabee dictator who is on bad medication and is being backed into a corner – take your pick. (Personally, I believe he actually IS a small time “Mafia boss” based on the history of his business dealings – therefore, he’s got legal issues on the horizon – ie, 2021)

Yesterday, a poll came out suggesting individual 1’s approval rating has dropped to 36% with an extremely HIGH disapproval rating of 62% – to him, I’m sure, that’s “fake news.” It’s hard to win elections with those kinds of “numbers.” (unless, maybe, you’re running against democrats) And, if the economy, as many (including me) have predicted is soon to be “going South,” I can guarantee you that “approval” number will go further “South” along with the economy. Here’s what’s interesting to me: What will republicans do when it gets even worse for individual 1? Especially in the Senate? Today, the Dow Jones Average dropped another 600+ points and, right before individual 1 was leaving to go to the G7 Summit and his unnerving (and LYING) way he chose to reassure the reporters who asked him about the Stock Market’s latest “dive” he said, “Don’t worry, the market is still up over 50% since my “election” – I’m sure you remember it was around 16,000 when I took office.”

As usual, both the reporters at his “gaggle” and the commentators on MSNBC who were playing the tape FAILED to correct him in “real time.” The market was around 20,000 the day he took the oath of office, so it’s increased about 25% since he began his assault on what President Obama left him. Remember, in Obama’s 8 years in office the market increased from around 6,500 shortly after he took office to that nearly 20,000 number individual 1 INHERITED. That’s an increase of around 300% – which makes the increase during individual 1’s administration look a bit tepid. Just sayin…………….

For another example, if Senate republicans miraculously (once the economy is no longer a “selling point” for re-election) “discover” the TRUTH put forth in the “Mueller Report,” which suggests our so-called president is a “criminal” – will they suddenly be – as republicans were at the end of the Watergate scandal – ready to vote to convict should the democrats grow a spine and impeach individual 1 – as they clearly SHOULD? I’ve always characterized the main issue I have with democrats is they are “spineless” (and, they do seem to be), but republicans? OMG, they are making democrats look like the second coming of Genghis Khan!

So, we can’t expect ANY republicans to respond to ANYTHING coming from this so-called president honestly. And, I’m talking about the “never Trumpers” as well. For example, I tried to read “Everything Trump touches dies” by Rick Wilson, but, over and over in the book, Wilson referred to the “history” of conservatism (like, since the days of Reagan) in an incredibly self serving manner. As if the republican party suddenly became “the party of individual 1” – and, previous to that they were the champions of “free trade,” character, and economic conservatism. It’s like Wilson, along with virtually every other republican, still believe the republican tax cuts actually (until this last one for the “never Trumpers”) reduced the deficit – or that republicans actually reduced spending. And, Wilson is not alone!

Today I was driving around and former republican Congressman Joe Walsh came on MSNBC because he’s planning to challenge individual 1 in the republican primaries. Walsh has a lot of his own baggage to deal with – he apparently feels his baggage is less “heavy” than that of individual 1 (Which I have a tendency to agree with) – but, to me a LIAR is a LIAR – and, in Walsh’s case it’s not yet apparent to me if he’s pathological or simply willing to throw out untruths with impunity as a way to impress the “uneducated voters” which make up a significant portion of the republican “base.”

Walsh was explaining why he believes he is being “called” to challenge individual 1. Reason one was him complaining about the deficit which is CLEARLY going dramatically UP because of the republican tax scam. Here’s what really bugged me about his interview – I believe i was on the program “KC DC.” – he said, “individual 1 (he used our so-called president’s real name – I can’t bring myself to do so except in rare circumstances) has increased the deficit faster than President Obama.” Before I could calm myself down the moderator (I’m too lazy to look up her name – but, she SHOULD know better) was interviewing Mark Sanford and, essentially, he said the same thing – suggesting “conservatives” are deficit hawks. I wanted to gag!

This is how our “liberal media” has helped to “normalize” these republicans and how they helped to “normalize” individual 1 himself. I’ve pointed out NUMEROUS times here that President Obama INHERITED an economy which was shedding jobs at the rate of 800,000 per MONTH, and had an ANNUAL deficit of $1.5 TRILLION and turned it into an economic juggernaut – which individual 1 INHERITED and is soon apparently to “crash,” – ADDING jobs at around 250,000 per month and REDUCING the deficit to around $400 BILLION as he left office. Had republicans been able to avoid the temptation to funnel a couple TRILLION to their benefactors and had followed the path Obama left for them we’d be soon having an economy with an annual surplus! Republicans LIE about this ALL the time!

As I’m writing this, there are still children in cages near our Southern border, the Amazon is on fire, individual 1 is in Europe further damaging our standing with our traditional allies, we’re soon to have a crisis with the debt ceiling (which no one is talking about), our traditional institutions are being undermined every day, and there are SO MANY reasons to IMPEACH individual 1 and the democrats are too timid to follow through. That’s my way of saying we NEED people to vote en masse in 2020 FOR DEMOCRATS. And, then “we the people” need to “encourage” the democrats to ACTUALLY act on their fundamental beliefs or we’ll vote them OUT as well! Which will require ENDING, for example, the filibuster.

Just recently, Mitch McConnell gave democrats a warning – in anticipation of him returning to the MINORITY – about getting rid of the filibuster. Harry Reid ended the filibuster on “minor” judicial nominations during Obama’s administration because McConnell BLOCKED every Obama nomination and NOW McConnell is stuffing the courts with right wing judges, two of which are on the Supreme Court, and democrats are helpless to stop him, because he blew up the filibuster on Supreme Court nominations. This “warning” coming from McConnell is simply ANOTHER example of how republicans view democrats as SPINELESS. (Kind of how I view them) I hope McConnell is correct, he’s headed for the minority (in fact, come on Kentucky, FINALLY vote him into the history books) and I hope the democrats have the GUTS to pass their progressive agenda. (Trust me, the republican scare tactics will be in full force!)

Individual 1, with the help of William Barr, above and beyond the “Russia thing” which Robert Mueller investigated for almost two years, have been “thumbing their noses” at democrats (and, for that matter, the constitution) in the House. Nancy Pelosi has been blocking the impeachment inquiry (Jerry Nadler is doing an “impeachment investigation” ) essentially, since the day the democrats re-took control of the House in 2018. I’ve pointed out several times this is NOT “new territory” for Ms Pelosi. I agree she is a “master politician” which is a large part of the problem – in my view. What individual1 is doing, if it’s NOT impeachable, then I can’t imagine what would cause democrats to impeach a president in the future.

We KNOW republicans consider LYING about sex an impeachable offense – and, of course, in the case of individual 1, it’s OK. It’s true that, as far as I can tell, individual 1 has not had an affair with an intern in the Oval Office – but he’s been credibly accused of sexual assault by NEARLY 20 women and he’s called every one of them LIARS. After watching him over the past couple of years who do you believe is the LIAR? The issue with Jeffrey Epstein seemed to die with Epstein himself – although I have to believe there’s a “there there.” None of this matters to today’s republicans! I always say we are all hypocrites to a degree, but republicans take hypocrisy to incredible HEIGHTS!

The solution to all of this is what I’ve been pointing out for YEARS! “We the people” need to VOTE as many republicans OUT of office as we can – which would include, hopefully, Moscow Mitch along with individual 1 himself! Ahead of the 2018 election I pointed out it was the MOST important election of my lifetime – putting democrats in charge in the House has blocked MUCH of individual 1’s DAMAGE – considering what he could have accomplished without democrats controlling the House. That all being said, the 2020 election is even MORE important than the 2018 election. Democrats have a chance to get republicans out of control of anything aside from their generational control of the courts. “We the people” need to be prepared to vote these republicans into the history books. (Keep in mind, the damage to the court system will last well beyond my lifetime)

Here’s the main problem with that comment aimed at voting republicans out of office. As I said above, our “liberal media” has a propensity to NORMALIZE these republicans because Fox, over time, has caused this cable TV mantra – across the cable TV 24/7 news spectrum – to imply commentary is “fair and balanced” – which apparently means you have to invite a republican propagandist into EVERY conversation as we explore what is REALLY going on with OUR government. Personally, my hope is that EVERY person who has chosen to take part in individual 1’s assault on the fundamentals of our democratic republic becomes unemployed ASAP. And, after individual 1 is gone from the “White House” and is defending himself in the many court cases which are pending until he’s no longer protected by his position – via that STUPID OLC memo – my hope is that I’ll NEVER have to see one of these people on TV EVER again.

And, I’m talking about people who are working/worked in the “White House” – ie Sarah Sanders, Sean Spicer, Rence Priebus, John Kelly (who proved himself to be as racist and misogynist as individual 1), and ESPECIALLY Steven Miller – to name a few. Plus, you have Jim Jordan (Come on Ohio, get rid of this thug), Matt Gaetz, and Devin Nunez in the House, to name a few. And, of course, there’s MOSCOW MITCH in the Senate. We need to put ALL these people into the history books and, as we try to recover from the DAMAGE they’ve done to our nation, we need to SHAME them from the public spotlight. Yes, most will likely become lobbyists, but keep them OFF of our TV screens.

Final Thought: My hope is that the young people actually vote in the HUGE numbers many are suggesting might happen. I personally know SEVERAL young persons EXCITED to vote for the first time – and AGAINST individual 1. I believe a LANDSLIDE is possible if democrats don’t screw this opportunity up. Personally, I listened to Beto O’Rourke the other day and he totally inspired me. I really want the democrats to nominate someone younger than Biden, Sanders, or Elizabeth Warren. Keep in mind, the ONLY reason individual 1 is our so-called president (with nearly 3 MILLION less votes than his opponent in 2016) is because the republicans had about 25 years to SMEAR Mrs. Clinton. They’ll ONLY have about 6 months to smear the next candidate – so that candidate will likely be NO WHERE near as despised as individual 1. (Or Mrs. Clinton, for that matter)

Add to that the Russians supporting individual 1 and James Comey coming out with his incredibly questionable comment 11 days before the election and you have an entirely different environment. Trust me, I know, for example, William Barr CAN NOT be trusted and he could interfere in some kind of, at this point in time, unimaginable way to sway unsuspecting voters. We KNOW the Russians are still “at it,” but this time we KNOW it as the election approaches and, at least, democrats SHOULD be able to fight back. (We also KNOW there are others attempting to affect the election from other countries – countries who would love to see America continue to be in a partisan civil war. But, we KNOW this ahead of time and democrats SHOULD be able to fight back.

I still believe someone like O’Rourke, or Bennett of Colorado, Cory Booker, or the governor of Montana Steve Bullock will emerge from the primaries as the democratic nominee. I just believe the voters want someone younger than Joe Biden when “push comes to shove” and, personally, I think O’Rourke is the type of FIGHTER the democrats need leading the FIGHT to overcome the DAMAGE individual 1 has inflicted on the United States and the World in his (sadly) four years in office. There’s a LOT of work to be done!

And, one more thing, democrats had better be keenly FOCUSED on every republican running for the Senate in 2020 – if possible EVERY one of them should be challenged. Right now I’m assuming democrats are recruiting candidates to challenge incumbent republicans – full stop.

Oh yes, Tom Steyer has made the next “debate stage” and his opponents need to avoid challenging him based on the FACT he’s a wealthy, successful, business person. He’s been putting his money where his mouth is and will undoubtedly support the democratic candidate if it’s NOT him. The other candidates would be well advised to challenge him on the issues and not because he’s rich. Not all rich people support the republican agenda and, to me, he’s a welcome addition to the debates! He can really help the democratic party assuming he gets a “fair shake.”

I’ve said before that when I can force myself to watch cable “news” I watch MSNBC. Some of it is hard to stomach – they allow individual 1 to manipulate them – but there are a few people who I like to watch – starting with Nicole Wallace (surprisingly, the former communications director for GW Bush), Chris Hayes (I believe formerly of “The Nation”), Rachel Maddow, and Lawrence O’Donnell (who is likely my favorite). Chris Matthews and Chuck Todd often cause my stomach to rumble. Even on MSNBC I’m forced to stomach, speaking of it rumbling, way more of individual 1 than I believe I should have to in search of the “news.”

MSNBC did this same thing back in 2016 where they seemed to get mesmerized by individual 1 and gave him a HUGE amount of free advertising. It appears they’re going to do the same thing again. One of the people on MSNBC was explaining why people like Beto O’Rourke don’t seem to get coverage is because, “individual 1 (she used his actual name, I struggle to do so) sucks up all the oxygen in the room.” Well, while I agree that she’s correct, I believe it’s because the executives in charge of the outlet who are demanding the camera’s stay focused on our so-called president because that’s where they’re making a HUGE monetary haul. Personally, I’d much rather listen to what O’Rourke has to say and I believe it’s more important to our nation.

There are a bunch of democratic “hopefuls” who – for some reason – don’t get anywhere near the “air time” individual 1 got back in 2016. In fact, some of them don’t seem to get any air time. Apparently, MSNBC’s top executives (isn’t Chuck Todd in charge of politics?) are attempting to do the “weeding out” of the “lower tier” candidates for the voters. Many democratic leaning voters still don’t know much about many of the candidates. Personally, I hope the democratic base chooses a younger candidate – like O’Rourke, Harris, Bennett, Bullock, Booker, or someone else in their 40’s or 50’s. I believe ANY of these people would beat individual 1 HANDILY. if the economy tanks as it seems to be “teetering,” individual 1 might as well “throw in the towel” – in fact, I’ve written previously that if the economy tanks I believe republicans will abandon individual 1 and his white nationalist base.

In the meantime he’ll continue to dominate the news cycles, because that’s what he does – create crisis after crisis that cause the cable “news” outlets to focus their airtime on the next “norm” busted by our so-called president. A few nights ago MSNBC, in the small amount of time I watched, showed MORE absurd LIES individual 1 arrogantly threw at his doting audience at another “rally” – this one in New Hampshire. I watched for a moment or two and my first thought was why don’t the commentators call out the LIES in real time. For example, individual 1 isn’t in charge of the greatest economy in the history of this nation. (He didn’t even create the foundation of the present long term economic recovery) There undoubtedly WASN’T 17 THOUSAND people waiting outside the venue to get in – because pictures showed there were MANY empty seats INSIDE the venue WHILE he was speaking. He’s NOT bringing back industrial jobs to the heartland. And, I could go on………….. The list of LIES now is measured in the ten’s of thousands!

Robert Mueller wrote a LONG report in two volumes – the first volume focused on the COLLUSION (yes, COLLUSION) individual 1 and his campaign perpetrated to “win” (with less votes, by about 3 MILLION, than Ms. Clinton) the 2016 election – and, our “liberal media” COULD be “educating” the public on what is ACTUALLY in that volume of the report. They (our media) could, as Mueller did in Volume 2, explain why OBSTRUCTION of Justice is such a serious CRIME – to “we the people” because MOST Americans haven’t read either volume – and they could give the details – as Mueller did in painstaking fashion – how individual 1 credibly VIOLATED the LAW in at least 5 and maybe 10 cases of OBSTRUCTION of Justice. These are just a few examples off the top of my head on what our “liberal media” COULD do which would be aimed at helping “we the people” to understand the TRUTH about what individual 1 is doing to this nation.

And, as I’ve said many times, the DAMAGE could be monumental and lasting for at least a generation – because the rest of the world – save for Russia – is not going to give “we the people” a “pass” on the DAMAGE caused by our so-called president. This is because, economically, this DAMAGE could be international and severe. Lately there’s been increasing talk about RECESSION and, what many Americans don’t understand is, individual 1 could be causing a WORLD WIDE recession via his irrational policies, led by the issue of tariffs. He, himself, appears now to understand what lies just “beyond the horizon” but, as I’ve predicted since day 1, he has no clue how to deal with it.

For example, he will NEVER admit to a mistake – it’s not in his “DNA.” So, instead of admitting the tariffs levied on China, for example, if they cause a “slowdown” in China’s economy very likely WON’T be the “win” he’s talked about in his “trade war” which he said “is easy to win.” As various markets around the world inch toward RECESSION the idea the United States is immune, to me – and, as I’ve admitted many times here, I’m no economist – is absurd. He’s now blaming the Fed chair of “raising rates too quickly” and he’s attempting to BULLY the Fed into dropping rates by 100 basis points (1%). If the economy goes “South” I can picture individual 1’s solution being like the “dog chasing its tail.” But, this is no laughing matter, because just as President Obama helped prevent the previous republican “Great Recession” from becoming a “Great Depression,” it appears to me, individual 1’s incompetence could lead the world into the next “Great Depression.” (Trust me, I hope I’m wrong)

The good news is that President Obama handed off a very strong economic “ship of state” to individual 1 with very healthy “fundamentals.” That COULD cause any recession to be somewhat less severe, but keep in mind our present administration has ALREADY (in less than two years of them being “in charge”) pushed the annual deficit over $1 TRILLION with “no end in sight.” To me, that’s dangerous and VERY disappointing. I’ve pointed out many times here, while President Obama didn’t get the deficit down to ZERO, under his “watch” the deficit was cut by over 70% – from the $1.5 TRILLION per year he inherited from Bush/Cheney to around $400 BILLION when he left office. It didn’t take individual 1 long to push it back OVER the TRILLION amount – which, to me, was UNTHINKABLE just a few short years ago (until Bush/Cheney). What this indicates to me is this shines a light on his (and his republican sycophant’s) economic incompetence. (We’ve seen it over and over since the days of Reagan)

Many besides myself have pointed out how individual 1 squandered HUNDREDS of Millions of dollars bequeathed to him by his father – he was originally bailed out of his incompetence by “daddy,” and then, later on, by Russians connected to the Russian Mafiya. His casinos were FINED for allowing Russians to LAUNDER their money in the Casino and there have been other credible reports of him working with Russians to LAUNDER their money in Real Estate transactions. (And, we’re not talking about putting Russian rubles through his “magic” washing machine coming out in dollars on the other side.) My point is the only thing he has experience with is taking an inheritance (in this case Obama’s STRONG economic “ship of state”) and squandering it! (Like he did with his father’s money)

Not only is individual 1 threatening the U.S. AND world economies with his erratic behavior, as I’ve doggedly predicted. He’s DAMAGING America in ways most of us have no idea of what his underlings are doing to our traditional institutions and he’s DAMAGING America’s standing in the world in a way which will be incredibly difficult to reverse. The sad reality is that “we the people” – with the help of the Russians and a poorly thought out decision by the FBI and James Comey – “elected” individual 1 as our so-called president. No matter how we rationalize how he got into this position, people in the countries of our traditional allies have to be thinking, “If it happened with individual 1 it COULD happen again. This despite the likelihood individual 1 will be voted out of office in 2020.

While people like me have been lamenting for quite some time the hesitancy of the democrats to act in ways which are obvious in regard to impeachment. In regard to the aforementioned issues with the “DAMAGE” being caused here and potentially ABROAD, along with the devastating Mueller report, the lack of will to proceed aggressively on impeachment very understandably would be leaving questions in the minds of European leaders as to how reliable is the United States? And, the answer to that, likely, is NOT very reliable.

Clearly, the republican party has become, essentially, SILENT. No matter what individual 1 does or says is NEVER challenged by the republican leaders in the House and Senate. There are republicans who are beginning to speak out – but, they’re the ones who are on the “outside” looking in – from the standpoint of who can make a real difference. At the outset of his “administration” I predicted republicans would be quick to abandon him once they saw the DAMAGE he’s inflicting on OUR nation. However, they’ve been silent. And, the certainty republicans won’t back an impeachment has caused Nancy Pelosi to do what she did back in the Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld TORTURE issue which is NO impeachment unless republicans agree. To the Europeans I’m sure this doesn’t look good at all.

Final Thought: As time gets closer to the 2020 election it is becoming clearer democrats are, just like individual 1, “running out the clock” – meaning, letting the election be the impeachment inquiry. Here’s an interesting thought. If the economy tanks – and as it becomes more clear individual 1 is doing NOTHING in regard to “running the government” while international issues continue to mount – what if it’s the republicans who decide they want impeachment? What if republicans decide this is the only way for THEM to get rid of individual 1? What if they decide their own future would be better with Mike Pense (or John Kasich, or someone else) at the top of their ticket and, therefore, they favor impeachment? Would even that cause democrats to act? The world is watching!!!!!

I still remember the response of the Obama administration to the GREAT RECESSION they inherited from Bush/Cheney – where those famous “free market” republicans initiated the so-called TARP bailout of the financial institutions which caused the economic meltdown in the first place. And, of course, the Obama administration was forced to fashion their response with a republican party which had publicly declared their FIRST priority was that President Obama “would fail.” It doesn’t take a genius to understand causing our first President “of color” to “FAIL” was a higher priority of republicans than what was good for the nation. (Surprise, surprise) Obama’s response to the Bush/Cheney economic meltdown was led by two people I certainly wasn’t a “fan” of – his economic advisor Larry Summers and his Treasury Secretary Tim Geitner.

Together, of course with the help of many others, they put together to “stimulus” package which only passed because of a couple republicans who decided to vote in favor – one of them, Arlen Specter, was ultimately forced out of the GOP because, well, as I said, republicans were more interested in Obama’s FAILURE than America’s success. The thing I most remember, after the stimulus package “kicked in” and the economy began the long recovery which individual 1 is likely to “torpedo” at any time, was Geitner telling “liberals” not to expect a quick recovery. Their plan was for a long GRADUAL recovery which is EXACTLY what happened.

I’m not the only person who can’t stomach individual 1 who has said, just like what he got from his father, our so-called president INHERITED an incredibly resilient and strong economy which was in the throes of a steady recovery which had lasted for 7 years the day individual 1 took his oath of office. (An oath that we all know, now, meant nothing to him) I’ve been pointing out since his first day in the “White House” that the first year of his administration would be “riding Obama’s coattails.” In other words, it would take at least one year, as it happens with all presidents, to make his mark on the economy.

And, of course, the “mark” individual 1 managed to make – and, other than a bunch of executive orders and behind the scenes – and, in the long term disastrous – actions to debilitate one government agency and one regulation after another, the ONLY thing individual 1 and his republican sycophants could accomplish was an incredibly STUPID tax scam – a “gift” to all the “conservative” DONORS who have corrupted the republican Congress – which funneled a couple TRILLION dollars from the taxpayers into the bank accounts of America’s rich and multi-national corporations who were sitting on over a TRILLION dollars in CASH at the time of the give away.

The net result of that action was taking the annual deficit which Obama had managed to get “down” to $400 BILLION (approximately the amount of interest on the national debt EACH year) and catapulting it back OVER $1 TRILLION per year for the foreseeable future. At the time, despite individual 1’s chief economist predicting the “stimulus” (you know, the “trickle down” effect they ALWAYS promise which NEVER happens) would actually pay for the scam, I predicted it wouldn’t take much to push the deficit to $2 TRILLION, or more. Naturally, as usual, individual 1’s economic adviser was completely WRONG, and this former sixth grade teacher is proving to have been correct, Does that comfort you? (I know virtually nothing about economics – although I want to take an online class from Paul Krugman)

Well, today the “Dow” dropped 3% in one day, that’s about 800 points, and it’s been on the “roller coaster” ride lately which, based on my years of observation, would indicate there’s some kind of “crash” on the horizon. It doesn’t take an economic genius to figure out our so-called president, who refers to himself as a “stable genius,” is not very well versed on economics 101. For example, he keeps pointing out that China is paying BILLIONS because of his “tariff war” – when, the REALITY is either the companies importing goods from China or their customers pay the tariffs. He’s claiming “prices are actually lower” when, in reality, at least in regard to, for example, washing machines, they’re noticeably higher.

Keep in mind, I’m not giving an opinion one way or the other on whether or not we should be putting tariffs on Chinese goods, although those so-called “free market” economists – you know, like the ones who voted to bail out Goldman Sachs, Merrill Lynch, JP Morgan Chase, etc., shouldn’t be supporting tariffs – at least, that’s what it seems like to me. I do agree that there have been problems with China, full stop. The issue here, to me, is individual 1’s comments just add to the HUGE pile of LIES he’s perpetrated on his supporters, and the DAMAGE he’s doing to the economy, like much of the other DAMAGE he’s inflicting on America – DAMAGE “flying under the radar” – could have a devastatingly lasting effect.

Anyone who’s researched individual 1’s history knows he’s gone through bankruptcy numerous times – I believe it’s 6 or 7 times, NO banks – other than Deutsche Bank – wanted anything to do with him and his business prior to his “election” (with three MILLION less votes than Mrs. Clinton) – and it was the Russian Mafiya which bailed him out financially on several occasions. He’s been credibly accused of laundering Russian Mafiya money when he ran the Casino’s AND through various shady real estate transactions. All of that was working in his own business climate where actions that appear to have been “mafia like” seemed to “fly under the radar” of the Southern District of New York’s US Attorney’s office – although, it appears they’ve now “noticed” and are investigating.

Just the way the payoffs to the two women, right before the election to “buy” their silence, came down reminded me of stories I’ve heard of how the mafia works (including the threat to Ms. Clifford while leaving a shopping mall). In fact, I’ve been pointing out for almost two years now that, as I researched our so-called president, I began to see him as a small time mafia boss. Kind of a mini version, for example, of one of his idols – Vladimir Putin.

So, now the American economy appears to be hanging on the brink of some kind of negative reaction to our chaotic and, by some accounts, crazy chief executive. If you’ve been on this site before, you know I’ve been saying I expect individual 1 to destroy what he was “gifted” by President Obama – it’s just a matter of time – and, I don’t believe he, nor the people he’s surrounded himself with, will have a clue to pulling the United States out of a drastic downturn in the economy. Some of the DAMAGE which is beginning to “pile up” will be difficult to overcome, no matter what happens. For example, if the Chinese find other markets for their soybeans, for example and don’t come back after this so-called “trade war” ends, well, there are MANY farmers who may not survive. Already, I can guarantee you, there are many farmers not happy with the reality the government is paying them for the loss of their market while their crops rot in the field. (There’s so much wrong with that, I’ll leave it for another day)

Before I began my teaching career I tried my hand at running a small farm. I’d still be doing it if I hadn’t been forced into bankruptcy, back in the early 1980’s, by a decision of the Reagan administration. I won’t go into the details other than to say farmers plan ahead to produce a crop with the hope that they can sell their product, whatever it is, for more than it cost to produce it. (That is part of economics 101 :o) When the government starts making decisions to address one issue, or help one group, that decision likely affects many others. From what I can tell, this tariff stuff virtually NEVER ends well and, I’m certain, there will be a lot more “collateral damage” to individual 1’s tariffs than the soybean farmers. In fact, the damage COULD end up being the health of the entire economy.

There’s so much swirling around in my head as I’m writing this, but, in summary, I believe individual 1 is putting at peril things most of us NEVER think about. Take for example the reality the “dollar” is the main medium of exchange on world markets. What if enough world leaders decide they’ve had “enough” of this crazy person at the head of the United States “ship?” What if China decides to sell it’s treasury bonds? There’s a whole bunch of “what if’s?” that are running through my mind and are connected to possibilities I don’t understand. However, what I do feel is that if individual 1 turns enough foreign leaders away from wanting anything to do with the United States, the outcome could be devastating for years to come. It will be our children and grand children who pay the price for “we the people” allowing individual 1 into office. We need to make it clear to the world there’s going to be a change at the top via the 2020 election.

Actually, I still believe the republicans could end up “turning” on individual 1 if he takes the economy over the “cliff” and they face his incompetence in their own pocketbooks. If you’ve read the “Mueller Report” you know there’s MORE than enough evidence to support impeachment. In fact, just the OBSTRUCTION aimed at Congress as I’m typing this is clearly “OBSTRUCTION of Justice” because you can’t OBSTRUCT investigations whether coming from the Justice Department but also Congressional investigations. Nixon “exited” office only when the republicans finally “turned” on him. That COULD happen if republicans realize they have NO hope in the 2020 election with individual 1 at the helm.

Final Thought: The more I read and hear about the potential economic crisis it feels to me as individual 1 is threatening the world economy as well as America’s economy – and, people in places like, for example, Germany, won’t soon forget what has happened to them if they are pushed over the “brink” by the incompetence of America’s so-called president. Individual 1 claimed “trade wars are easy to win” – which, if you combine that thought with the reality he won’t even apologize for a clearly OFFENSIVE comment, there’s little chance he’ll back down on this “trade war.” He did push back the date of the next round of tariffs – get this, because of the Christmas shopping season (essentially, admitting it’s the consumers paying for the tariffs) – but, you have to believe even individual 1 is beginning to understand trade wars are NOT easy to “win.” In fact, as I understand history, no one wins in “trade wars.”

I believe when the stock market starts bouncing like a ping pong ball the big drop is on the horizon. I admit I don’t understand how that (totally) affects the rest of the economy, but usually a drop in jobs created and an increase in unemployment follows. And, I don’t know anyone who believes individual 1 or the people he’s surrounded himself with (sycophants who are afraid to tell him the truth – because, he wouldn’t listen to them) have the know how to solve an economic crisis. My guess is that right up to the day the impending crash happens we’ll be listening to our so-called president claiming the economy is strong. (And, after it crashes, he’ll be blaming the fed, the democrats, Hillary Clinton, James Comey, and, of course, Barack Obama)

The republican party has been ripping “we the people” off for years, via their now infamous “trickle down” (trickle up) economic theory – which hit its stride in the years of the so-called “Reagan revolution.” But, that rip off is going to be “nothing” compared to what individual 1 is pulling off as he TOTALLY ignores the emoluments clause in our constitution – which covers “emoluments” from both foreign and domestic sources. A “foreign” emolument is any gift, payment, or other thing of value from a foreign state or its rulers, officers, or representatives and it’s prohibited by Article 1, Section 9, paragraph 8 in the constitution. Then there’s the “domestic emoluments clause of Article II, Section 1, paragraph 7 which states: ” The President shall, at stated Times, receive for his Services, a Compensation which shall neither be increased nor diminished during the Period for which he shall have been elected, and he shall not receive within that Period any other Emolument from the United States, or any of them.” (Them meaning funds provided to, for example, his golf resorts while he’s on “vacation.”

There are several “emoluments” lawsuits pending, but with William Barr as the Attorney General I, personally, have little to NO confidence our Justice Department will interfere in the fleecing of our taxpayers by our so-called president any time soon. Individual 1 has the “liberal media” and “we the people” chasing our “tails” as we try to keep up with all the scandals, which he, clearly looks upon as “entertainment.” If fact, the other day, he criticized Joe Biden for being “boring” and suggesting the “media” would be very disappointed in him as president because they would make a lot less money – suggesting “chasing their tails” in pursuit of individual 1’s latest scandal is a welcomed money maker for the cable “news” outlets. And, he may have a point!

For example, it was reported the other day as individual 1 further soiled himself while visiting El Paso (and Dayton) allegedly to “console” the victims of the horrific shootings of this past week, that his closest advisors prevented the media from following him into the hospital – preventing untimely “photo-shoots.” ie photos of individual 1 and his wife which would not look “presidential” – as if all they were doing in, for example, El Paso was to make themselves look good. That’s what individual 1’s advisers tried to prevent – them “not looking good.” But, NO ONE can stop him from attempting to grab the spotlight – no matter what. So, we still got the fundamentally narcissistic photo – in bad taste – anyway, as a photo with our so-called president in the “thumbs up” pose next to his grinning wife holding the baby daughter of two people KILLED in the shooting, a photo which was going viral the last I heard. And, reports were individual 1 was angry at his surrogates for preventing the press corps from going into the hospital with him so he could make MORE disgusting photos and videos showing his complete lack of compassion and empathy for what many feel his divisive rhetoric had caused. (Of course, he’d be oblivious to that sentiment, wouldn’t he?)

The thought of all that reminded me of something I had pondered about a year or so ago and that is, in my mind, the “liberal media” needs to start IGNORING as much of what he’s doing as possible. Yes, they could focus on the situation at the border without a single video frame which would show individual 1 or cause “we the people” to have to endure listening to his LIES. Because, we KNOW, if his lips are moving, he’s LYING! Yes, I’m suggesting not another video of him LYING to his gawking supporters in the places where the only “news” they get comes from Fox. It would really drive him “nuts” – that’s assuming he can get more “nuts” than he already is.

Today I was reading about the medical professionals who were either on duty at the time of the shooting in El Paso, or who were called into duty – one doctor right after a 30 hour shift. Many of those who are treating these people end up with PTSD simply because these weapons of war which are so commonplace in America rip holes in their victims, according to the article I was reading, large enough into which you could stick your fist. That’s after they’ve SHATTERED any bones they come into contact with and, of course, destroy any organs they come into contact with. The trauma team at the hospital can be traumatized and they do everything they can to, and in many cases miraculously do, save the lives of the victims – who will likely, if they ever leave the hospital, be living in pain with severe PTSD for the rest of their lives – reliving their trauma every time another mass shooting is reported.

Just as individual 1 is oblivious to the effects of his rhetoric on shootings like the two in the past week and a half (including the shooting at the Garlic Festival in Gilroy, California) so too are those, MOSTLY republicans, who continue to block reasonable gun safety laws, seemingly oblivious to the FACT we don’t need AK47’s (and, other assault weapons of war) to defend ourselves, we don’t need the ammunition which comes out on the other side of the wound by ripping enormous swaths of flesh (and, whatever) with it, we don’t need magazines that hold 100 (or more) rounds in order to prevent a burglary at our home. The TWISTING of the 2nd amendment has gotten to the ABSURD stage, simply so America’s gun manufacturers can continue reaping profits at the expense of Americans themselves – we’re now experiencing MORE than 1 MASS shooting per day. Yikes!!!

90% of Americans want practical gun safety laws, starting with simply requiring background checks for anyone buying a weapon – which, from my viewpoint is NOT nearly enough. I don’t expect that to happen – even though the House has passed a bill and sent it to the Senate which would accomplish at least that. Why? Well, we all know why. The NRA has bought our Congress – again, MOSTLY republicans, but make no mistake, there are democrats who have taken (smaller) “boatloads” of money from the NRA. I get angry EVERY time I hear a politician – I don’t care which party – say, “My Dad (or, I am, or whatever – fill in the blank) is a hunter and I support the 2nd amendment” – as a precursor to (either) VOTING to do NOTHING about this horrific problem or willingly NOT voting on the issue at all – meaning supporting Mitch McConnell as he OBSTRUCTS any attempt to pass sensible gun reform.

There’s simply NO way to justify military weapons of war on our streets because of the “2nd amendment.” The second amendment reads: “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” Now, we could argue all day about what that really means, but what it doesn’t mean is that AK47’s and other assault weapons are what was meant by that amendment to the constitution. The “Gun Lobby” has twisted those words into “knots” and there are Americans DYING all over the nation as a result – including “first responders” who are the ones who end up confronting these MASS KILLERS.

So, the “scandal a day” administration just chugs along – right now, as I’m writing this, individual 1 has begun his “vacation” and “we the people” will be ponying up MILLIONS of dollars to the coffers of our so-called president’s business – virtually direct from the taxpayers into his pockets. And, make no mistake, those who I know who support him, they could care less. Of course, if this was Fox “news” reporting the taxpayers being FLEECED by President Obama or Hillary and Bill Clinton, well, these republicans and their sheep would be apoplectic. As I’ve said many times, I believe there’s a “method to the madness.” (OK, I’ve said it using different verbage)

You can check the archives of this site, but shortly after Jeffrey Epstein, who died in jail last weekend, was arrested for “sex trafficking” – and, it was reported Epstein and individual 1 were, at one time, best buddies (with video’s proving this) – I pointed out individual 1 would be creating some new scandals in order to change the focus of the media off Epstein and his legal issues. The inference I was making clearly was aimed at the relationship between Epstein and individual 1. In fact, at one point in time, individual 1 was accused of raping a 13 year old girl at one of Epstein’s parties back in the early days of the 2000’s – an accusation which has since been dropped. The accusation almost resurfaced just prior to the 2016 election so, well, it’s caused me to “wonder.” Just sayin………

Well, just as I suggested, the scandals have come “hot and heavy” since the questions about the connection between individual 1 and Epstein were “picking up steam.” In fact, those scandals have gotten out of control – considering even I don’t believe the mass shootings were part of the plan – but, the RACIST attacks on the so-called “squad” – the four Congresswomen “of color” who were told to “go back to where you came from” (which, in actuality, was right here in America for three of them), the RACIST attacks on Congressman Elijah Cummings, in concert with individual 1’s LONG history of RACIST activism along with a LONG history of RACIST commentary coming from the right wing bloviators – like Rush Limbaugh and his right wing radio RACIST talkers and worst than them – the RACE baiting, disgusting commentators on Fox “news” who’ve been stoking RACIAL fear and hatred for as long as I can remember – this RACISM wasn’t part of the plan to change the topic from Epstein – just part of their disgusting “plan.”

However, as many have predicted, the end result of this “plan” designed to “energize” the “white nationalist base,” was a wacko right wing kid, likely believing himself to be a “patriot,” regurgitating individual 1’s rhetoric and the RACISM of Fox “news” and the other right wing media agitators, then KILLING 22 people in El Paso – saying he was targeting “Mexicans.” And, well as things would turn out, the Epstein “issue” is still in the news. Epstein, in fact, mysteriously “killed himself” over the weekend. I’m going to end this rant by reminding you of a “trait” of individual 1 which is as predictable as the sun coming up from the East and setting in the West.

If there was nothing for individual 1 to worry about in regard to the death of Epstein, well then we would have heard NOTHING from him and he would have allowed the authorities to confirm Epstein somehow committed suicide using the sheets from his bed to hang himself. Of course, he was supposed to be under some kind of “watch” which would have prevented any attempt of suicide to have been successful. True to form, individual 1 did NOT keep quiet – in fact he “re-tweeted” an absurd conspiracy theory accusing, you won’t believe this (that was a joke), Hillary Clinton and her husband Bill of conspiring to kill Epstein.

I view that as more classic “projection” coming from individual 1 – which means, “watch this space,” as we wait to discover who were the conspirators alleged by the Southern District of New York in Epstein’s indictment and WHO was in his little black book and WHO is going to be “outed” from all the evidence gathered from Epstein’s Manhattan estate along with his ISLAND in the Caribbean. If individual 1 has nothing to worry about in regard to Epstein, why would he say ANYTHING? “We’ll see what happens.”

I spent the last third of my working life teaching sixth graders in a Middle School which was filled with a wonderfully diverse group of students, with so many of them leaving a lasting impression on what’s left of my memory – along with their loving parents. By the time I retired a significant proportion of the students in my classroom were of Latino ancestry and I’ve always wondered how many of them are now “Dreamers.” During my lifetime I’ve learned what beautiful people those “immigrating” to America from Mexico, Central America, and South America are. (Actually, I had WONDERFUL students from MANY places around the world, but thanks to our so-called president, tonight, my thoughts are with those whose ancestry is Hispanic.) This is why, almost every day – because I can’t help paying attention to our government and its actions – my heart feels pierced because, unfortunately, many of my former students are impacted by individual 1’s RACIST actions.

If you watch Fox “news” you might believe the MURDERS in El Paso last week had no connection to individual 1 – virtually EVERYONE else KNOWS the “manifesto” published just minutes before the murder by the KILLER – a document that COULD have come from the mouth of our so-called president – would indicate otherwise. And, yesterday, individual 1 proved that he not only would take no responsibility for the MURDERS but that he also had absolutely, in the words of one of the people in the hospital he visited, “no empathy.” (Today, it was reported the KILLER told authorities he was trying to KILL Mexicans! That should erase the doubts of even the Fox viewers)

Well, individual 1’s surrogates were smart enough to block the so-called “liberal media” from following him into the hospital, but they failed to understand even my former sixth graders have “smart phones” with incredible video capacity. So, while our so-called president was bloviating to hospital staff – because NOT ONE of the living victims of the shooting agreed to allow him to visit them – NOT ONE – he was caught on a private video recording BRAGGING (LYING – what else is new) about the size of his audience in the rally he held in El Paso several months ago AND LYING about the size of Beto O’Rourke’s crowd in a competing rally on the same night. Saying O’Rourke’s crowd numbered around 400 (When, at the time, it was estimated to be between 10,000 and 15,000) while saying his own crowd was “huge” (My term).

My point is, individual 1 wasn’t thanking the hospital workers who’ve likely been working incredibly extended hours for the past week, he wasn’t asking them if there was anything they needed, he wasn’t making it clear that his mind was on the victims and the workers – but, as usual he PROVED the only thing on his mind, as ALWAYS, is him. No matter the circumstances. Worst yet, while he was BRAGGING about the crowd (that didn’t resemble what he suggested it was) in a hospital committed to SERVING the Latino community his ICE surrogates were committing heinous RAIDS in food processing plants in Mississippi, hauling 680 hard working Latino’s, many who are “documented” (not that that would make any difference to me – it’s unbelievable this happened, especially at this point in time – but, you have to give individual 1 credit, he’s got an “all time” mean streak) into holding cells causing them to face the possibility of deportation. (Not ONE of the employers was arrested)

A quick aside: Anyone who’s been paying attention to what has been going on since individual 1 LIED while taking the oath of office KNOWS he’s been employing UNDOCUMENTED workers for many, many years – some have said they’ve been working for him for at least 15 – 20 years. Maybe this is why NONE of the employers faced any arrest – just the HARD WORKING workers – and, if you’ve been around Hispanic workers you know it’s hard to find anyone who works as hard and is as loyal to their employer as them. Just sayin…………………..

Thank God for the “fifth estate.” Many of us, including me, forget that not ALL people who live in the South support the inhumane policies of individual 1 and reporters in Mississippi not only put the cameras on many of those adults incarcerated by ICE but, also, they put the cameras on their children who were left to wonder why their parents weren’t picking them up from the first day of school. And, I can tell you, MANY of the BEST students in those schools are certainly the Hispanic children who were sitting on the school’s steps in tears wondering if they were going to go home to parents last night. This all is making me sick to my stomach thinking about it – and, make no mistake – it’s a reflection on ALL Americans!

Furthermore, I can tell you some of the most wonderful parents I ever dealt with in my career as a teacher were the HARD WORKING parents of many of the Latino students. One of the most memorable days of each school year was the day the Latino Moms would provide true “Mexican” food for each teacher to enjoy during their prep time. I’m saying all this because I’m just getting to the point where I can’t stand what is being done to this nation by individual 1. The RACISM has always “been there” – but, at least in my memory, never even close to this OVERT. and the push to PUBLICLY arrest and deport – good, hard working Latino’s – apparently as a way to spread FEAR in the Latino community (over 300 of those detained yesterday were released today – apparently because they were “documented”) and to cause others considering fleeing the violence and poverty in their own countries from coming to America.

Individual 1 is writing what will be one of the DARKEST periods in American history and it’s up to “we the people” to make sure this “chapter” lasts for only 4 years. One thing he’s doing is educating Americans as to what type of personality makes up a despot. As I’m watching him, it’s apparent he’s learned many lessons from people like Vladimir Putin, Rodrigo Roa Duterte of the Philippines, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of Turkey – three of the worst dictators around the globe and Kim Jong un – maybe the worst. Individual 1 has managed to commandeer the Justice Department and soon, it appears, he’ll have a sycophant in charge of the intelligence community. Plus he’s labeled the “media” the “enemy of the people” – right in line with the aforementioned thugs – although in their instance they simply have unfriendly reporters “disappeared” – or, in Putin’s case POISONED or “mysteriously” falling out windows of Russian skyscrapers. I forgot to mention MBS (Mohammad bin Salmon) who has unfriendly reporters cut up into pieces with his personal BONE SAW! Yikes!!!

Individual 1 wants the “liberal media” to cow-tow to everything he does – otherwise the attacks calling the media “The enemy of the people” will continue endlessly. To me, that’s not a huge issue NOW, but if “we the people” fail to “impeach” him at the ballot box in 2020 it becomes a HUGE problem. Personally, I feel the “liberal media” has helped to “normalize” our so-called president because they are stuck in the “both sides” way of looking at virtually every issue. To me, there’s NOT “both sides” to RACISM. There’s NOT “both sides” to siding with Putin. Call it what it is! There’s NOT “both sides” to the issue of “White supremacy” – it’s simply an unacceptable philosophy – unless you want to live in a fascist state that resembles the apartheid government of South Africa before Nelson Mandela.

Pathological LYING is NOT a “both sides” issue. It needs to be called out for what it is – every day. When you have a so-called president who’s a PATHOLOGICAL LIAR, that’s a serious issue and it needs to be explained as LYING every time it happens. Individual 1 is the greatest threat to this nation in my lifetime. Sadly, the republican party has become the party of individual 1 and, hopefully, those who’ve “gone along to get along” will face the wrath of the voters in 2020. It’s true there’s a swath of America which supports this deplorable man but it’s up to the “rest of – we the people” to vote out as many as possible in the next election. Winning the Senate is, in my view, as important as voting individual 1 out of office. Mitch McConnell has referred to himself as “The grim reaper.” OMG! This will be a critical election. The DARK chapter in our history I referred to above could get extremely DARK if individual 1 is re-elected. It’s “all hands on deck” to end this national nightmare!

When I think about what must be going through the minds of my former students who are “Dreamers,” or maybe more significantly those who are “undocumented,” I actually start getting angry. How could this be happening in this nation I’ve grown to love over my 72 years living here? Over the years I’ve learned to be thankful to live in a nation which is defined as the “melting pot.” I grew up learning that “Bring your tired, your hungry” was like a mission statement for our nation. It’s almost like the people who support individual 1 don’t consider themselves immigrants.

The reality is we’re ALL immigrants. The FACT that my ancestors – on my father’s side – immigrated in the 1600’s, to me, doesn’t make me more of an American than the “Dreamers” or other students who came through my classroom who were/are part of families who recently immigrated to this nation. In fact, it appeared to me, many of those who immigrated recently (and, this includes kids from Russia and other Eastern European countries) have MORE of an appreciation for being here than those students (and adults) with nothing to FEAR from individual 1. Just sayin………………..

Up until individual 1 took office it was really easy to just take for granted many of the issues I mentioned above – thinking they’re “etched in stone.” The idea of a “White Nationalist” in the “White House” just didn’t seem possible to me. But, when I look back, I can clearly see the propaganda machine that’s been at work since the days of Reagan. And, ironically, that “machine” in now working in concert with the cyber criminals operating out of Russia. Make no mistake (and Mueller confirmed this) the Russians are at it “as we speak” and fully intend to interfere in the upcoming election. And, you’d have to be – well – STUPID – to fail to understand their motives.

Just in case – a quick explanation: They, first and foremost want to see DIVISION among “we the people.” One way of doing that is “ginning” up the RACIST sentiments of individual 1’s supporters – and, trust me, he’ll do whatever it takes to get support from anyone he can. Their second goal is to keep individual 1 in office – simply because he makes it easy for them to accomplish goal number one. On top of that – there’s got to be some kind of symbiotic relationship between Putin and our so-called president because individual 1 clearly is doing Putin’s “bidding” as he helps to undermine NATO – one of Putin’s main world wide objectives.

I’m presently reading “Putin’s World” by Angela Stent, a professor of government and foreign service at Georgetown University and an expert on Eurasian, Russian, and Eastern European studies – it’s NOT a political book – it’s informative. The book confirms my suspicions – which I’ve shared here many times – that Putin is attempting to recreate the “former Soviet Union.” To accomplish that he needs the help of someone like individual 1. Whether individual 1 is a “witting or unwitting” agent of the Russians, to me, is irrelevant. He’s doing their bidding. And, in the process he’s attempting to push the White Nationalist agenda in America. And, make no mistake, Putin shares that philosophy and is pushing it as far into Europe as he can. If “we the people” don’t realize what is happening, and SOON, our government will be unrecognizable!

Final Thought: The “battle lines” in what is a WAR for the heart and soul of America should be the FIGHT to defend the “Dreamers” and the other people who want to immigrate to this nation to afford their families opportunity – what our country has been built on. For heaven’s sake, individual 1 is married to an immigrant (for that matter, he’s a second generation immigrant) and he brought his wife’s parents here using the same “chain migration” he purports to end. He employs undocumented workers on the one hand and is ordering his surrogates to round them up on the other. And, all of this CRAP is tearing this nation apart at the seems – exactly what Vladimir Putin wanted when he ordered his forces in 2015 to focus their “active measures” in a way to either get individual 1 elected or to undermine Hillary Clinton. Individual 1’s complicity toward Putin, I’m sure, has him “laughing all the way to the bank.” And, you have to believe he does view individual 1 as nothing more than a “useful idiot.”

Most of us (Americans) have resolved ourselves to the fact individual 1 is going to be bloviating from the “White House” for nearly another two (miserable and painful) years – from a political perspective. We’re all (well, those of us who don’t want this nation to be defined by racism) looking at individual 1 as the motivator of a swelling number of White Nationalists who are attempting to “cleanse” this nation of people who don’t have a historical connection to Western Europe – meaning “white.” And, individual 1 deserves credit for motivating the KILLER of the 20 people in El Paso this past weekend, although he’ll likely just blame the gun and deny culpability. However, I’m certainly NOT surprised by the resounding SILENCE coming from the republicans in Congress. The republicans who’ve enabled the divisive language of individual 1, republicans who’ve been BLOCKING sensible gun control legislation for as long as I can remember, and I could (and will) provide a much more extensive list of things the republicans have been BLOCKING for – in some instances – generations!

“We the people” are almost numbed by all the SCANDALS which, at any other time, would by themselves (I almost said “individually”) be enough for our Congress to say, “Enough.” I’ve said this before, but imagine had President Obama ginned up a group of Blacks to commit mass shootings in venues filled with “White” conservatives. Hell, imagine had Obama paid off a couple women, including a “porn star” to keep silent, right before an election, so that “we the people” would be voting without knowing the truth? What if Obama had conspired with the Russians to get elected??? I can certainly remember when republicans tried to convince “we the people” they were the party which would stand up to Vladimir Putin. Oh, those were the days, weren’t they.

I could go on and on – just this past weekend while the gunman who left a right wing manifesto on the internet which virtually mimicked a “tweet” coming from individual 1 himself, our so-called president was playing golf at his Bedminster New Jersey resort and “we the people” were putting untold amounts of money directly into his pockets as the taxpayers were ponying up for the security detail and the media who are forced to stay at his facilities virtually every weekend. This is a VIOLATION of our CONSTITUTION which has been tolerated since individual 1 took the oath of office – thumbing his nose at the emoluments clause in our founding document and republicans saying, “So What?”

But, the bottom line here is that the republican party’s right wing “slide” has been an issue for, at least to people who think like me, since the 1970’s. (Keep in mind, the democrats of the 1960’s became the republicans in the 1970’s and beyond because of Lyndon Johnson’s support of the Civil Rights movement and the Nixon “Southern Strategy”) There was the near impeachment of Richard Nixon, he resigned, of course, because otherwise he was going to be removed from office by Congress. It took one term of Jimmy Carter, one of the most honest presidents to work in the Oval Office, for the republicans to put together the Reagan scam – which, by the way, started in Philadelphia, Mississippi, with a speech introducing the Reagan campaign which was laced with racist tropes. Reagan’s two terms were full of lies and he managed to leave office as, to republicans, some godlike figure. (He should have been prosecuted for the Iran/Contra fiasco – which began the trend of republican presidents ignoring the constitution and democrats enabling them)

Recently audio of a conversation between Reagan and Nixon simply confirmed what those of us who read books and pay attention already knew (well, I have the advantage that I was there for both of their administrations), both Nixon and Reagan were racists. Not as overt as individual 1, but we could have a lengthy discussion of which is worst. Many are saying individual 1 is simply the manifestation of what has been festering in republican “circles” for years. It simply took the democrats (and, “we the people”) to nominate an African American who was brilliant enough to put together two campaigns which ended up with him gaining a significant MAJORITY of the vote in two elections. Ever since President Obama’s first election victory we’ve been listening to these right wing extremists – including the White Nationalists but also a depressing number of so-called “mainstream” republicans – shouting, “We want OUR country back.”

The inference, of course, is that America is a country for “White” people. (Tell that to the Native Americans) And, while MOST of our “liberal media” don’t want to talk like this, the administration of individual 1 is dangerously similar to the Third Reich. From the “Make America Great Again” (Hitler’s mantra was “Make Germany Great Again” – and, by the way, Putin is in the middle of a scheme to “Make Russia Great Again”) moniker on hats and signs, the adoption of Germany’s propaganda scheme, and things like – in the campaign – individual 1 having his audience giving him the “heil” salute. Since taking the “oath” of office, there have been disturbing instances of our so-called president requiring, one by one, the members of his cabinet to give thanks for the privilege they have/had of serving HIM. (Not the country, of course) I could go on and on, but I hope you get the idea.

One thing we can be certain of is the republicans in Congress continuing their issue with “lockjaw.” Another thing we can COUNT on is that individual 1 will accept no responsibility for the “climate” he’s created with all his DIVISIVE speeches throwing out RACIST tropes as if he’s once again tossing paper towels to the people of Puerto Rico. So, NOTHING will change, UNLESS “we the people” MAKE it change. We not only are CHALLENGED to vote individual 1 out of office in a MASSIVE wave election – we MUST remove as many republicans from the Senate as possible – making sure that if “Moscow Mitch” is still in the Senate, he’s in the minority.

Speaking of “Moscow Mitch,” yesterday, as I was deleting massive amounts of emails, I found myself depleting my bank account (which is anything but full) with donations to various requests for some of my funds – with a few dollars going to Amy McGrath (A former Marine fighter pilot) who is running against “Moscow Mitch” in the upcoming Senate election in Kentucky. Please, if you’re from Kentucky, work to make sure “Moscow Mitch” does NOT return to the Senate after 2020! By the way, in a book I read during the past year, the author suggested “Moscow Mitch” had received $800,000 from a Russian source. Along with his money which comes from the NRA, the fossil fuel industry, etc. he will NOT be lacking in funds for the 2020 election. (I truly hope my $10 makes a difference for Ms. McGrath!) But I digress……………..

Just to accentuate my final point regarding the republican party’s willingness to associate themselves with the RACIST element of our nation – apparently, instead of trying to be a “big tent” party – I have to remind you of the “Tea Party” which burst onto the scene shortly after President Obama’s first victory. The “Tea Party” wing of the republican party has pretty much become the republican party. If you watched Mueller’s testimony you saw another embarrassing example of “Tea Party” republicans dominating their side of the investigation and focused on virtually anything but the FACTS. People like Jim Jordan of Ohio, Matt Gaetz of Florida, Devin Nunez of California, and, possibly the most embarrassing of all, Louis Gohmert of Texas leave on wondering “what on earth were they yelling about” when they finish their turn of questioning? If you don’t remember the signs at the “Tea Party” rallies, shortly after Obama’s first election, go back and check it out. The signs were not only RACIST but disgusting. Our “liberal media” was complicit in normalizing what eventually brought us individual 1, because they failed to call it out for what it was at the time. And, the media continues the failure of connecting the “dots” between these “Tea Party” republicans and the RACISM espoused by individual 1.

I recently wrote that individual 1 would create a “crisis” to get our minds off the arrest of Jeffrey Epstein and Epstein’s “connection” to our so-called president – both men ALLEGEDLY abusers of women. (I wrote ALLEGEDLY in case someone reads this :o) So, since I wrote that, a couple weeks ago, individual 1 has attacked the so-called “squad” – four freshmen (women) members of Congress who happen to be “non-white” – in a clearly RACIST attack (The “classic,” go back to where you came from” – despite the FACT they’re all Americans) aimed at changing the media’s focus from Epstein. But, the Epstein issue is big, so individual 1 doubled down by attacking Elijah Cummings and his home-town of Baltimore. Those two actions – and a rally where individual 1 stood back and absorbed his audience shouting “Send her back” in reference to Ilhan Omar – was individual 1 at his RACIST best – making sure “We the people” have no question about his personal beliefs. (Do you remember the saying, “Kill two birds with one stone?”)

Well, then, over this past weekend, more than 30 people were MURDERED in two mass shootings – one in El Paso and one in Dayton, Ohio. The shooter in El Paso, as I referenced above, posted a “White Nationalists” manifesto just minutes before he started KILLING innocent people who were shopping for “back to school” supplies on a “no tax” day which drew THOUSANDS of people into the Wal-Mart where the MURDERS took place. Again, the shooter’s manifesto mirrored remarks which have been spewed out by our so-called president – who blamed “video games” and mental illness for these murders.

And, remember, just a week prior to this, there was a mass MURDER at a Garlic Festival in Gilroy, California by someone ALSO being “connected” to “White Nationalists.” There are cells of these people – ALL armed to the “hilt” – all over America. These recent shooters are young, malleable, (White) Americans – who are susceptible to radicalization coming from many “angles.” I’m not suggesting anything in regard to individual 1 other than, from my point of view, his rhetoric is being interpreted by a hoard of White Nationalists all across the country and, in many instances, he’s going to be actually causing people to believe they are “patriots” as they, in their deranged minds, “cleanse” this nation from “invaders.” Clearly, individual 1’s words did not pull the triggers in these horrific MURDERS – but, we’re NOT (and likely not going to be) talking about Epstein. (And, there will be a “bevy” of new scandals to talk about)

It’s almost impossible to keep up with the SCANDALS and the daily examples that America has an incompetent THUG in the “White House.” People like me (and, more numbering in the MILLIONS) have been encouraging the democratic led House of Representatives to, at a minimum, authorize an IMPEACHMENT inquiry. Lay out ALL the FACTS in regard to the “scandal a day” administration we’re enduring and decide what really are “high crimes and misdemeanors.” If individual 1 has not passed that thresh-hold it may NEVER be passed. I’m struggling to think America would elect another so-called president as incompetent as individual 1. I guess we’ll find the answer to that one in November 2020. I have friends who have assured me individual 1 will win the 2020 election in a landslide. I truly hope they’re wrong.

I could go on and on, OK, if you’re still reading I know what you’re thinking :o), but I want to end this “rant” by suggesting what I think might come of all this. I just have a feeling the shooting in El Paso is going to take the campaign of Beto O’Rourke to new heights. I believe his direct approach to dealing with and verbalizing issues like this is going to appeal to progressive voters. I may be wrong, but look for O’Rourke to gain in the polls as democrats are attempting to sort out who best can take on individual 1 in the 2020 election. I’m in the “whoever” they choose is who I’ll vote for camp, but my sense is O’Rourke’s campaign may be re-ignited.

Final Thought: After these most recent mass shootings – keep in mind that, in America, there is an average of more than ONE mass shooting per day. A “mass shooting” is defined, as I understand it, where four or more people are victims of an individual assault – the calls for “gun control” have emerged maybe louder than ever. And, of course, “We the people,” by and large, expect NOTHING coming from our national legislature because not only is “Moscow Mitch” blocking legislation aimed at protecting our next election, he’s (along with virtually EVERY other republican and a few democrats) been blocking “gun control” legislation for YEARS. For example, even “universal background check” legislation has been blocked because the NRA doesn’t like it – or ANYTHING which might slow the SALE of guns in America.

And, let me emphasize, this OBSTRUCTION is simply to make sure America is the place where anyone can buy ANY kind of gun you can imagine. The shooter in Gilroy was 19 years old and used an AK47 which was purchased “legally.” The shooter in El Paso had some kind of automatic weapon with magazines holding 100 rounds in each. And, the shooter in Dayton was dead within 30 SECONDS of him firing his first shot, and, yet, NINE people were dead (including his sister???? That makes me wonder) and something like another dozen injured. In 30 SECONDS! Praise God the Police were there that quickly, but what kind of insanity is it that allows this type of fire power to be purchased “LEGALLY” by virtually anyone who wants a gun.

And, I’ll (try to) leave with this. I’ve heard NRA spokespeople, on many occasions, suggest “The way to stop a bad person with a gun is a ‘good’ person with a gun.” Just think about that. For example, the gunman in El Paso entered the Wal Mart while there were supposedly at least 1000 shoppers inside. Picture in your mind if a bunch of “good” people inside the store were “packing” and decided to “save the day” by pulling out their fire arm and firing in the direction they THOUGHT the shooting was coming from. Picture if, maybe, a half dozen to a dozen “good people” were in the Wal Mart and, suddenly, there were bullets coming from all directions. Aside from all the EXTRA “collateral damage” this would cause, picture yourself as the Police Officers coming on the scene trying to identify who the “bad guy” is. I’m just sayin…………

(I was a Middle School Teacher and I’ve often thought of how I would have felt had many of my cohorts been bringing weapons to school to protect us from an “invader” – after individual 1’s suggestion that arming teachers would solve the problem of school shootings. Here’s a thought: BAN assault weapons, initiate a buy back program as an attempt to “put the toothpaste back in the tube,” and prosecute people who hoard weapons and ammunition to the point where “hunting” or “self protection” can no longer be considered a rational explanation for their gun ownership. I’ve said this for years, the NRA has “twisted” the meaning of the 2nd amendment – to where people I know who can’t even tell me what the second amendment says – claim their “second amendment rights” are in danger – and our Congress has enabled this misinformation in return for MILLIONS in “donations” from the “Gun Lobby” ie the NRA)

For starters, I just heard of the latest poll which, again pointed out that 54% of Americans say they DEFINITELY will NOT vote for individual 1 in the 2020 election. So, how does individual 1 go about trying to change that “narrative?” He doubles down on RACIST tropes apparently designed to gin up his so-called “base.” Most pundits claim individual 1 is appealing to the White, older Americans who, he believes, long for the days of Jim Crow and before. Well, I’m White and I’m old (almost 72) and, without a DOUBT, I”m part of the 54% of American who will DEFINITELY NOT vote for individual 1 in 2020. In fact, the DAMAGE is so complete, at this point, I believe there are WAY MORE of the 12% who claim they “might” vote for individual 1 who will change their minds than of the 54% who are DEFINITELY no’s.

As an aside: I started this post a few days ago and the mass shootings just go on and on. I will have more on that at the end of this post, but suffice it to say, individual 1 has “ginned up” the White Nationalists in America and they are, essentially, on the attack. And, we’re left to depend on Bill Barr to lead the Justice Department. These days are getting “darker and darker.” Clearly it’s not just us “old White men” who individual 1 is counting on as his base, but the younger white “soldiers” who are willing to carry out the job of “cleansing” our nation of “immigrants.” (More later)

So, how does individual 1 deal with this reality? He picks another fight! In this instance his attacks are aimed at one of the most respected members of the House of Representatives, Elijah Cummings – the chair of the House Oversight Committee – and his district in Baltimore – which individual 1 referred to as “rat infested” – as he assured his White Nationalist base he’s not going to even slow down on these RACIST tropes – apparently the key to his re-election bid for 2020. And, the members of the republican party who live in FEAR of a “tweet” from individual 1, are ushering in the eventual demise of the republican party – whether it picks up “steam” in 2020 or if we have to wait, God forbid, for another DESTRUCTIVE 4 years. Oh, by the way, if your head’s been in the “sand” Elijah Cummings is African American – that’s the apparent requirement. of late, in individual 1’s attacks – they’re aimed at people of “color.”

I’ve said this for over three years now – and, this has been aimed at people I know who support individual 1 (and, I have to add, in fairness, they strongly disagree) – you can’t support individual 1 without willingly being an enabler of this RACISM. His RACISM, misogyny, xenophobic, narcissistic, pathological LYING character is undeniable. Yet, republicans act as if they all have “lock jaw.” Or, if you’re like Senator Kennedy from Louisiana you just give a pathetic rationalization which will be stored on the video archives of the media outlets for future “times.” Maybe Senator Kennedy has no fear of being associated with a RACISTS because he comes from Louisiana – and, honestly, I really WISH I didn’t feel as if our Southern States are still dominated by Racists. But, I have to believe MOST of the country is getting more and more tired of what individual 1 represents.

Sadly, much of what individual 1 has failed to address SHOULD be a reason for many of his so-called “base” to re-think their loyalty. The reality of his administration is, other than a tax scam that was aimed at the “top 1%,” that NONE of the basic issues facing rural America have been met under this so-called president. (Well, besides a bunch of right wing judges) Additionally, the economy he brags about is nothing more than a continuation of what he inherited. As of this writing he hasn’t done to this inheritance what he did over and over again to the inheritance he got from his father. In this instance, if the economy “tanks,” I don’t believe he has any idea as to what to do (other than blame Obama) and his republican sycophants certainly have never shown an ability to deal with an economic crisis. The last time they faced one, the first thing they did was to create a BAILOUT for the very people who caused the crisis in the first place.

Do you, as I, find it beyond ironic that individual 1’s tariffs have caused a devastating loss of business for farmers in the Midwest (and, by the way, they may NEVER get their business with China back – as China is finding new sources of, for example, soy beans) and then, turning around and showing what great “free market” republicans do – they “bail out” the very businesses they’ve, essentially, destroyed. And, by the way, I believe their bailouts to the farmers (with most of the money going to the big agra businesses), may be in violation of international monetary rules. (I’m just guessing – going on my diminishing memory) This is no problem for our “free market” republicans – they’ll just keep borrowing more and more money – adding it to the exploding deficit and national debt! (This has happened, in some form, EVERY time there’s been a republican in the “White House” in my lifetime – excepting Eisenhower.)

In fact, one of the issues on the horizon will be the so-called “debt ceiling” which is going to be teetering on the “brink” around the time Congress returns from their present August recess. The tax scam, as I pointed out at the time, was the “trigger” for ANOTHER jump in the annual deficit – which is heading NORTH of a TRILLION dollars per year THIS YEAR with no end in sight. Individual 1 is already, another “norm” busted, berating the “Fed” to drop interest rates while the economy is supposedly “booming.” (Theoretically, I believe that’s a bad idea – the Fed is supposed to be independent, isn’t it? Dropping interest rates now could put inflation on the horizon?) I’m sure what individual 1 is seeing is what higher interest rates will do to the national debt. A very significant part of the annual deficit is the interest on the total debt. A serious downturn which is spurred on by inflation could put individual 1 (and, sadly, “we the people” – and also, maybe, the world) in a “corner” as far as the economy is concerned. It won’t take much to push the deficit above TWO TRILLION per year.

President Obama labored with a recalcitrant republican controlled Congress for much of his presidency and still he got the deficit down from the $1.5 TRILLION per year, which he inherited, to about $400 BILLION – a DROP of around 70% in the annual deficit. Of course, EVERY year of his administration, all we heard from republicans was complaints about how the deficit was the result of Obama’s “liberal” policies. Bush/Cheney weren’t even out of Washington DC before republicans began BLAMING then President elect Obama for all their (Bush/Cheney’s) failures. We’re seeing the same absurdities playing out again – although, on top of that we have the above referenced RACISM, SEXISM, NARCISSISM, and pathological LYING coming from the mouth of our so-called president. Yikes!!!

So, I have to question, why are all these “White working class” (does that mean “uneducated?”) Americans, many who I consider to be hard working honorable Americans, still supporting him? Are the right wing judges enough? Is the abortion issue enough to get these people to support someone who has clear autocratic neo-Nazi tendencies? Are they unaware of the consequences of this RACIST so-called president or do they not care? If the latter is true, then these people can no longer claim “innocence” when it’s pointed out their support of individual 1 is an indictment of their own beliefs. Many are suggesting individual 1 believes there are enough RACISTS in America to get him re-elected as he gins up the “race card” over and over again. If you’re supporting him, well, …………………………………..

I have to believe individual 1, himself, believes with his 40+% “base,” along with the Russians (who are already busy), he can pull off another “victory” with, by some accounts I’ve heard recently, 5 MILLION fewer votes than his “liberal” opponent – whoever that may end up being. He believes he’s got a “grip” on the Electoral College – although, I don’t believe the democrats will ignore the “rust belt” this time and I hope the third party candidates take a break. Just yesterday he was questioned about Mueller’s testimony where he (Mueller) pointed out the Russian’s attacks are “ongoing” and “will be part of the next campaign.” Individual 1 responded to the reporter who asked the question: “You don’t really believe that, do you?” It’s as if our nation has been under ATTACK for the past 3+ years and, with an awareness provided by our intelligence agencies since 2016, the SHOCKING reality our so-called president is “missing in action” in defending our nation. It’s beyond frustrating! (It’s as if he – individual 1 – was able to breath a sigh of relief when Mueller couldn’t PROVE a conspiracy – although the “colluding” was clearly documented in Mueller’s report – so, he feels emboldened to essentially laugh off “the Russia thing”)

With reports swirling around that the Russians are still on the attack, how was individual 1 planning to deal with it? He fired Dan Coats as the Director of National Intelligence, who was arguably doing a good job of being as non-partisan as you can in today’s “climate” – but, was not “cow-towing” to our so-called president and, individual 1 then chose to nominate a devoted partisan to take Coats place based on, well, who knows what? Clearly, individual 1 was attempting to put a devotee, similar to William Barr, in charge of our intelligence community. Seriously, this, again, is right out of dictatorship 101. Individual 1’s choice, John Radcliffe, was recklessly chosen to this important post – nothing new in this administration – where the holder of a very important position is nothing more than another sycophant of the so-called president. Fortunately, in the days since I first started writing, Radcliffe was forced to withdraw because his “credentials” bordered on the absurd when comparing them to the requirements of the job.

While reporters were asking individual 1 to respond to Radcliffe’s pulling out of this nomination he actually suggested he uses the media – which he, earlier in the day, referred to it as the “Lamestream media” – to “vet” his nominees. My first thought was, you’ve got to be kidding me – but, as you look back on his 2+ years in office that’s not as unbelievable as you’d expect it to be. The list of totally UNQUALIFIED people he’s put forward for important government posts is almost unimaginable. It’s like, the top executive of the country should be able to put in place a plan to recruit top talent for these prestigious positions. However, with individual 1 at the helm, it has become apparent working in the administration is no longer a prestigious position. Rick Wilson, a republican operative (who, by the way, in his book, gives his “conservative” bona fides way too much credit), wrote a book titled “Everything Trump touches dies.” Qualified people are getting as far away from this administration as they can.

So, while individual 1 and his RACIST, narcissistic, pathological LYING, xenophobic, anti immigrant, and divisive beyond (at least mine) comprehension is basing his re-election campaign on lIES, and, well, RACISM, this should surprise NO ONE. If you’re like me and don’t want America to build a useless “wall” on our Southern border, don’t want a RACIST sitting in the “White House,” and desperately want someone to lead this nation in a direction which actually helps MOST of individual 1’s supporters (at least those who are suffering economically in the so-called “rust belt) as well as those of us who believe in the “bottom up” philosophy of governing, then, I believe, it’s VOTE for whoever the democrats nominate for president. And, depending on where you live, VOTE these republicans out of the Senate and as many more from the House as possible. Pray that “Moscow Mitch” is voted out of office in 2020!

Final Thought: While I was driving to and from a place which required me to be in the car almost all day, I forced myself to listen to the reporting of the most recent MASS shooting. I heard about the shooting shortly after it took place and my immediate thought was “this is another “White Nationalist” – ginned up by individual 1 – trying to kill as many “immigrants” (ie people of “color”) as he could. I kept telling myself “You are jumping to conclusions – wait to hear the motive.” Sadly, my initial thought was proved accurate and, by the time I was on my way home, the authorities were talking about a “White Nationalist” manifesto published by the shooter only minutes before he KILLED 20 people and WOUNDED another 26 – with an AK47 ASSAULT weapon – that SHOULD be illegal to own.

I was listening to MSNBC and they were “dancing around” the reality that we have a so-called president who is spewing out RACIST tropes by the bunches and these shootings are directly connected to his “Go back from where you came” rallies. We all know there are cells of heavily armed “White Supremacist” hate groups all over the country just “itching” to “purify” our nation. I heard, on one occasion, individual 1 suggesting if he’s impeached these (he referred to them as “his”) people will be in the streets. (These are NOT “very fine people”) During my trip, today, I saw another (I’ve seen many) individual 1 supporter driving in his truck with individual 1’s name (Trump, I hate to even say the word) painted on the truck, a HUGE American flag flying in the truck bed and some kind of weapon hanging across the back window of the truck (it was an older Ford pickup). I’ve seen numerous vehicles with the same setup over the past couple of years. And, interestingly, these people – at least the ones I’ve either listened to or I’ve read their “stuff” – usually refer to themselves as “patriots.”

Here’s the reality “we the people” are facing. The next two years are going to be toxic – as one of the WORST chapters of American history is being written. “We the people” have the power and the NUMBERS to vote individual 1 and the republicans who support him into the history books. In fact, should we do the “right thing” and massively VOTE our so-called president and his sycophants out of office, individual 1 will likely be facing serious charges from several investigations – including Mueller’s. Mueller clearly said “Yes” when asked if individual 1 could be charged with OBSTRUCTION of Justice after he’s out of office. I’m certain, based on his arrogant disdain for the law, individual 1 will have more legal issues in 2021 than those which exist today.

However, there are two realities. Should “we the people” fail to VOTE individual 1 out of office, this dark period in our history could conceivably push this nation irreversibly toward becoming a fascist state. (Technically, we are closer than most people understand as I’m writing this) We have an unapologetic THUG as our so-called president whose ties to Vladimir Putin will likely be unknown for a long time after he’s out of office. In fact, there are serious rumors that he won’t leave office should he be VOTED out in November of 2020. He’s become even more brazen since he managed to get William Barr as his “Roy Cohn.”

Just prepare yourself that instances like today’s mass shooting – and the one which happened in California last week at the Garlic Festival – will be more frequent as long as our nation is led by someone telling people of “color” to “go back from where you came.” Individual 1 will find a way to “cloak” his outrage in double speak as he makes sure his “base” knows he’s with them. I’m expecting more attacks on places frequented by people of color (Today’s attack was on a Walmart filled with MOSTLY Latino’s) AND on our so-called “liberal media” which, as everyone knows, individual 1 has labeled as “The enemy of the people.” In a “tweet” I saw yesterday he referred to the “LameStream” media.

Of course, individual 1 and his sycophants in Washington DC will DEFLECT blame – as they do with virtually everything – in regard to the mass shootings by their supporters – “individual 1 didn’t pull the trigger.” When a journalist gets killed, they’ll DEFLECT blame – “They (individual 1 and his sycophants) didn’t pull the trigger.” And, in listening to MSNBC, at least today, the commentators were being careful NOT to connect the shooter’s manifesto to individual 1’s outrageous comments (when the connection was OBVIOUS) – comments either at rallies or via his “tweets.” There are a lot of “patriots” out there ready to do their part in “purifying” America. I’ve been saying this since day one, individual 1’s goal is to “Make America White Again!” And, when I realized the reality of Bill Barr as Attorney General my confidence the Justice Department will be actively and aggressively “weeding” these groups out is now what you’d call – high. I truly hope I’m wrong!