It is clear to me individual 1 feels emboldened to do whatever he feels like due to his now belief that he’s got his “Roy Cohn” in the Justice Department in William Barr. Barr did his “job” initially when he LIED about what was in the Mueller report, therefore, poisoning the minds of MILLIONS of individual 1’s supporters who immediately BELIEVED “no collusion, no obstruction.” These people, by and large, have/had NO interest in actually reading Mueller’s report, a report which only his most fervent supporters could claim was not convicting. I read it twice and, from my “I’m not a lawyer” perspective, there were at least FIVE examples of OBSTRUCTION of Justice which would be easily proved in a court of law.

It was frustrating to watch democrats slow walk all this to the point where it appeared individual 1 would “get away with it.” However, not more than one day after Mueller testified before Congress, individual 1 – apparently feeling those “I can do anything” sorts of feelings, had the now infamous phone call with the president of Ukraine, who was desperately waiting on close to $400 MILLION in military assistance which had been curiously put on hold by individual 1 who was CLEARLY making the offer of the aid in return for information derogatory to Joe Biden. This is commonly called EXTORTION and “we the people,” I believe, have the right to expect our presidents – even “so-called” presidents- to refrain from shaking down foreign leaders. PERIOD!!

Today I listened to a “chilling” recording of individual 1 talking to a group of diplomats where he referred to the “whistleblower” as a “spy” and those who reported this behavior were also “spies” and they should receive the consequences “we used to give to traitors.” At this point, the only “traitors” involved in all this would be individual 1, Rudy Giuliani, William Barr, and apparently Mike Pompeo. (maybe I should add Stephen Miller) Additionally, there seems to be the possibility individual 1 will attempt to throw Mike Pense “under the bus.” I’m expecting our so-called president to lash out with no one around him safely to be spared. He’ll trash anyone who he believes will get the focus off of him. I’ve been referring to him as a “mob boss” for over two years. Now, we’re hearing this same characterization of our so-called president over and over again from members of Congress and commentators on the cable TV networks.

Not only are those around the so-called president justifiably uneasy, but it dawned on me this evening the rest of us SHOULD be uneasy as well. As I’ve said already, individual 1 will do whatever it takes to remain in office and here’s what crossed my mind this evening. In a word, WAR! Recently troops were deployed to Saudi Arabia in a further attempt to intimidate the Iranians and I would not put it past individual 1 to think he can change the public dialogue by instigating a WAR with Iran in some kind of way. Remember, Mike Pompeo has also been possibly implicated in this fiasco with Ukraine. They may be thinking the American people always support their leaders during wars. In this instance???????

Individual 1 will be lashing out at the whistleblower – and, keep in mind, I’m not convinced he doesn’t already know who the whistleblower is, and he’s now attempting to find out who the others who were involved in putting together the complaint, because it clearly seemed to be a “team” effort – as if one member of the intelligence community drew the “short straw.” In the instance of this complaint and the reaction it’s getting around the nation, I believe individual 1 realizes this could be the one where the republicans “jump ship.” I’ve said from the beginning of his “administration” it will only take until republicans in Congress feel as if their jobs are on the line at which time they will be “gone” in an instance.

That being said, I don’t believe individual 1 will resign, as I’ve said, but, instead, he’ll take as many others “down” with him as he can. And, of course, he’s got ever larger problems once he leaves office – especially if the voters vote in a democrat who isn’t as “passive” as Obama was – regarding the illegal behavior of the Bush/Cheney regime. For starters, it appears to me the Southern District of New York is just waiting for the opportunity to indict him on the campaign finance charges which were involved with putting Michael Cohen in prison. Individual 1 not only acts like a “mob boss” – I believe that is what he actually is – of course, small time.

It was interesting to me that he was making so many unsupported charges against Hunter Biden, Joe Biden’s only remaining son while his own two sons are very likely going to be facing legal jeopardy once all the investigations of their family businesses get into full scale mode. And, then there’s Jared Kushner. It has always appeared to me Kushner as son-in-law to individual 1 has given credence to the phrase “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” Kushner and his father, based on my reading of “Kushner, Inc.” have a history of doing “whatever it takes” to further their economic needs very similar to individual 1. In fact, Jared’s father, at on time, had a lot of “free time” while he was in prison to re-think his business practices. And, Jared very well COULD be investigated once his father-in-law is out of office regarding how he refinanced 666 (I kid you not, that’s the address) 5th Avenue in New York. (Among other questionable actions – did he “shake down” the Qatari’s?)

I believe that once people like individual 1 and Kushner “get away” with enough “stuff” they believe they are invincible. I’ve pointed out numerous times here how, in Middle School, you deal with Bullies – and, I believe, both individual 1 and, to a lessor extent, Kushner, are full out Bullies – you “hit” them back. Additionally, individual 1 is the most egregious pathological LIAR I’ve ever seen and he’ll likely NEVER accept what is his impending fate – even if that means he’s “going to jail.” Without a doubt his actions reported in this whistleblower complaint – which were, for all practical purposes, confirmed by the “White House” readout of the call in question – were ILLEGAL. Now, as I’ve said many times my friend who is an avowed individual 1 supporter “could care less” about the lawbreaking – and, I believe a large segment of his supporters feel the same.

The strategy of individual 1, and his supporters, as it has been all along will be to lash out at his accusers – attempting to turn themselves into the victims and the accusers into the “villains.” Just this morning I heard Stephen Miller suggesting the “whistleblower” is a “partisan hack from the deep state.” This is “red meat” for individual 1’s base and many of them are probably already repeating Miller’s LIES. Of course, the irony of their attacks, ALWAYS is they are classic projectionists. Individual 1, Stephen Miller, Giuliani, Pompeo, Barr, and other sycophants (can you say Lindsey Graham?) are neck deep in the so-called “deep state.” In fact, individual 1 has been busy going around the country soliciting funds from America’s wealthiest “elite” for his re-election bid while all this has been going on. (So much for a rich guy who could self fund his campaigns – he LIES about his personal wealth as he LIES about EVERYTHING)

Democrats had better be aggressive in their hearings as they proceed in this “battle.” In effect, individual 1 CONFESSED to the “crime” in the summary of the call in question which was “unclassified” by the “White House” and made public. Honestly, the democrats don’t need much more than that – but, in this day and age of political theater, I’m guessing that won’t be enough. But, in that phone call, individual 1 CLEARLY, when the president of Ukraine was inquiring about the military aid – which, keep in mind, had been suspended just a week or so prior to the now infamous phone call, extorted him with the statement “but I have to ask you for a favor though.” Just think, if you were leading a country being attacked by a far superior enemy and you were desperately in need of this aid which, curiously, had been suspended a week or so earlier, how would you respond to that question? – even though there had already been investigations into the alleged misbehavior of the Biden’s with no results.

Does individual 1 and his sycophants think “we the people” are stupid? Well, actually, and sadly, the answer to that question is, “yes.” Well, as I’ve said, he actually believes many of his voters are “uneducated.” However you look at it, that’s what he’s depending on as this impeachment “inquiry” proceeds. Is it possible he won’t be impeached? I think the answer to that is yes. The reality is that around 40 of the democrats who came out for this “inquiry” are located in districts which were carried by individual 1. Might they get “cold feet” as this proceeds and the attacks and the OBSTRUCTION of Congress intensifies? Absolutely! If one thing has become clear in the past few years, there are all too many members of Congress who put their own re-elections ahead of their “moral compass.” (Including my own member of Congress who is a republican and knows better than to support this abomination) This is going to continue to get uglier and uglier until individual 1 is out of office.

Here’s another thought: If and when this gets bad enough that individual 1 feels as if the republicans are going to convict him in the Senate he’s likely to call his “very fine” supporters into the streets – as he’s threatened in the past. These “very fine” people are armed “to the hilt” and it’s unpredictable how they or our Justice Department will respond to individual 1’s impending “doom” if that’s where this leads. Keep in mind, William Barr is also credibly implicated in this scheme to EXTORT campaign help from the Ukrainians. How that might play out is anybody’s guess, but it wouldn’t surprise me if there’s a violent backlash to “der leader’s” troubles from the White Nationalists and others of his supporters. (I feel this is possible even if it takes the next election to get this thug out of the “White House”)

Final Thoughts: As I listened to the tape of individual 1 a couple days ago, in a meeting of diplomats in New York, where he was clearly attempting to intimidate witnesses in the forthcoming impeachment hearings, I thought I heard the voices of little children. He was accusing the “whistleblower” and those who cooperated with him/her of being spies and of being “treasonous.” Then he suggested, implicitly, they should face – maybe based on previous comments I’ve seen from him – a firing squad. Must make the “whistleblower” feel comfortable. I would like to know how the diplomats who had their children there felt about those comments in their presence. Call me “old fashioned,” but I would NOT have been OK with that!

You have to believe this “whistleblower,” whoever it is, had to understand what was coming his/her way from this thug of a so-called president. Nevertheless, it’s got to be unnerving to hear the President of the United States suggest him/her should be executed. What if his/her identity gets publicized – which in today’s D.C. is almost likely? What if one of individual 1’s most ardent supporters decides to take his deranged thoughts into a violent response to the egging on of his “leader.” This is why so many are suggesting the “whistleblower” is very courageous – along with those who helped him/her who work in the “White House,” and why their protection is of paramount importance!

OMG – there’s more! I just was listening to Adam Schiff and learned that the references to “Crowd Strike” in individual 1’s shakedown of the Ukrainians was based on conspiracy theories which have been put forth by William Barr and others and, ironically, originated in Russia. What this means is individual 1, Barr, and others in their administration are AGAIN doing the “bidding” of Vladimir Putin. They’re all trying to “change the narrative” away from the FACT Russian “interfered” with our 2016 election. Individual 1 has made it clear he believes Putin over our own intelligence professionals and this “shakedown” was just one more example of that – plus it shows the “rot” goes much deeper than just our so-called president.

Not only was the Mueller report CLEAR about the Russian intervention, but also CLEAR in providing the EVIDENCE of ALL the COLLUSION. What most people don’t know and I haven’t heard/seen via our “liberal media” is that the (I believe it was) Danish intelligence cyber unit actually was able to penetrate the GRU and in real time WATCH the Russians as they were hacking the American voter systems and the computers of various parts of the Democratic campaign committees. I believe they (the Russians) also penetrated parts of the republican committees, but chose (obviously) not to make that public. The FACT it “was the Russians” (no matter what “President Putin” says) is irrefutable – despite the debunked conspiracy theories individual 1, Giuliani, Barr, Pompeo and the others want to push.

Clearly, in summary, individual 1 was, in the phone call which has led to the impeachment inquiry, trying to FORCE the president of Ukraine to manufacture “evidence” which could be used against Joe Biden in the 2020 campaign. That’s EXTORTION, plain and simple – but, I’m guessing he’ll get away with it in the sense the republicans won’t “convict” in the Senate if it gets that far. I’ll be surprised if Individual 1 doesn’t continue to push this nonsense in the campaign should Biden be the nominee. It worked with Mrs. Clinton and he’ll try it again, just as he’s trying – right in front of our “faces,” the “collusion” with a foreign government again! If he does get away with all this our history books will say “SHAME on the republican party!”

Today I listened to individual 1 bloviating in front of the newly elected president of Ukraine, who must be feeling very uneasy being thrust into the middle of America’s corrupt president and his country’s desperate need for U.S. aid in his fight against Vladimir Putin, with our so-called president regurgitating his attacks against the “Russian Investigation” and the “Clinton emails” (the ones he publicly asked the Russians to find) and the so-called “witch hunt.” As I listened to his disgusting remarks I couldn’t help but feel the democrats are likely to focus the present “impeachment inquiry” on the EXTORTION of Ukraine – which, don’t get me wrong, is EXTREMELY bad – and kind of let the multiple examples of OBSTRUCTION of Justice in the Mueller report “go” along with the “collusion” with the Russians, which is undeniable!

Individual 1 has been OBSTRUCTING Congress along with his other acts of OBSTRUCTION and I do not doubt he will continue to OBSTRUCT Congress as this IMPEACHMENT inquiry proceeds and he will FORCE the democrats to go to court in order to get EVERY person subpoenaed to show up to testify. And, if those who do show up act like Corey Lewandowski I would hope the democrats would charge them with CONTEMPT of Congress right on the spot!

In his comments today he was on the “Roy Cohn” attack in front of the United Nations. It was embarrassing to listen to this disgusting human being attempting to deflect the “incoming” accountability he’s now looking right in the eye. As he talks, if you’ve checked out some of his allegations, you realize he can’t help himself from LYING. He’s like a rat which has been cornered and he’s lashing back. I’ve tried to find any reliable evidence of his accusations and there’s NOTHING there! It reminds me of the so-called “Uranium 1 scandal” in the 2016 campaign. I have to believe individual 1 wakes up in the morning and listens to the absurd right wing conspiracy theorists online and starts throwing (“tweeting”) s@#t against the wall – hoping with their (republican’s) “uneducated voters” some of it will “stick.” And, up until now, it’s been working – with around 40% of Americans believing individual 1 is telling them the truth.

This “scandal” – it appears to me – has involvement of the Secretary of State, the Attorney General, and a bunch of other ‘party over country’ sycophants. This is going to be a brutal “fight” and, as I’ve said, I don’t believe individual 1 will resign as Nixon, but he’ll go down in flames if he goes down. I simply hope the democrats force every republican in Congress to vote on whether or not they are OK with the president EXTORTING political favors from foreign nationals. The bottom line is that for “we the people” to have any chance for our government to produce a progressive agenda which deals with the issues of universal health care, climate change, education, gun reform, tax reform and the deficit among the many pressing issues it is NECESSARY democrats control the Senate. Moscow Mitch is one of the republicans who need to be retired and maybe being forced to give an “up or down” vote on whether or not they support EXTORTION by the (in this case so-called, but in any case) president of the United States. I believe there are many Americans, even in “red states” who find this ILLEGAL behavior difficult to stomach!

Remember, our representatives in government are setting precedents ALL the time and it will be a sad day in America if this behavior is not very PUBLICLY reprimanded. This impeachment “inquiry” is certainly appropriate – it took this abuse of POWER for Nancy Pelosi to relent on her lack of interest in this impeachment “talk” – despite all the evidence of “wrongdoing” in the Mueller report. As I’ve said in regard to all the impeachment “talk” and the likelihood republicans will find this behavior “normal” it’s up to the democrats to lay down a “marker” for future presidents – whether democrat or republican – that we really are a “nation of laws and not men.” The FACT coordinating with foreign governments is AGAINST the law is not a matter of discussion. It’s clear – as stated in the Mueller report among many I’ve heard point this out. If individual 1 is not removed for this egregiously arrogant breech of our laws then it’s up to “we the people” to do so – and, as I’ve stated many times, (and sometimes I add “sadly” to that thought) “we the people” are dependent on democrats to accomplish this!

Of course, it’s up to the democrats to nominate a candidate who has an appeal to more than the so-called “left.” That’s precisely why I believe many democrats are pushing for Joe Biden – although, to me, he’s too old. (I’m 72 and I just don’t feel like “we the people” need someone this old as our president) Personally, until he made the push for MANDATORY buyback of assault weapons (and, keep in mind, I’m TOTALLY opposed to assault weapons “on the street”) I was leaning toward Beto O’Rourke. I think that one impassioned plea makes him unelectable, practically, for too many Americans. I like Corey Booker, and I also like Tom Steyer. I’m finding Steyer to be a very interesting potential candidate. Regardless, the democrats have a great opportunity to retake the “White House” and to retake control of the Senate. Ideally, many republicans will be “retired” by the voters as a response to their un-democratic assault on the fundamentals of our republic over the previous few years.

In my heart I agree with Elizabeth Warren that we should NOT act in fear when deciding who we want as our leaders and we shouldn’t FEAR policy proposals which benefit “we the people” but are likely to face Millions of dollars in smear tactics from those who are what I call the republican “puppet masters” – ie the NRA, the “Koch Brother” network, and wealthy “donors” like Sheldon Adelson who quickly “repaid” republicans for their “tax scam” with a “gift” of around $10 MILLION. Republicans will defend their “turf” aggressively because well, they depend on all the “dark money.” In fact, they seem to be inferentially “beholden” to their donors similarly to how individual 1 wanted the Ukrainians to feel if they wanted the desperately needed military aid. Yikes!!!

Today the so-called “whistle blower” complaint was de-classified and I had (and you have) the opportunity to actually read it. There can be no doubt our so-called president was – in the lingo of the organized criminal world he apparently came from – “shaking down” the Ukrainians for “oppo research” on his imagined opponent in the 2020 re-election campaign. At the same time, it appeared to me he was also trying to re-litigate the 2016 election and he was pushing to find out that conspiracy theories (from somewhere, I personally don’t know) claiming the “server” with the “missing emails” is somewhere in Ukraine are true. He mentioned the word “Crowd Strike” and, it appeared to me the apparent silence which followed would suggest individual 1 knew about previous contacts where the identical subject had been “broached.” All of this just reinforce what I’ve been claiming for over two years: our so-called president is either a “mob boss” or he’s acting like one!

Of course, Vladimir Putin is, by most accounts, operating an international organized crime syndicate and, as we all know Putin seems to be one of individual 1’s idols. It has always come across to me that individual 1 is envious of Putin’s ability to deal with those who are dissidents in a variety of ways which include people mysteriously “jumping out of fourth floor windows” to being poisoned. The “consequences” in Russia to those who oppose Putin seem to always be extreme enough to send a clear message to others. This morning it was reported by the LA Times that individual 1, in a meeting of diplomats, accused this “whistleblower” of being a “spy,” and was suggesting consequences for this person coming forward and reporting this egregious misconduct similar to how “we used to deal with spies.” He apparently was suggesting how, maybe, the Rosenberg’s were executed. Again, every day he comes across more and more as if he’s a “mob boss.”

Individual 1 is actually characterizing both the “whistleblower” and those in the “White House” who shared this information with him/her (the “whistleblower” complaint was “Second hand”) as “treasonous.” He wants to find out who these people are – and, you can only imagine what he wants to do if/when he finds out who “told on him.” I listened this morning to individual 1 lashing out at the democrats (saying, “here we go again”), the witnesses to his EXTORTION (implied) demand, and the Biden’s. Incredibly he keeps suggesting the Biden’s pulled “millions and millions of dollars” out of both Ukraine and China. Personally, despite the reality these accusations are of no relativity to the so-called president’s EXTORTION of the Ukrainians, I’ve tried to find out if his claims are true. So far, I’ve found NOTHING which would even suggest individual 1’s accusations are credible.

In fact, what I’ve found would suggest the opposite. While Biden was representing the United States, along with a bevy of international allies who were all committed to supporting Ukraine in their fight against the Russians, all of them supporting the removal of the chief prosecutor in Ukraine – because he WASN’T prosecuting “corruption.” And, incredibly to me (evidently not to individual 1) this would include the company of which Hunter Biden had been on the board. It appears to me the suggestion – which individual 1, true to the “Big Lie Theory” of which he operates, continues to bloviate – that the Biden’s pulled “millions and millions of dollars from Ukraine and China” is spurious and reckless. Sadly, millions of Americans will/do believe what he says is true and our so-called “liberal media” continues to broadcast his LIES with no immediate “correction” – using the facts. I can picture the words of my friend who supports individual 1 as I’m writing this.

Final Thought: If you saw the look on the face of Ukraine’s president as, while he was sitting next to individual 1, our so-called president was suggesting he and Vladimir Putin sit down and work out their differences. The reality is Putin has taken Crimea from Ukraine and has NO plans to relinquish it (Read “Putin’s World” by Angela Stent) and Ukraine’s president very well knows this. Additionally, there are Russian troops, surreptitiously, in a couple of Ukraine’s eastern regions as this is all going on. Ukraine is depending on the support of the United States AND the members of the European Union, who, despite individual 1’s claims to the contrary, are providing MORE support than the U.S. (Individual 1 just can’t seem to stop the LYING)

One more thing: One reason Ukraine not only is depending on our support, but that we are OBLIGATED to support them goes back to the breakup of the Soviet Union. While the Soviet Union was still “viable” there was a large quantity of nuclear weapons in Ukraine. When the Soviet Union disbanded (I’m not sure if that’s the correct word) Ukraine agreed to give up those nuclear weapons in return for the United States agreeing to support their defense against Russia or any other entity attacking them. So, this idea individual 1 would suspend close to $400 MILLION in military hardware – which had been approved by congress – in order to leverage the (likely) illegal EXTORTION attempts of Rudy Giuliani and, ultimately, individual 1 joining the EXTORTION plan – in a way that caused me to remember the words of Michael Cohen about how individual 1 “rolls.” Individual 1 has implied the “whistleblower” committed “treason” when if anyone has committed “treason” it’s individual 1 himself!

Again, my apologies for publishing this without rereading it. I would never have approved that with my sixth graders! :o)

OK, if you’ve had your head in the sand for the past almost three years and you don’t understand how individual 1 “rolls,” this issue with his attempted EXTORTION of the leaders in Ukraine says it all. It apparently goes like this: A member of the intelligence community either overheard a phone conversation individual 1 had with the recently elected Ukrainian president or he saw an official readout of the call (likely the former) and our so-called president allegedly (likely) “made an inappropriate promise” to a foreign (Ukraine) leader. In this case it’s been reported by multiple outlets that individual 1 offered to release $250 MILLION in already appropriated military assistance to Ukraine provided Ukraine’s president investigate Joe Biden in regard to his son, Hunter, who was hired by a gas company in Ukraine in 2014.

Apparently, Biden’s actions individual 1 wants investigated occurred after whatever the issue with his son had already been resolved – but, that’s hardly the point. And, while I don’t believe Biden will be the democratic nominee – this is what whoever it is can expect. In my previous posting I pointed out I now believe individual 1’s attempted EXTORTION is a team affair – that is, a conspiracy in legal parlance, as clearly Mike Pompeo and others may be involved. In fact, one by one individual 1’s sycophants confirm my worst suspicions as they LIE about the truth – while they’re clumsily attempting to pull individual 1 out of another political “abyss.”

I even read today comments by John Cornyn, a republican running for reelection to the Senate from Texas, about how he doesn’t understand why people are focused on all – well, here’s his exact words, “I just frankly can’t imagine why people have lost their minds so much over these daily reports of one thing or another that seem to consume everybody’s attention in the news coverage,” Seriously, it would take a republican to say that. Let me respond: John, it’s because YOUR president is the MOST corrupt (so-called) president in this country’s history and he’s apparently trying to DROWN “we the people” in his scandals so they will seem normal. Well, in regard to this one, John, EXTORTION is, apparently, only normal in republican circles.

Here’s my main point. When a (true) BULLY gets caught with his “hand in the cookie jar” he not only says “my hand’s NOT in the cookie jar” (while you’re LOOKING at his “hand in the cookie jar” and then he goes on the attack. So, even though this pressure on Ukraine – mainly by Rudy Giuliani, who soils himself more every day for the short term “privilege” of being around the “White House” – has been ongoing for months apparently it took a poll suggesting Biden would beat individual 1 by almost 15 points to set him over the edge. I’m sure he’s thinking: “While I’m the (so-called) president (I inserted the “so-called” part in honor of his comments regarding judges of Hispanic or Mexican descent) ‘they’ (meaning honorable members of the Justice Department – meaning other than William Barr) can’t ‘touch me’ legally. (He made this call ONE day after the Mueller testimony)

Earth to individual 1: once you leave office in January of 2021 they CAN. And, oh by the way, William Barr will no longer be the Attorney General. Hold on to your britches! As usual, to a degree, I’ve digressed. Here’s how individual 1 “rolls.” He’s been caught “red-handed” committing a clearly IMPEACHABLE offense – one that Nancy Pelosi SHOULD be happy to FORCE the republican Senators to have to vote on whether or not to convict because even some republicans believe EXTORTION is wildly inappropriate. If they want they can run for re-election saying “EXTORTION” is OK. It is the work of mobsters and career criminals! (hint, hint) Speaking of “career criminals” individual 1 is going to be facing a bevy of criminal complaints once he’s no longer protected by that over 40 year old OLC memo which says a “sitting president may not be indicted.” (Nancy, it’s up to you)

And, while I’m thinking about all this – individual 1 has taken dead aim on Joe Biden’s son, his last remaining offspring (who individual 1’s sycophants are calling a “drug addict” publicly as I’m writing – this is where the republican “win at all costs mantra” has taken America) I’m thinking Biden will maybe become so angry that he overcomes the so-called “gaffes” – which, I have to tell him – AND our “liberal media” – pale next to individual 1’s. It’s just that our so-called president’s “gaffes” are more subtle and often times not picked up on by all those “liberals” in the media. Like for example when he says he didn’t bring up Biden’s name when talking to the president of Ukraine, “But, if I had there would be nothing wrong with it.” That means, “I did and you’re too stupid to figure it out.”

Most people paying attention to all this have seen Giuliani the other night, I believe on CNN, in one breath deny talking about Biden to the Ukrainians and, almost in the next breath saying, “Of course I did” and then a few breaths later saying “I encouraged them to investigate Biden and I’m proud of doing it.” When I first heard that it was another “are you kidding” moment for me – and, then I reminded my brain these people simply believe “we the people” are incredibly STUPID. And, sadly, at this moment in time, Nancy Pelosi continues to make them seem correct. Apparently, earlier in the year when she ended a talk about IMPEACHMENT by saying you shouldn’t NOT impeach because of political reasons. Well, sadly, that’s exactly what she’s been doing. As usual Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has it right again when she said if the democrats DON’T impeach individual 1 it will be more “scandalous” than what individual 1 is doing.

It’s time for another of my “OMG’s.” Lord help us, I just forced myself to read the replies from a bunch of Fox “news” viewers regarding Fox’s reporting on AOC pointing out that if democrats don’t act to impeach individual 1 it will be “more scandalous” than individual 1’s actions themselves. Holy, well you know what the next word should be, these people (or should I say those people), one after another, are brainwashed ignoramuses. First off, I read multiple times “What law did individual 1 (they all used his real name, I can’t force myself to do so) break? This is during the same weekend where it’s become clear he EXTORTED the Ukrainians in order to get “dirt” on Joe Biden for the next election. (I’m sure he’s thinking Biden will be the democratic nominee) Apparently, they seemed to believe paying off the two women right before the election – also known as a “hush money scheme” is OK as long as a republican is doing so. And, I couldn’t help respond and I’m sure my suggestions about “collusion” and “obstruction of justice,” to them was simply more “deep state” conspiracy. The brainwashing has been effective!

And, if you don’t think these people are unable to think for themselves, well, the evidence would belie that notion. They, almost every post I was able to read (before my stomach got too upset), referred to AOC as a “socialist” or “commie” and Elizabeth Warren was commonly referred to as “Pocahontas.” However individual 1 characterizes something, well, that’s what you’ll hear from these people. The other thing I noticed – and, I believe this is because of the friend I often refer to who is an individual 1 supporter and I regularly have breakfast with, they – almost all of them – believe individual 1 will win in 2020 by a landslide – “unless the election is rigged.” Further evidence as to why individual 1 “loves uneducated voters.” Yikes!!!

Speaking of the 2020 election and that it could be “rigged,” the reality is that is true. But, at the work of an expert on projection, individual 1 has his CULT believing the ONLY way he can lose is if it’s “rigged.” Of course, just as he “rigged” the 2016 election he’s already busy planning on how to “rig” the 2020 election. The reality is “There’s more of us than there are of them” – meaning more progressives and progressive leaning independents (like myself) than there are republicans. I purposely didn’t say “conservatives” because many “true conservatives” have abandoned the party of individual 1 which is now, effectively, a CULT. So, in order to “win” again, individual 1 will need to “rig” the election. How will he do this?

For starters, he’s going to solicit help from foreign cyber warriors AGAIN! The Russians are already “at it” and there are reports of others as well, Additionally, he – and what’s left of the republican party – are busy enacting voter suppression tactics while the rest of us are sleeping at the switch. Many of these type of tactics aren’t noticed until it’s too late – and, obviously by now, he feels there’s nothing he can do which will arise to the level of IMPEACHMENT with the democrats “we the people” have in Congress. Honestly, between the republicans (if there are any with honor) and the democrats our Congress is full of legislators who put their own re-elections above their oath to the constitution. And, at this point in time with all the “evidence” I put democrats as much in this category as republicans.

Getting caught in an act of EXTORTION has apparently put individual 1 in full throated “Roy Cohn” mode. What do I mean? Well, when you’re caught doing something wrong or illegal you don’t “own up” but, instead, you deflect and ATTACK. That is exactly what we’re seeing right now from individual 1 and all his sycophants who seem to have a well planned out response to the whistle blower complaint which they all say they “haven’t seen.” Pompeo was almost comical in his “denial.” He suggested he was hearing about it for the first time in the interview I was watching and, like Giuliani’s “denial non denial” he almost as quickly kicked in the deflect – “it wouldn’t be wrong if he did” and then the attack “Biden should be the one being investigated.” Mnuchin wasn’t any different. “All the (so-called) president’s men” were out on the Sunday talk shows “deflecting and attacking.”

Why do they do this? Well, because it works with that shrinking base they believe will be enough to allow them to “win” in the next election. Depending on who the democrats nominate – and, I can tell you, this election will make the 2016 election – from what’s coming from individual 1 and his supporters – look like “child’s play” – He got away with what he did the last time and I hope you understand people as ruthless as him don’t voluntarily pull back their search for the legal boundaries. Until he’s in jail, he’ll keep PUSHING! And, I believe, that includes after he’s voted out of office in 2020. He’ll claim the election was “rigged” and he’ll encourage his CULT to create as much havoc as he can – because his allegiance is not to this country. Personally, I wouldn’t be surprised if he relocated to Russia before the “long arm of the law” gets a hold of him.

The bottom line here is if “we the people” – those of us who don’t want him in office another day – don’t vote in record numbers all across the nation – it will be a travesty. Our traditional allies will be watching this next election from the edges of their seats and if “we the people” don’t correct this abomination this country will no longer be recognizable. Of course, if you’re an overt racist, you’re thinking the opposite. If you’re one of the people responding to that Fox “news” segment I referenced above and who regularly referred to Elizabeth Warren as “Pocahontas” you’ll be part of the new resistance even while whoever is in office will be trying to make your life much better than individual 1 ever will. It’s really hard for me to get my brain around how many “uneducated voters” there are in America, but reality is reality. I honestly don’t know the best answer to dealing with that issue – except to say, after watching all the young people protesting the climate crisis yesterday, there’s hope.

It appears “generation z” is much better informed than those who came before them. This is likely out of, to a certain extent, self preservation, because their lives are on the line and they realize the climate deniers – mainly republicans – are threatening their futures. People like individual 1 and the surreptitious “money changers” who are supporting them as “OZ” behind his curtain – like Charles Koch and other extremely wealthy people in the fossil fuel business – are fast losing favor with those who are going to live well into the 21st century. I feel confident in saying those in that protest are very unlikely to vote for individual 1 – his plan is to keep them from voting at all.

In fact, if my wish for republicans to be voted into the history books comes true, it will be because of these young, well informed, people voting en masse. (By the way, that protest was world wide!) These young people want the guns off the streets, especially assault weapons and “weapons of war.” Logically, they have NO place on the “streets.” They want health care – at a fair price and they don’t want health care to be dependent on your “standing” in life, period! They want to be able to gain an education without mortgaging the rest of their lives. They want affordable housing where they can raise a family. And, they want their country to live up to the ideals the “greatest generation” fought (and many died) for in WW II. They don’t want a select few making MILLIONS and paying little to no taxes while MILLIONS of working class Americans are working more than one job to “make ends meet.” None of this is unreasonable – even if you watch Fox “news.” Unless you’re part of individual 1’s CULT! In that instance, God help you.

Final Thought: Ever since Paul Weyrich’s famous speech back in the Reagan era about how republicans win only when people DON’T vote, that reality is more significant now than ever. I believe the way he put it was something along the lines of “The fewer people vote the better are our chances.” That should let you know what’s behind the numbing array of ”scandals” which I mentioned above John Cornyn was wondering why do people keep getting worked up over them? Well, one reason may be to turn as many people off to politics as possible. They know those more likely to be “turned off” are people who would likely vote for democrats. I heard someone explain it well the other day when he said “democrats bring a squirt gun to a knife fight.” (He said something else beside “squirt gun” but I couldn’t remember) It really is time (well, actually WAY past time) for democrats to take the OFFENSIVE!

Republicans have long characterized democrats as “weak” and, I’m afraid, they may be correct. It really is time for the democrats to change that perspective. As an FYI – for anyone who happens on this site. Today I watched a video put out by Tom Steyer and, I have to say, I would enthusiastically support him should he somehow miraculously gain the democratic nomination. My hope is they won’t hold his wealth against him. I think he would be a very formidable candidate and a good president. Just sayin………………….

As I’m getting ready to post this I’m listening to individual 1 in an interview with the president of Ukraine who he’s meeting with at the United Nations and we’re getting a first class episode of individual 1 on the attack. He’s clearly facing impeachment and he’s throwing out baseless accusations against the Biden’s right in front of the president of Ukraine. Unlike Richard Nixon, I don’t see individual 1 resigning – even if republicans in the Senate decide they don’t like the president EXTORTING political help from the Ukrainians. Let’s hope the democrats don’t loose the little bit of a spine they’ve suddenly found themselves with. “Take it to the house!” Once the republicans have “acquitted” our so-called president it’s then up to “we the people” to vote these people out of office in 2020 – and, that includes the people in places like Kentucky, South Carolina, Iowa, Colorado, Georgia, Texas, and other places which are considered “red states.” If this country is to become “healthy” again, it will happen because “we the people” – ‘conservative’ and ‘liberal’ and all places in between make it happen at the polls. Once these republican sycophants are gone it will be time for a REAL era where “conservatives” and “liberals” work for the interest of this nation!

I’ll end with – I hope they investigate Rudy Giuliani, William Barr, Mike Pompeo, Mick Mulvaney, and possibly Mike Pense in all this. Individual 1 has been attempting to hide his illegal behavior by accusing the Ukrainians of being “corrupt” and saying he was holding back the badly needed military assistance because of their “corruption.” Well, it’s debatable as to which country – “us or them” – is more corrupt!

OMG! (again) The other day I started a post which was focused on how individual 1’s incompetence has brought the Middle East to the brink of ANOTHER (stupid) war instigated by the United States. To me, a MAJOR scandal (meaning the process which got us to this point – aka pulling America out of the Iran nuclear deal), but, as usual, before I could finish the post (it’s taking me a couple days now each time I write) that “scandal” has been superseded by a far more egregious “scandal.” That’s apparently how individual 1 tries to get “we the people” chasing our tails as he continues to wreck havoc on the government of the United States of America.

I’m going to focus these thoughts on individual 1 and how BAD this last foo-pah is, but I have to say, at first, come on democrats. Step up, stop acting like this is a passive issue! Quit worrying about how the voters will react to this. You’re making it WORSE for yourselves by acting like your worried about your “moderates.” This isn’t a question of liberal v moderate v conservative. This is a question of a president who is BRAZENLY violating America’s LAWS “right and left” and in plain sight, whether you like it or not, it’s up to you to put a stop to this. You’re not only enabling individual 1 but also his republican sycophants like Jordan of Ohio, Gaetz of Florida, Nunez of California, etc. who are going to defend anything individual 1 does because their loyalty is to their party and NOT to their country!

It doesn’t take a legal scholar to understand that EXTORTION is not becoming of a U.S. president. (Probably normal in Russia) IN FACT, extortion is what gets many mob bosses a lengthy sentence in the “pen.” Extortion is the work of people like “Don Corleone” and, when you have someone who believes that it’s “appropriate,” as individual 1 has claimed – well, you can’t be “passive” in dealing with it. While I respect much of what I’ve heard from Nancy Pelosi, this fear of impeachment seems to be “baked” into her DNA. I’ve shared how this showed up previously following Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld authorizing TORTURE during the Iraq “war.”

The friend I’ve referenced on this site many times who is an individual 1 supporter (and who I meet with regularly) claimed that “everyone tortures” in war. I won’t go into the details of my response to him other than to say I simply pointed out it violates American and international laws, it makes Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld (and, others – who did the TORTURING) War Criminals, and it SHOULD have been impeachable – except that Nancy Pelosi chose against impeachment then just as she’s doing now. (Of course, as I’ve said, President Obama failed to allow the subsequent “investigations” into WAR CRIMES as well) Back then I thought: “If not now, when?” Well, with individual 1 I keep telling myself “it can’t get any worse than this.”

But, the reality is that it could, it can, and it IS! If the democrats refuse to act AGAIN, then it would stand to reason it’s just a matter of time until some other person gains the “White House” who decides to push the “bar” even further. The list of individual 1’s “offenses” is so long that my head, along with who knows how many others, is simply “spinning.” It’s hard to keep up – it appears to me the idea is to create a numbness which results in people throwing up their arms and staying home in November 2020. (Of course, Pelosi isn’t helping fight that perception by putting a roadblock in front of impeachment)

That brazenous, and “getting away with it,” has led to this alleged EXTORTION right out in the open. I can remember reading about this at least a couple weeks ago – the extortion part – Giuliani going to Ukraine for “oppo research” as individual 1 calls it, has been public knowledge for months (again, with democratic complicity) – but, apparently, this “whistle-blower” has gained the attention of those who don’t follow “The Daily Kos.” Another word for what extortion is, if you’re not familiar, is “quid pro quo” which means “you give me something and I’ll give you something in return.” In this instance what individual 1 was offering to “give” to Ukraine is the MILLIONS in desperately needed military aid which had long ago been authorized by Congress to help Ukraine fight against, you guessed it, Vladimir Putin. (Are you getting the picture? Individual 1 had blocked the release of the aid) In other words, “You (Ukraine) give me (individual 1) “dirt” on Joe Biden and I’ll OK the military hardware ALREADY appropriated for you.” Otherwise………… Yikes!

This action of individual 1, by itself, SHOULD get him impeached FORTH WITH and SHOULD add to the legal obstacles to his “freedom” once he leaves office. (Whether via impeachment – unlikely – or via “we the people” “impeaching” him in November of 2020) No matter how long he, Giuliani, and his republican sycophants can retain POWER (and, make no mistake, that’s what this is all about), I can guarantee you he’ll pile on as much of what I’ve referred to simply as “DAMAGE” to our nation as he can. At some point he will be simply acting vindictively toward ANYONE he perceives as someone who’s “disloyal” because “that’s the way he rolls.” I also have to wonder how much does he really “owe” to Putin and the Russians? Do they really have the “video” referred to in the Steele Dossier?

Yesterday there was an impressive PROTEST against the climate deniers like individual 1 where MILLIONS of (mostly) young people around the world were demanding action and they showed publicly the reality that MILLIONS of young Americans are registering to vote AGAINST individual 1. This is another “step” in the process which is making him, apparently, more desperate. The sad reality is, his being our so-called president is preventing him from facing the legal charges which are mounting as each day passes – including this alleged EXTORTION of the Ukrainians. The actions individual 1 took with the Russians during the 2016 campaign which got him elected (and, I’ve read recently the Saudi’s and the Israelis were on the same “page” with the Russians) in my view were TREASONOUS. That’s why I’ve repeatedly stated his place in the history books will be right next to Benedict Arnold. (And, I picture Fox “news” and people like William Barr, Stephen Miller, and other sycophants finding a spot right next to him.)

Back to my main thought. If the reports are true (and, likely they are) that the “whistle blower” complaint is based on individual 1 “connecting” the Ukrainians agreeing to “investigate” Joe Biden’s work in Ukraine while he was Vice President and his son, Hunter, was on the board of an energy company there with individual 1 releasing the aforementioned $250 MILLION in military aid which the Ukrainians desperately need if they are to fend off the attack coming from the Russians. Vladimir Putin doesn’t like Ukraine’s cooperation with the “West” and, apparently, individual 1 could “care less” either way. This is another action by individual 1 which is worthy of the descriptive term EGREGIOUS and will lead to the democrats getting another well deserved descriptive term as COWARDICE! If they fail to act QUICKLY!

Early in the days of this “blog” (actually my cyber venting) I pointed out on several occasions that Osama bin Laden got exactly what he wanted when he sent the suicide bombers to fly those planes into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. His goal was to cause the internal imploding of the United States by creating FEAR to rule the day. Of course, Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld was the perfect set of “leaders” for bin Laden to pull that off because they promoted FEAR as a policy. And, of course, FEAR continues to be the main strategy of republicans to this day. Now, I’ve been saying Vladimir Putin is “laughing all the way to the bank” in regard to the Russian interference in our 2016 election. He’s gained more than, I’m sure, even he imagined was possible – in his wildest dreams. (I actually believe Putin wanted to create a weakened Hillary Clinton administration who republicans had succeeded in causing to many of “we the people” to FEAR. Now they’re on to causing people to FEAR Biden)

Before I share this next thought I have to say I hope Joe Biden is NOT the candidate of the Democratic party, simply because I want someone YOUNGER. I’m 72 and I’m a bit younger than Biden and it’s apparent to me he’s too old. In fact, individual 1 is too old – he’s a disgusting human being but it’s also apparent he’s “losing it” based on observable behavior. But one of the worst parts of this latest individual 1 scandal is it shows how the republicans respond to illicit behavior among their own and how this so-called “liberal media” is the “tool” individual 1 knows how to manipulate and they (the “media”) either have no idea how they’re being used or they, themselves, are complicit – because they’re making money covering all the scandals. The question is, will our “liberal media” continue to allow individual 1 to get away with this – we know republicans only care about continuing the charade as long as they can. “We the people” have no where to turn except to democrats!

This story about Biden in the Ukraine was supposedly DEBUNKED long ago, but, so far, I haven’t heard one media outlet pointing this out. In fact, the other day, I heard a reporter for the NY Times suggesting there’s more to the story – without saying what it is giving individual 1 just what he wants. The bottom line is individual 1 is succeeding in SMEARING Biden in the eyes of many independent voters. He’s attempting to make Biden, in the eyes of voters, just as corrupt as he is, therefore, rendering that weakness void. Today, I actually heard Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in an interview on (I believe) ABC saying something like, “We can’t be having our elections interfered with by foreign powers and if there’s something to these Biden allegations in Ukraine they should be investigated” – without the proper “blow-back” from the interviewer. Again, OMG!

So, this episode of extortion is much deeper than just individual 1. Giuliani even said his meetings with whoever it was he met with in Ukraine was set up via the State Department (ie Pompeo) and he reported back to the State Department (ie Pompeo). And, then, we got the comments from Pompeo mentioned above. All I can think of is individual 1’s statement in the 2016 campaign, “I love uneducated voters.” If you support him, maybe it’s time to take a look in the mirror. Are you uneducated or just STUPID? From my standpoint, this extortion of Ukraine by individual 1 is now a conspiracy. Secretary of State Pompeo confirmed that this morning on ABC! I’ve come to the conclusion there’s no LOW which is too LOW for them and, based on my friend who supports individual 1, sadly, I have to say the same for his supporters. This is a sad time in America and I hope to live long enough to see individual 1 face the legal consequences for his “mob boss” behavior.

Final Thought: As long as I’m pointing out things I’ve said (written) many times, I’ll end with once again saying individual 1 is the PERFECT (so-called) president for the forces that actually run the republican party surreptitiously. He clearly has no grasp on the government, on American history, and the laws which he’s supposed to be defending and, I could go on. What he offers the “moneyed elites” behind this republican assault on our republic is he’ll do what is expected of him. When gun legislation is proposed, he gets a call from the NRA and it’s over. The reality of the climate crisis is IMPOSSIBLE to miss, but individual 1 continues to be the champion of the fossil fuel industry. He has NO moral compass, but he continues to say (like “two Corinthians”) whatever it takes to make Evangelicals who support him actions designed to make “Christians” look the other way on ALL the things which would make Jesus “cringe.” (Like right wing judges)

I believe all Americans should read “Sons of Wichita” to help them understand what the “Koch Brothers” – now the “Koch Brother” because one of them died – have been “up to.” The Koch family may have overseen more scandals than even individual 1. Our “Justice Department” is being exposed, during this perilous time, as being afraid to confront the very rich in our society. Both of the “Koch Brothers” are/were worth over $50 BILLION and they were committed to spending MILLIONS in order to subvert America’s government toward their fossil fuel interests. Disgusting! It are the wealthy families who’ve been manipulating the republican party with piles of MONEY which is what makes individual 1 as our so-called president possible. Again, if this is going to be stopped “we the people” have no option but to vote for democrats – and, then, let them know it’s time to get this mountain of DARK money OUT of politics.

Most people I know have no idea who the Koch brothers are. Most republicans I know only think of George Soros when talk of money in politics comes up – or they don’t even understand the problem. For sure, most can’t tell you what “Citizens United” is. To me, this is on our “liberal media!” If you haven’t been around here much and you don’t think critically I, for one, don’t believe our “media” is “liberal.”

OMG! I’ve been pointing out for over two years that at some point individual 1 will face a REAL crisis and he’s likely to be as unfit for that situation as with EVERYTHING else he is screwing up. Well, it appears that time may be on the horizon. If you follow the “news” you know that the Yemeni Houthis allegedly struck a key Saudi Arabian oil field with unmanned drones which (may or may not have) come (came) from Iran. True to his nature, individual 1 has publicly admitted he’s waiting for instructions from MBS (Mohammad bin Salmon) so he can determine the “response” of the United States.

Yes, you read that correctly! Individual 1 is checking with MBS for his direction as to how “we the people” (who he “tweeted” are “locked and loaded” – what the hell?) should proceed. MBS is the leader who TORTURES his own people and leads the country which originated (at least) 17 of the 9/11 attackers. He’s the leader who has been attempting to inflict genocide on Yemen – with the help of individual 1 and Jared Kushner – and he’s the leader who allegedly ORDERED the MURDER and DISMEMBERMENT of Jamal Khashoggi, the Saudi dissident reporter who was a resident of Washington DC and was working for the Washington Post. Additionally, everyone knows the Saudi’s are major donors of terrorist groups like Al Qaeda.

It’s disgusting enough individual 1 has supported the mass murder of the Yemeni’s (many facing starvation from reports I’ve read) to “give back” to MBS for the MILLIONS he’s spent at individual 1’s properties, but deciding how to respond to an attack on Saudi oil fields at the direction of MBS? You’ve got to be kidding! I thought even individual 1 was smarter than that. The Saudi’s have spent hundreds of MILLIONS buying American military hardware. It’s their oil fields and their problem. Why is it assumed “we the people” will deliver a “blow” to Iran?

The first thought which crossed my mind after I heard of the attack was that Yemen’s Houthi’s were giving some back to the Saudi’s. It IS a WAR! for heaven’s sake. I suppose it’s because the Houthi’s hit the oil field which got everyone’s attention. Does that mean the oil fields are off limits in war? I’ve never heard of that before. Of course, individual 1 gets whatever information he receives these days from Mike Pompeo, so it’s no surprise Pompeo (and the Saudi’s) are laying the responsibility of this attack at the “feet” of the Iranians. Pompeo, like John Bolton before him – who was FIRED last week, is a true Iran “chicken hawk” and was key in encouraging individual 1 to pull out of the “Iran nuclear” agreement – which could be the issue which is ACTUALLY behind this attack – if it came from the Iranians.

Clearly, Pompeo has learned that with individual 1 “flattery will get you everywhere.” I believe Pompeo has much greater ambitions than his present post – I wouldn’t be surprised if he took Pense’s spot on the 2020 “ticket.” I have ZERO confidence in the integrity of Pompeo and, of course, no one in his right mind trusts individual 1 – who has been acting like a mob boss since the day he took office.

So, as I’m writing this, there’s rampant speculation “we the people” may be about to attack Iran once MBS directs our so-called president as to how he wants him to respond. Of course, if there’s a U.S. attack on Iran, the Congress will NOT have OK’d that attack as is required by the constitution. Surely, individual 1 will continue the obscene abuse of the Authorization for the Use of Military Force which was granted to Bush/Cheney shortly after 9/11 and has been getting ABUSED ever since. And, of course, having individual 1 at the “helm” is NOT reassuring – he with the “bone spurs.” That rationale would be similar to the Russians blaming the U.S. if Israel used American military hardware to make an attack on Syria or Lebanon. WW III anyone? Yikes!!!

I’ve been talking (writing) about the DAMAGE accumulating from individual 1’s term in the “White House” and we could be approaching the epitome of what he’s inflicting on “we the people” and the rest of the world. So, how did this transpire? Well, if you remember, individual 1’s primary goal as our so-called president has been to destroy the “legacy” of President Barack Obama – reportedly because Obama embarrassed him at a correspondents dinner back in 2012 (during the “birther” days). Individual 1 pulled the U.S. out of the Iran nuclear agreement and ratcheted up sanctions on Iran which have had a negative impact on their economy and Iran is now (apparently) striking back – essentially, putting individual 1 in a very uncomfortable position – as, he’s clearly campaigning instead of governing. I believe he realizes his “re-election” is the only sure way to stay out of jail. (Right now, I’m predicting he’ll pardon himself before leaving office if he loses the 2020 election)

While it’s apparent individual 1 has NO regard for America’s laws – if they apply to him – I don’t believe he understands the Iranians AT ALL. Thinking his brash intimidation tactics will be successful seems far fetched to me. Maybe I’ll be surprised, but my instincts (from what I’ve read about regarding the ill-advised attack of Iraq by the Bush/Cheney regime and the subsequent empowering of Iran) tell me Iran is a much more powerful, dangerous, and more complicated challenge than Iraq ever was. I believe they are lashing out because of the economic sanctions imposed by individual 1 after they were following the agreement made during the Obama administration.

I can imagine there are many around the world on the “edge of their seats” thinking they are potentially going to be affected by the incompetence of America’s so-called president. This is a president who has minimal support “at home” and who is, day upon day, thumbing his nose at those in Congress who are attempting to “oversee” his administration – which is the DUTY of the Congress, for heaven’s sake. Everyone knows individual 1 has ORDERED anyone being called to testify before Congress to defy subpoenas and/or to STONEWALL the democrats – as we saw with Cory Lewandowski just the other day. Lewandowski succeeded in turning the session he had in front of the House Judiciary Committee into a “circus” (until the staff lawyer had 30 minutes to question him). He SHOULD have been held in CONTEMPT and put in jail until he was willing to answer questions truthfully.

I’ve written before that I occasionally have breakfast with a friend of mine who is an unabashed supporter of individual 1. It’s really interesting to listen to him and it helps me to understand just how serious this ATTACK on our nation – from within – is. He considers this a left v right “civil war” and, he believes if individual 1 wins in 2020 “in a landslide” – which is what he thinks will happen in the upcoming election – he believes “liberals” will respond with violence. To me, that is him regurgitating right wing “projection” which he finds on the right wing media he exposes himself to. When I ask him about the LYING or the LAWBREAKING by individual 1 he’s OK with it. He believes that’s what EVERYONE does. While I care deeply about my friend and I’m thankful we can transparently share our thoughts without either of us getting defensive or angry, the reality to me is there is a significant portion or America who thinks just like him.

I don’t believe there are enough people like my friend to get individual 1 into the “White House” after 2020 – but in individual 1’s own words – “we’ll see.” But the reality is that individual 1 has shown this willingness to BREAK one law after another and he has an attorney general who is, incredibly, acting as his “right hand man.” Individual 1, if you’ve read the Mueller report you know this, has OBSTRUCTED Justice, he’s now OBSTRUCTING Congress, and, in the process, he’s putting the confidence of the American people in our system of government at stake. If “we the people” succumb to the willingness of my friend – who doesn’t believe the laws are (or should be in individual 1’s case) enforceable – we are in DEEP trouble.

I’ve said this many times on this site the ONLY place “we the people” (who are opposed to this right wing takeover of our nation which has been ongoing since the late 1970’s) have to turn is the democrats. Frankly, it’s TIME for the democrats to “step up.” As I said above, the Lewandowski fiasco in front of the House Judiciary Committee SHOULD have resulted in Lewandowski being CHARGED with CONTEMPT of Congress. Those who are refusing subpoenas SHOULD be in Court ASAP and Jailed if they refuse to testify HONESTLY in front of “we the people.” The bottom line is that this government is OURS! Individual 1 works for US! (Of course, by now, most people know individual 1 doesn’t work – when it comes to governing)

Just today, as a perfect example of the arrogance of individual 1’s defiance of Congress and the enabling of William Barr (who may go down in history as the WORST Attorney General of all time), the Director of National Intelligence is REFUSING to provide for Congress a WHISTLE-BLOWER’S complaint about an improper “promise” made by (presumably) individual 1 to a foreign leader (maybe Putin or Kim???) which the Inspector General in the Intelligence Community has determined “urgent and credible” and the Justice Department (Barr??) is preventing the IG from giving this information to the Congress as required by law.

Apparently, the argument coming from the “White House” is that because individual 1 is outside the “lines” of the intelligence community he is not subject to the laws in this instance, As usual, individual 1 couldn’t resist “tweeting” about this – even though the substance of the complaint is not public – essentially admitting the issue is about him. He “tweeted” (according to reports because I don’t do “Twitter”) that “no one is stupid enough to think I would say something inappropriate while others are listening.” Well, count me in, I believe individual 1 is STUPID ENOUGH! It seems as if what he’s trying to hide would corroborate his STUPIDITY!

The bottom line is this issue is just another in a LONG line of examples of individual 1 either breaking or abusing our system of laws and then lashing out at anyone attempting to hold him accountable. It should catch EVERYONE’S attention he has an Attorney General who believes the president, in effect, is an autocrat or monarch or, essentially, someone who can operate without acknowledging the “checks and balances” built into our constitution. Most democrats understood William Barr had solicited the job by writing an unsolicited op-ed supporting the idea the president CAN’T commit OBSTRUCTION of justice because, well, because he’s president, but they couldn’t stop his confirmation because they’re in the minority. These thoughts SHOULD get your attention – even if you’re a republican – because these abuses of power tend to become “precedent” and then next president isn’t likely to give this POWER back – whether democrat or republican.

Take for example that the Bush/Cheney regime was violating the FISA laws at random violating “we the people’s” 4 amendment right of privacy which President Obama continued – maybe to a lessor extent, but, the bottom line is every time the executive pushes the boundaries further, well, those boundaries almost always stay the same thereafter. Individual 1 is pushing the boundaries to places which, to me, are unbelievable. Democrats, in my view, are being way too passive in their response. If individual 1 gets away with this OBSTRUCTION of virtually EVERYTHING this country has been founded on this nation will become unrecognizable.

When you have a problem like that presented to “we the people” by someone like individual 1 somehow making it to the “White House” you have the very foundation of our republic being challenged. Not only is it alarming that the republicans are silent about abuse and corruption they supposedly SHOULD be alarmed with, but the democrats, in their traditional passive manner, are focused on following the “rules” and avoiding making anyone mad. The democrats are operating within the bounds of the law – which, also, could now be a problem.

The major success of individual 1’s administration (with the help of Moscow Mitch) has been packing the courts with right wing judges (ie Brett Kavanaugh et al) and, I believe, individual 1 believes those judges will all be “loyal” to him if and when all this LAWBREAKING finally gets to court. Will the courts support the refusals of people called to testify and their thumbing their noses to Congressional subpoenas? Will the courts support individual 1, in this case, having his lackey’s at the Justice Department, block information about something questionable he said to a foreign leader being submitted to the intelligence committee which is “critical” and is REQUIRED by existing law? Will the courts support William Barr’s attempts to call individual 1’s OBSTRUCTIVE behavior OK – because, well, because he’s the president. Meaning, will the courts support Nixon’s claim, “if the president does it, it must be legal?” The bottom line: Will the courts support we are a “nation of laws?” Or, are we a “nation of men?”

Those of us in the “baby boomer” generation have, in my view, FAILED our children and grand children by allowing this abomination to engulf our nation. Individual 1 doesn’t even believe in the reality of Climate change. And, so many of my peers have shown themselves to be, at a minimum, accepting of racist and divisive rhetoric and shown the willingness, by many, to accept a MOUNTAIN of LIES as the new normal. And, I’m talking about tens of thousands of LIES! It’s pathological and it seems unending! God help us!!!

Final Thought: In regard to the issue where individual 1 is attempting to BLOCK the “whistle-blower” complaint – which is “urgent and credible” according to the IG – individual 1, himself, said he wouldn’t say something inappropriate while others are listening. My first thought was he was implying “I only do this when no one is listening.” The truth is, our so-called president is similar to the sixth graders I used to teach who would speak and then think – in his case, where there’s any capacity to actually think. There have been multiple examples of individual 1 making statements to foreign leaders which have broached classified intelligence on multiple occasions and, in this case, someone believes our national security has been threatened. Honestly, November of 2020 can’t get here soon enough for me!

I get a newsletter from a website called “The Daily Kos” and they’ve been reporting on the issue that likely relates to this whistle-blower issue as I’ve discovered in the past day. Apparently, the phone call referred to in the whistle blower complaint referred to the attempts by individual 1 and his “lawyer” Rudy Giuliani to shake down the Ukraine government in a brazen attempt to find “dirt” on Joe Biden. Apparently, he was blocking $250 MILLION in military aid to Ukraine in exchange for the “dirt.” That is CLASSIC extortion! Well, despite me thinking it wasn’t possible, we’ve got even MORE behavior that SHOULD require democrats to IMPEACH individual 1. Personally, I’m getting pretty tired of all their rationalizing! Our so-called president is continuing to act like a mob boss!

I keep wanting to write about the democrats and their lack of a clear plan to mitigate the DAMAGE being caused by individual 1 who seems intent on dominating each days news cycle. Even if you think about ignoring all the chaos coming from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue it’s hard to do so. The harsh reality is that the issues facing the United States AND the world are severe and require, it seems to me, more than anytime in recent history leadership from America – leadership that is sorely lacking and seems impossible considering it’s individual 1 at the “helm.” Today’s “news” is that John Bolton was FIRED by individual 1 (Bolton claims he offered his resignation last night) likely because their differences were made public after individual 1’s failed attempt to bring the Taliban to Camp David for some kind of (stupid) negotiations over ending the violence in Afghanistan, on the anniversary of 9/11 no less.

Incredibly, and based on the information I’ve gleaned from media sources, I find myself agreeing with Bolton who apparently suggested if we want to end our involvement in Afghanistan we should simply “pack up and leave.” In other words, negotiating with the Taliban is a recipe for – well – for lack of a better word on my part, embarrassment. The idea the Taliban will follow through with any agreement for “peace” shows a lack of knowledge, in my opinion. of how things work within an area of the world where the United States has been mired for almost 20 years and, apparently, still doesn’t understand. Inviting leaders of the Taliban to Camp David, and to make it worse right about the anniversary of 9/11, was STUPID – and, I have a feeling Bolton allowed individual 1 to know that was the reality.

Of course, individual 1 listens to virtually nobody and his cabinet is made up of sycophants. Anyone who’s followed American foreign policy politics over the past 20 years were somewhat taken aback when Bolton was hired as National Security Advisor. Bolton was right in the middle of the invasion of Iraq back in 2003 – maybe the single WORST foreign policy decision in American history. The Middle East is still destabilized and the result of that invasion has been the strengthening of Iran and Russia in that region, not to mention over 200,000 lost lives. Bolton has never been someone I had any admiration whatsoever for – which puts him in a similar place with my views toward our so-called president. Of course, individual 1 is the one with the power and, to a degree, I’m glad he “has different views” than Bolton. But, in the case of inviting the Taliban to Camp David, I’m going to have to side with Bolton likely letting individual 1 know that was a STUPID idea.

Likely when their differences on this issue became public and it became public that just prior to 9/11 individual 1, who has strung together some of his most incredulous LIES about the attack on the World Trade Center, invited the Taliban to U.S. soil and Bolton let him know it was a STUPID idea: that was the “end of the line.” I’m guessing it was the publicity which was mostly negative about individual 1 (again – what else is new?) and actually made Bolton look to be rational that signaled the end. Personally, I’m somewhat relieved Bolton is gone – I’m just not encouraged to hear individual 1 essentially brag that he makes decisions without advice from those in government who are the experts in providing briefings. (Well, “what else is new?”)

The end result of this “diplomacy” is what will go down in history as more STUPIDITY along with the series of “summits” individual 1 has held with Kim Jong un and Vladimir Putin. I will likely always remember the smirks on the faces of Vladimir Putin and MBS (Mohammad bin Salmon) at the last G20 summit after they had just greeted individual 1. It was as if they were saying, “What an idiot. We need to take as much advantage of this situation as we can before the people of America wake up.” And, when will that happen?

Well, today, as I’m writing this, there is an election in North Carolina for the last unresolved seat in Congress – an election to replace the one where the republican CHEATED to the point where, even in North Carolina, the election was cancelled. Last night individual 1 held a rally in this district because it appears the democrat still has a chance – in a district individual 1 (and Mitt Romney) carried by double digits – which would make him look bad. (The last time I checked the republican was leading by 2 points in a district where individual 1 carried it by 12 – and, the democrat was going to lose, likely for lack of support from the leaders of the party)

Well, I tuned in to a segment of a TV program focused on the actual voters who are participating in this election. As they were being interviewed I couldn’t help thinking of individual 1, during the 2016 campaign, claiming he “loves uneducated voters.” Sadly, I have to believe that’s exactly why he’s in the “White House.” America is full of “uneducated voters” and, it seems to me, the “republicans” I listen to lead the way. One of the voters who was planning to vote for the republican in this election was asked if it was because of individual 1 and she responded “yes.” She then elaborated, “I like the policy of the last couple of years instead of what was happening before.” I had to wonder, what policy are you talking about?

Then I thought, if I could ask her, “Is all the chaos in our government and our nation what you’re happy with? Is it the FACT the deficit has more than doubled to over $1 TRILLION that you’re happy with individual 1? Are you happy that our so-called president is an unindicted co-conspirator in two FELONIES resulting from his attempt to hide his AFFAIRS from you? Does it NOT bother you our so-called president got “elected” with the help of Russia and then committed multiple OBSTRUCTION of justice offenses during the investigation of ‘the Russia thing?'” “Are you still going to support individual 1 when the economy tanks?” I could go on, but I hope you get the idea – especially if you support individual 1.

Here’s the scariest of realities facing “we the people” as we go forward. He still has NOT had to deal with a genuine crisis since he took the reigns from President Obama – which is a testimony to how fundamentally strong America had become under Obama. Essentially the ONLY “achievement” of individual 1 is the tax scam which could very well be the “straw” that finally breaks the “back” of our economy. That scam along with all the other absurd “stuff” happening in our government has created a “weight” on America that likely is the reason for the smirks on the faces of Putin and MBS at that G20 summit. Individual 1’s incompetence has opened the doors for, especially, Putin and Russia. I’m presently reading “Putin’s World” (I highly recommend this book – especially to our elected “leaders”) by Angela Stent and, trust me, Putin is jumping into virtually EVERY “vacuum” individual 1 is creating.

There’s a good reason why Putin didn’t like President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. They didn’t just roll over for his aggressive – mafiya like – behavior. From Obama’s first day in office I made it clear I wasn’t going to simply give him a pass on everything and I found much of his decision making to be questionable – but, the reality is he oversaw a slow upward move of our economy, he attempted to bring stability to the world, and he understood some of the main challenges to that stability. President Obama put sanctions on Russia which have been significant and was much of the reason Putin was covertly working to get individual 1 elected OR to undermine a Hillary Clinton administration had she won. Obama had successfully caused Putin to “pause” his push to recreated the Soviet Union – the most obvious “first step” being the acquisition of Crimea and the invasion of Ukraine’s Donetsk region.

Obama was in a leadership position in the Paris Climate Accords, he was significant in pulling off the Iran “nuclear agreement,” and he led negotiations for the TPP – which was designed to mitigate the Chinese power in regard to the rising economies of Southeast Asia in addition to creating alliances designed to stop China’s continual theft of various “intellectual properties” in regard to trade, not to mention “Obamacare.” Additionally, Obama, while he wasn’t calling Kim Jong un “little rocket man,” hadn’t undermined any possible way to stop the North Korean nuclear buildup. Individual 1 managed to give Kim a place on the world’s stage which had to simply strengthen his hold on power in North Korea and encourage his nuclear buildup. I have no idea what the solution to that one is – and, I don’t think Obama did either – but, “love letters?” Yikes!!!

As we all know, individual 1 has been busy reversing everything President Obama did out of spite – supposedly because Obama embarrassed him at a correspondence dinner in about 2014. Hopefully, whoever follows him will be able to restore some of these blunders (many of individual 1’s “reversals” of Obama era regulations may cause DAMAGE that is irreversible) but, for example, Iran is now moving forward in the plans to build a nuclear bomb, and the climate reality is going to be four years advanced by the time “we the people” can end this nightmare. The TPP? Well, by the time individual 1 is out of office that vacuum will likely have been filled by China. “We the people” have to hope that no other national disaster happens between now and November of 2020 because even if the democrats “grow a spine” and impeach our so-called president the republicans have forgotten what they supposedly believed in a few years ago and there’s no way he’s “thrown out of office – except at the ballot box. (And, really, do you want Mike Pense as our [new] so-called president?)

As I said at the beginning of this rant, I’ve been wanting to write about the democrats because I just have a bad feeling about this rerun of 2006 where the democrats FAIL their constitutional responsibility because of political timidity. In 2007 democrats refused to hold an “impeachment inquiry” into the ILLEGAL activity of the Bush/Cheney regime which was “pushing the bar” of executive authority well “over the line.” The most egregious “push” to me was the willingness to authorize TORTURE for anyone GW Bush decided was an “enemy combatant.” Which, in reality based on their contentions, was – well – ANYBODY. Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld were ALL admitted WAR CRIMINALS due to their public admissions they authorized WATERBOARDING which, clearly, is a violation of American law and violates the Geneva Conventions – which, by the way, the United States was at the forefront of creating.

There was more, not the least of which were the THOUSANDS of violations of the FISA laws protecting “we the people” from the violation of our fourth amendment rights. At the time I thought, if this isn’t impeachable, what is? Well, then along came individual 1. He makes Dick Cheney look like the choir boy (he was as a kid). I feel as if I’ve been listing “high crimes and misdemeanors” for two years now – and, still, Nancy Pelosi prevails – because she’s worried about keeping the “majority.” I have to think, how did that work last time Nancy? Again, if this behavior is not worthy of impeachment, then what is? Here’s the sad answer to that question – and, if you’ve every experienced a BULLY you know I’m correct. The behavior of individual 1 (or his successors) will continue to get WORSE until he’s “punched back.” In this case, the democrats MUST make a stand – whether or not that costs them the “majority.”

It’s clear there are many democrats who believe exactly what I’m trying to explain here – the problem is there is NO clear messaging coming from the democrats and “time’s a wasting.” It’s now about 5 months since the Mueller report was published and still just the “rumblings” of an “impeachment investigation” which Pelosi has not forcefully supported. Clearly, to her, impeachment comes at the ballot box – and, with all my heart, I hope that – at a minimum – individual 1 is “impeached” in November of 2020. But, America’s “uneducated voters” need to learn that this OBSTRUCTIVE behavior of individual 1 is ILLEGAL AND, furthermore OBSTRUCTION has been a republican tactic since the day Newt Gingrich made it the focus of republicans back in the 1980’s. In a way, you can “thank” Newt for individual 1.

It’s also TIME for the democrats to “get” what Gingrich created and stop “living in the past” hoping this year we’ll find a bunch of republicans in Congress who want to create bipartisan legislation. To republicans, compromise is losing. Their mantra is win at all costs and, to make that clear to “we the people” for two years now they’ve been right next to individual 1 not only denying the Russian “intrusion” but encouraging it. I’ve read reports where Mitch McConnell has received almost $1 MILLION from Russian sources and (what was incredulous to me, at the time, because I viewed Lindsay Graham, still – then, as John McCain’s “sidekick”) Senator Graham around $600 THOUSAND. So, does that help you understand why there’s little to NO republican blow-back on Mueller’s findings?

What I’m saying (and have been saying for years) this is a WAR for the heart and soul of America. I pointed this out during Obama’s two terms in office – McConnell was OBSTRUCTING virtually EVERY Obama initiative he could – but, President Obama’s slow pragmatic approach to dealing with the OBSTRUCTION somewhat hid the DANGER that was looming. I pointed out at the beginning of Obama’s presidency the HUGE mistake he made and predicted the consequences. When President Obama said, “We’re going to look forward instead of back” – thereby relieving George W Bush, Dick Cheney, Don Rumsfeld, and many others of legal jeopardy for various crimes, including WAR CRIMES, I pointed out that was like a green light for republicans. To them, that showed them Obama was “weak.”

The end result of the blocking of ALL investigations into the CRIMES of the Bush/Cheney regime – even an investigation in Spain, in my mind, was what led to the “Tea Party.” There’s no doubt the racist core of the “Tea Party” was there and was going to “burst out” once “we the people” had elected a person of color to the “White House” – but, making it clear that TORTURE, for one example, is not a tolerable transgression by any American – especially anyone in government. Individual 1 responded to questions about TORTURE exactly as I had predicted when he said, prior to taking his oath of office but after being “elected” (with 3 MILLION fewer votes than his opponent – that ONLY happens in America) “I will authorize waterboarding and a whole lot worst.” Democrats, essentially, have enabled this type of behavior “at the top.”

Well, now they have a “second chance” – and, it appears as if we’re looking at “deja vu all over again.” I just don’t believe Nancy Pelosi will allow the democrats to actually IMPEACH individual 1. She’s been quoted as saying, “he’s not worth it.” Well, my first thought when I heard that one was “What the hell does that mean?” Was she saying, “he’s so corrupt he’s beyond impeachment?” Honestly, I really don’t “get it.” I understand republicans are almost 100% unlikely to “convict” in the Senate, but just as in 2007 I have to wonder, “why does that matter?” “We the people” put the democrats in charge of the House, are they going to act only when the Senate tells them it’s OK? How is that any different that McConnell, the other day, justifying preventing a vote on gun safety legislation by saying he’d only allow the vote if individual 1 says he’d sign it. Yikes!!!! Gingrich has succeeded beyond his wildest dreams!

He’s blown up the system and it’s just progressively gotten worst since he was ushered out of Congress disgracefully. Of course, that’s never been a concern to the party of “family values.” They embraced the politics of LYING – using the “Big Lie Theory” of Joseph Goebbels and the Third Reich long ago. Why? Because it works. From the stand point of republicans, telling the truth is for losers. And, for the past 35+ years the democrats have been proving Gingrich – and those who’ve followed him up to and including individual 1, the worst of the bunch – correct and, it appears, they’re going to do so again.

In America’s system of government we have two parties – for all intents and purposes. And, as I’ve pointed out for years, “we the people” who don’t like what these republicans are doing to our nation have to rely on democrats to stop them. We keep voting them in with that in mind and we keep getting the same result. It’s time for the democrats to understand what I said above. This is a WAR for the heart and soul of our nation. It’s time to stop being ruled by FEAR – even if it’s the fear of how voters (or republicans) would respond to impeaching individual 1. He’s earned far MORE than impeachment. It’s just that being our so-called president has insulated him from the legal consequences he so dearly deserves. The bare minimum, at this time, he should face for his actions is IMPEACHMENT.

Final Thought: Anything less than impeachment at this point in time just tells me I will not live long enough to see the republican party voted into the history books as it deserves. I have nothing against “conservatism” – in fact, just the other day I pointed out to my wife that I had always considered myself a conservative – by the classic definition coming from the likes of Edmund Burke – I didn’t consider her response to be a confirmation, but “whatever.” From my viewpoint, the republicans are anything but “conservative.” They’ve hijacked the term because it appeals to so many “uneducated voters.” To me they are right wing reactionaries and they are supporting what Steve Bannon said was the main focus of the “agenda” – “the deconstruction of the administrative state.” That’s NOT “conservatism.”

During the Reagan years they LIED to “conservative Christians” about the abortion issue which gave republican what, to this day, is the bulk of individual 1’s “base.” These “Christians” are more than willing to trade all the egregious acts of individual 1 for a plethora of right wing judges who they believe will overturn “Roe v Wade.” Of course, if that happens, women will still get abortions – it will simply require ingenuity from wealthy women and unsafe procedures for those women without means. Just as it was BEFORE Roe. In the meantime…………………… As someone who believes in Jesus Christ, this is the part that discourages me the MOST. But, make no mistake, I will continue to FIGHT against this right wing behemoth which is attempting to turn America into an unapologetic fascist state until my last breath.

Nancy Pelosi is correct in that the 2020 election is of paramount importance. However, I believe she couldn’t be more wrong about her FEAR of any backlash resulting for democrats in the House fulfilling their OATH to defend the constitution. If individual 1 is not “worth” being impeached, they what would a so-called president have to do to “earn” impeachment. Every day he’s searching for the “line” – just like one of the sixth grade bullies I dealt with in my classroom. When I was a kid, around 11 or 12 I remember a boy in our neighborhood bullying not only me but others. I finally had enough and punched him in the face (I was NOT a “fighter”) and he never bulled anyone again, at least as far as I know. Forcefully stopping them, when I was a teacher, (obviously, not using physical force), was always the solution. Making the “line” you can’t “cross,” clear. It’s time for democrats to make it CLEAR to individual 1 he’s crossed the line – multiple times – and there are consequences. (Not the least of which SHOULD be making it clear he will face the legal consequences once voted out of office – we will NOT “look forward” at the expense of what has transpired if we look “back”)

Once again, my apologies for all the “foopahs” – I’m publishing this without re-reading it. Violating the basic principles of how I taught sixth graders to write. I’m just too lazy today.

I can’t stop thinking about the DAMAGE piling up due to the incompetence and ignorance of America’s so-called president, individual 1. Most of my frustration (anger?) has been directed at the republican party because I’m just unable to understand how republicans can be so fearful of a president who is arguably facing multiple felony charges once he leaves office – thanks to a “memo” written almost 50 years ago by someone in the Office of Legal Counsel during the Watergate scandal, because he can’t be charged NOW. Over the years it has been repeatedly suggested the way to hold a president accountable for misdeeds is via impeachment – a solemn duty for our Congress.

Well, soon after individual 1 made it clear he was going to LIE about EVERYTHING. and that there was a real issue with some skullduggery in the 2016 election – like individual 1’s campaign using the help of Vladimir Putin’s Russian cyber warriors to brainwash unsuspecting Americans – people who still don’t understand what “hit” them, the DAMAGE started to pile up. Additionally, in a brazen scheme to prevent “we the people” from better understanding his sexual misconduct, our so-called president paid off two women, one a porn “star,” who were about to publicly share the sordid details of their AFFAIRS with individual 1 why his (present, ie third) wife was bearing him his last son.

Since those early days, things have become much clearer to “we the people” based on court results, the Mueller investigations, and, for those (like me) who are “readers,” the many books which provide somewhat non-partisan information which help those who read them to better understand the reality we are all (in America) facing. Individual 1 IS an unindicted co-conspirator to the two felonies Michael Cohen is now spending three years in JAIL for committing “at the direction of individual 1.” If you’ve read Mueller’s report (I’ve read it twice, so far) it’s hard to avoid the conclusion that our so-called president committed at least 4 or 5 prosecutable obstruction of justice offenses as he continually attempted to “tweet” away the Russia investigation – the investigation where he responded to Mueller’s appointment with: “This is the end of my presidency, I’m f@#ked!” (And, by the way, there WAS “collusion” with the Russians)

The pathetic reality of all the “tweeting” was, as chronicled by Mueller, individual 1 had the White House Counsel and a team of lawyers advising him to STOP, and making it clear to him, on several occasions, he was “possibly” exhibiting “obstructive behavior.” Steve Bannon was still around when James Comey was fired and he advised individual 1 this decision was STUPID and possibly Obstruction of justice. Our so-called president then both on TV and in the presence of, incredibly, a couple Russian diplomats – including the Ambassador in the middle of much of the LYING in regard to all the secret meetings – said, “the pressure of the Russian investigation is over.” That was STUPID and pretty much could be called a “defining moment” in his presidency.

I’ve chronicled one moment after another where, at any other time in my lifetime, the scandalous behavior would be, quite possibly, the “end” for any administration. I can’t imagine (well, I actually can) the republicans response, for example, had President Obama been charged as the unindicted co-conspirator in a scheme to hide an affair with a porn star right before his election. But, put him (Obama) next to Vladimir Putin at a world summit (in your mind) and picture him “throwing” our intelligence community “under the buss” and saying about Putin “I believe him, he was very forceful in his denial” and ask yourself how would republicans have responded? Had Obama showed himself to be a pathological LIAR would republicans have been silent?

“Sharpie gate” happened after I started this rant. So, speaking of how republicans are MUTE to virtually every SCANDAL individual 1 stirs up – and, it seems to be almost daily, but more likely weekly, there’s ANOTHER scandal which would have caused republicans to “lose it” had it been committed by a democratic president. For example, just think how Mitch McConnell (and the others) would have responded to Obama taking a weather map and using a “sharpie” to “edit” the map in an attempt to cover up some STUPID remark – instead of simply “owning” a “mistake.” Trust me, they’d be talking vociferously about the law which makes it a crime for any government employee to give false information in regard to an extreme weather event.

Despite the FACT during Obama’s two terms in office we listened to republicans complaining about the deficit despite it being reduced by over 70% during his time in office, like with everything else, they’ve been COMPLETELY silent in regard to individual 1 more than doubling the deficit (with their help, of course) in his first two years – the FIRST year, actually where he’s been able to have an affect on the economy. Can you imagine the republicans had Obama more than DOUBLED the deficit in his first couple years? Remember, he “inherited” a $1.5 TRILLION deficit along with an economic mess from our last republican president, GW Bush. (I have the uneasy feeling whoever the next democratic president is will inherit something as bad, maybe even worse.) The economy was shedding over 800,000 jobs per month when Obama took the oath of office. You have to give all these democrats running for president credit for being willing to come in and clean up the MESS individual 1 is in the middle of creating!

I had breakfast the other day with a friend of mine who subjects his mind to the brainwashing that causes a person to support individual 1. I brought up the people in cages at the border and his response was “They have the right to go back from where they came.” This man is a lifelong “Christian” (and, he really does believe in Christ) but is unable to connect the “stuff” which is coming from individual 1’s administration to be, what’s clear to me, obvious SIN when it comes to the “Teachings of Jesus.” This time will be another chapter of SHAME in the history of America when the history books are finally written (And, I continue to hope it will be “Christians” at the forefront of the resistance when all is said and done – read the biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer). The 2020 election will determine how much that SHAME permeates our society. If “we the people” don’t vote individual 1 and MANY of his republican sycophants into the history books the results are “on us.”

And, many people who support him and are part of what he “affectionately” referred to as “uneducated voters” (he claimed he “loves uneducated voters” – which SHOULD explain this whole mess) need to understand the true threat he poses for America. I’ve written ad nauseum about how he’s got extreme authoritarian tendencies. Well, this “sharpie gate” scandal is a great example of how individual 1 seems to be following in the footsteps of some of the dictators he seems to admire. I’ve been saying since the first days he was in office it appears to me he’s trying to be like Vladimir Putin. The issue with the “sharpies” clearly shows how he reacts poorly to any suggestion he might have made a mistake – especially coming from the media. He’s stuck calling the “media” the “enemy of the people” and going through the “tit for tat” we’ve witnessed this past week – where he reminds me of one of my sixth graders who always had to have the last word. (Many characterize him as less mature than a sixth grader)

We all know that Putin along with Kim Jong un and other dictators around the world simply have “unfriendly” reporters “disappeared” – or publicly arrested or murdered – individual 1 is clearly envious. We also know about how dictators around the world siphon off incredible sums of MONEY from their either unsuspecting OR helpless citizens and stash this money all around the world in case they need to make an unplanned exit from their nation. In fact, it’s estimated Putin is the richest man in the world – yes, move over Jeff Bezos – but Putin will never make Forbes “list” because Putin’s wealth is the result of the Russian Mafiya.

Well, of course, in America the president CAN’T enrich himself because our founders very explicitly attempted to prevent this from happening by inserting the foreign AND domestic emoluments clauses in our constitution. Both clauses are there to ensure the president takes NO money (or anything else of value) from either those from foreign nations OR from anyone in our nation – anything more than his/her salary for ANY president to receive from any American citizen or entity or, essentially, anyone. The bottom line is our founders were attempting to prevent the type of CORRUPTION which is permeating individual 1’s administration from the top to the bottom.

Here’s the real rub here – our military is apparently going along with at least one of individual 1’s scheme to enrich himself via his official office. Reports came out the other day where people flying American military planes from one side of the world to the other, planes which need to refuel, planes stopping at a small airport in Scotland near one of individual 1’s golf resorts which was losing money when he took office. This airport, reportedly was near being closed because it was losing money, and the American planes being re-fueled at this airport – buying fuel at a much higher price than would be the case at actual military bases in Western Europe – is helping this airport to stay afloat – which, in turn, is helping individual 1’s resort which depends on this airport to provide access to their potential visitors.

There’s more. First, the military personnel who are on these flights have been directed to stay at individual 1’s property (It’s in Turnberry Scotland), with, in effect, our government paying for their stay in a “luxurious” resort 30 miles from the airport in question – thereby, another example of money going directly into the pockets of individual 1 and his family members. There’s no doubt they have some hair brained explanation which, with the help of William Barr, will cause this to be just another example of individual 1 FILLING the “swamp” and getting away with it by the time he’s FINALLY out of office.

Democrats found out about this and have requested documents and information from our military and, unsurprisingly, the military is refusing to cooperate. That SHOULD get the attention of “we the people.” If our military decides to go along with the lawbreaking which is happening en masse by this administration and is almost encouraged by our attorney general our 2020 election becomes even more IMPORTANT – if that’s possible. As I’ve said numerous times, including in this rant above, the republicans are going to “go along” no matter what. This is the work of autocrats and it’s up to “we the people” to decide if we actually want our nation to function based on the constitution. And, don’t forget, their mantra is “the end justifies the means” when you wonder to what “ends” they will go to stay in POWER. (Which is the goal)

Speaking of the democrats – which, my original intent tonight, was to begin to focus on them because, as I’ve said many times here, they have the incredible skill of “pulling defeat from the jaws of victory.” People like me EXPECT the democrats to do something about this. For me, simply waiting for the 2020 election – which is Nancy Pelosi’s “plan” – for the remedy is simply not enough! “We the people” have no choice but to rely on democrats to stop individual 1. I believe it’s time for democrats to make it clear their number one goal is STOPPING individual 1 and the graft which got him elected – ie the “Russian thing.” (And, if you believe the Russians aren’t “at it” as I’m writing this, or, you’re reading this – I’ve got a bridge………….)

I listened, the other day as I was driving around, to excerpts of some of the “chatter” coming from democrats at some kind of “Green New Deal” conference – or something like that – I mean a conference where progressive ideas – many which I believe in (I drive an electric car and have solar panels on my house) – and the democrats were giving individual 1 and his LYING supporters some incredibly STUPID comments which the republicans will twist into absurd LIES during the next election as they run the next FEAR MONGERING campaign. The republicans – and the RUSSIANS – will do whatever it takes to “win” this next election – including attacks on the ballot boxes themselves. So, democrats MUST keep their attention on what really matters in the next election and that’s DEFEATING individual 1, McConnell, and as many other republicans – especially in the Senate – as they can. Democrats need to keep their focus on what’s MOST important. The other stuff will happen – depending on taking control of the Senate – in due order once individual 1 is busy defending himself in court.

Final Thought: In the last few days Britain’s new Prime Minister has received several defeats in Parliament as Great Britain struggles with the reality of “Brexit.” Remember, “Brexit” was somewhat similarly the work of Russia’s “active measures” as Putin has been busy attempting to tear the EU apart at the seams – and, it appears, individual 1 is actually working in unison with Putin for the same goal. One of the results of individual 1 STEALING almost $4 BILLION from our military budget for his STUPID “wall” is from where they’re getting the money. It was reported that almost $1 BILLION of these dollars are coming from money which was intended to shore up European defenses against Russian aggression – after Putin ordered Russia into Ukraine when Russian commandeered Crimea from Ukraine.

It was also reported that the U.S. is withholding $250 MILLION in military aid to Ukraine, money designed to provide them military equipment needed to help defend their country against the aforementioned Russian invasion – which presently is focused in the region called Donetsk. The reports suggest individual 1 has ordered the payment withheld unless Ukraine will agree to support his 2020 campaign by providing some kind of “dirt” they supposedly have on Joe Biden. If this is true, our so-called president is adding extortion to his long line of criminal misdeeds. Individual 1’s support of Putin gets less and less covert all the time. Sadly, “we the people” will likely never pull all the “dots” together because our “liberal media” is busy chasing its tail – trying to keep up with all the arrogant abrogation of traditional “norms” by individual 1.

One of the more disgusting issues which individual 1 has inflicted on “we the people” is his repeated denials of “Climate Change.” Well, he just canceled his trip to Poland because Tropical Storm Dorian decided to bypass Puerto Rico – which, while they were bracing for the storm, our so-called president was STEALING money from FEMA (the agency which deals with emergencies like HURRICANES) so he could get a few more feet of his “wall” built (essentially, his sycophants are rebuilding structures which already exist) – apparently unconcerned about Puerto Rico which he showered with a couple self serving and, of course, DISHONEST “tweets” suggesting he could care less about an island full of American citizens! But Miami?

Well, Dorian skipped Puerto Rico and now is headed straight for Florida, and quite possibly, individual 1’s properties in the Miami area. And, largely due to the increased temperatures of the South Atlantic Ocean Dorian has increased from a “Tropical Storm” to a very dangerous “HURRICANE” – presently a “category 3” hurricane and expected to be a “category 4” hurricane by the time it reaches Florida – with MASSIVE amounts of rain and winds in excess of 130 mph. It appears Dorian has gained the attention of individual 1 because it will very possibly affect him. Maybe he’ll be regretting taking the money from FEMA although is there any doubt if Mara Lago gets “hammered” he’ll get more than rolls of paper towels to help dealing with it.

OK, I started this rant yesterday and by today the National Hurricane Center says the “route” of Dorian, which is now almost a Category 5 Hurricane with winds of 150 mph, has changed and Florida may well be spared a direct “hit.” As of the last day of August it appears parts of the Bahamas could bear the initial “brunt” of the storm and the various “models” are suggesting Dorian may “wander” (my characterization) up the Eastern Seaboard with the Carolina’s in more jeopardy than Florida. The weather “experts” are essentially saying the storm could turn into Florida and it also could turn out into the Atlantic – which would, obviously, be the best scenario for the people who are preparing for the worst.

It wasn’t long after I heard the reports that Florida, especially South Florida – where you find Mara Lago and the Doral resort which is where individual 1 wants to hold next year’s G-7 summit, thereby bringing in MILLIONS to individual 1’s OWN resort – was looking as if it was going to escape the storm’s worst winds and rain that reports came out that our so-called president was on his way to another of his golf resorts – this one in Virginia. Apparently he doesn’t want to spend too much time at Camp David for fear that people will be commenting on how, usually, that’s where events like the G-7 Summit would be held. (Of course, that would cost him a lot of money pulling it away from Doral)

What very possibly could get lost in the “eye of this storm” if it ends up moving out to sea and causing minimal damage will be how quickly it went from Tropical Storm status to a HUGE HURRICANE with 150 mph winds (and, by some accounts, soon to be a “Cat 5” hurricane with winds of 157 mph or higher. The only explanation for that, in my mind, is the increased temperature of the waters in the South Atlantic. That is where the hurricanes draw their energy and one degree of warmth makes a huge difference in the intensity of the storm (These waters have been increasing in temperature by about half a degree every decade for the past 50 years). The change in the intensity of this storm has been alarming.

I’m no scientist, but it also makes sense to me that with the warmer air temperatures there would be more water (evaporation) in the air, leading to more rainfall in these massive storms – like Dorian, or Harvey from a couple years ago which dumped MASSIVE amounts of rain on parts of Texas. (And, of course, Texans didn’t receive the paper towels like those in Puerto Rico. Go Figure!) My point is we have a climate change denier in the “Oval Office” (among other things) and every year “we the people” fail to act in regard to mitigating the causes of this warming – whatever it is we CAN do – the worst it’s going to be for the coming generations – and, I’m talking about worldwide.

Individual 1 has been repealing environmental regulations at an alarming rate since the day he took the “oath” of office, some suggesting it’s because he HATES former president Obama so much that anything Obama did he’s going to “undo” out of SPITE! The list of Obama era regulations being repealed is already long and it’s getting longer – almost as if he’s (individual 1) acting in desperation because he’s seeing the writing on the wall that he’s going to lose in 2020 (unless he can come up with new ways to CHEAT – kind of like the reports of how he plays his golf game) and his base has been programmed to believe repealing Obama’s ideas is good. Our so-called president is a prime example of a “hater.” (The sad reality is the regulations being repealed, in almost every instance, will work AGAINST those trying to mitigate the climate crisis)

It’s late and I’m going to pause this rant AGAIN – when I return the storm will have likely made its course much clearer and my hope is it would spare the Eastern coastal areas, turn out into the Atlantic and “fizzle out.” But, at the same time, I hope our leaders don’t loose track of the message this storm is sending – “clear as a bell” – that the increase in the World’s temperature is causing much more intense “natural disasters” and, likely, there is MUCH “we the people” can do to mitigate future damage to property and destruction of lives. If we have the will to do so!

It’s been a couple of days and Dorian “stalled” over the Bahamas (That’s REALLY bad for the Bahamas) as a “Cat 5” storm with winds at 185 mph when it originally hit landfall. This is the most powerful hurricane on record and the images I saw of the damage to the part of the Bahamas that took the “direct hit” was devastating. The “jury’s still out” on what damage it will do to the U.S. mainland as it moves north. Regardless, due to the predictions it will miss South Florida with the exception of a lot of rain, individual 1 saw fit to play a second 18 holes while he was “directing” the storm response from Camp David. (In the campaign, as he was criticizing President Obama for playing golf, individual 1 said he would be too busy to play golf. Wouldn’t you think a hurricane with the force of Dorian SHOULD have caused him to be “too busy?”

Now, a bit of reality coming from a retired school teacher who loves to play golf. I can usually afford a couple trips to the golf course each week, at the most. I try to play courses that are nice and challenging, but I’m limited to the public courses that charge $40 or less for 18 holes. And, despite my issues with arthritis (artificial hips, and artificial knee, and herniated disks in my lower spine) I always try to WALK the course. This past weekend our so-called president used Marine 1 to get to the golf course and back to Camp David TWICE apparently while also “directing” the government’s response to the storm. His golf outings cost “we the people” hundreds of thousands of dollars EVERY time he chooses to “play” – and, almost EVERY time it’s at one of his properties so the money goes into his “pocket.” This is bad! (Reports are he’s spent well over 250 days in his term – of 900+ days – at his golf resorts)

I “get” that there are many Americans who can afford to play golf at the many beautiful private clubs that exist in most American cities – clubs that require an initiation fee in the tens of thousands just to join and then monthly dues payments of $500 or much more in many places. I don’t begrudge anyone fortunate enough to be able to participate in these places, including individual 1. However, telling “we the people” he’s canceling a trip to Poland (a somber remembrance of the Nazi invasion of Poland 80 years ago) to direct the storm’s response and then (charging we the people for two trips to his golf courses) to play golf while this nation is wallowing in red ink – to me, that’s a bad look. (Here’s another bad look. Individual 1 was quoted as congratulating Poland on their entrance into WW II. Evidently oblivious to the FACT their “entrance” to the war was at the “hands” of Adolf Hitler????? Our president is an idiot and an embarrassment)

I understand America’s president needs security every where he/she goes and Marine 1 is how the president would go to and from Camp David. My point is, here, that our so-called president is running up HUGE bills almost every weekend for his passion to play golf – which, if you remember, he criticized President Obama for who played golf much less frequently and at far less expense – not to mention that when individual 1 takes his security detail onto his own properties he’s not only running up a HUGE bill for “we the people” but he’s the one COLLECTING the money – in direct defiance of the emoluments clause in the constitution. Remember, there’s a “foreign” emoluments clause AND a clause tied to the president’s compensation – which may NOT be increased by “any other emolument.”)

Getting back to Hurricane Dorian and how this hurricane is just one more example of how serious the climate crisis is and how “we the people” can’t wait for our leaders to figure out that the WORLD we rely on for life is in danger – and, while individual 1 has been quoted as saying it’s not a problem for him – it IS a problem for our children and grandchildren. If those of us who are “baby boomers” don’t aggressively support those who are committed to fighting climate change we deserve the indignation which will be coming our way. While Mara Lago is going to be spared, it appears that almost all the structures in the Abaco Islands in the Bahamas were virtually destroyed. The pictures of the damage drew tears to my eyes – I can’t imagine anything that devastating.

So, the bottom line here is that it’s easy to see how little individual 1 is doing as regards to “running our government” and how the republican party is passively hunkered down waiting for this nightmare to end – with only one – who’s now an independent – reading the Mueller report and realizing our so-called president is a criminal and deserves impeachment. That brings me to the democrats – are they going to do the same thing and simply wait for this “nightmare” to end? Or, are they going to show some initiative in the face of all the disasters piling up on individual 1’s administration and “we the people?”

Democrats have the opportunity to show their reputation as “spineless” is a thing of the past. Nancy Pelosi continues to block an IMPEACHMENT inquiry (spineless?) – something beyond the impeachment “investigation” which Jerry Nadler is saying is the same thing. Well, then, say it as what it is. I’m bringing up the democrats because I believe no matter which democrat emerges as their nominee, we’ll see, at a minimum, the climate change commitment of President Obama, and hopefully something more in line with what Jay Inslee was proposing before he ended his presidential campaign. These disasters, which likely will continue for the foreseeable future, it seems to me, require trying to mitigate what we KNOW is making them worse as a national focus. This will require what I’ve been arguing for since Bush/Cheney and that is voting out the present day republican party – into the history books.

Final Thought: I have to admit that as long as individual 1 is our so-called president it’s hard for me to get my attention off how he’s such an embarrassment to our nation. People all around the world are asking: how could the Americans have elected this man as president? Of course, the Russians know how we could do so. Those around the world who are nationalists and are wearing Nazi armbands at their rallies, while they maybe don’t know how “we the people” could have elected him, they are delighted we did. Vladimir Putin is in the middle of all of this – apparently to the indifference of our republican party. That’s the most quizzical of all this to me. I’m presently reading “Putin’s World” by Angela Stent and it’s clear what is going on in the United States, Great Britain, and many other places in the “Western world” represents the work of Vladimir Putin.

Putin’s goal, for years, has been to cause division in the Western democracies which make up NATO with the plan of causing NATO’s demise. With what is referred to as “active measures” (cyber attacks) Russia has been succeeding at using, in the example of the United States, our freedom against us in a brazen attempt to turn one American against another. And, obviously, it’s working. What is really curious to me is this is NO secret and the republicans have been “missing in action” while they SHOULD know it’s Putin behind this. I wish I could be more positive but every time I get that thought I hear our so-called president LYING again!

This morning, apparently with the worst fears of Dorian subsiding, (unless you’re in the Bahamas) I heard individual 1 speaking about his “wall” again and, of course, LYING through his teeth. Claims the “wall” is going up “in many places” is, based on what I can find out, simply NOT true. What has been “built” has simply been re-doing already existing structures. This “wall” thing is a monster individual 1 created during his campaign and, of course, Mexico is supposed to pay for it. Evidently, the Mexicans aren’t going to do so and now the money is coming from funds appropriated for our military – which should let everyone know there’s too much money appropriated for the military as many have claimed for years.