As I’m watching the debate over the next round of relief due to the coronavirus pandemic I find it interesting how the republicans are arguing amongst themselves about how draconian they want this bill to ultimately end up. The democrats passed the so-called HEROES act about two months ago which included money for State and Local governments, money so “we the people” – including republicans – can vote from home, money for saving the Postal Service, AND an extension of the $600 bonus to unemployed workers (another 1.4 MILLION filing claims this week) until next January. Well, the republicans don’t want ANY money for States and Local governments (meaning a lot of layoffs soon), they don’t want people to be able to vote from home AND they want the Postal Service to be privatized. Republicans are proposing a “whopping” $100 bonus to people’s unemployment benefits instead of the $600. I have to say, I’m wondering why ANY American would vote for a republican!? It’s as if they HATE working Americans who are at the bottom of the “food chain” and at the heart of this nation!
And, as bad as all of this is, our IMPEACHED so-called president is going way beyond what he’s done before as he’s deploying American troops across America against Americans in order to DEFLECT the attention of Americans from his DEPLORABLE failings in dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic! Failings which include the destruction of our economy – which, by the way, would be much more apparent without that $600 per week each of the 30 – 40 MILLION Americans who are receiving unemployment benefits are spending. That money, unlike the $2 TRILLION republicans gave their donors in the most recent “tax cut for the rich,” is going directly back into the economy. I’ve pointed this out several times – that “bonus” for people out of work is used for things like RENT, car payments, FOOD, utility bills, etc.
Here’s the sad reality: republicans will likely need to see direct evidence that having 30 – 40 MILLION of our people without jobs AND, therefore, without money will negatively impact the overall economy. I’m no economist, but this seems glaringly OBVIOUS to me. If you take approximately twenty BILLION or so dollars out of the economy each week, the overblown stock market – which, to republicans, is the economy – will likely tank within a few weeks. And, by the time the republicans allow that to “sink” in (pun intended) and then they try to do something about it, well, we could be in the middle of an actual DEPRESSION. Providing money to these low wage workers is anathema to republicans – these are people who don’t donate to their campaigns.
Individual 1 is simply the “mechanism” which has exposed this republican party to more and more Americans. Republicans have been pilfering America’s taxpayers since the days of Ronald Reagan and they will continue to do so if they can somehow manage to find another way to BLAME democrats for the DAMAGE they’re causing to our way of life. For heaven’s sake, our IMPEACHED so-called president is allowing his FASCIST tendencies to take over and, still, the sounds coming from the republican caucus is “crickets.” (ie NOTHING) History will point out they had the opportunity to say NO to individual 1 in the IMPEACHMENT trial and, save for Mitt Romney, not one of them had the courage of their convictions. They ALL knew individual 1 was GUILTY of extortion, yet they chose to enable an act which was a clear “High Crime.” Our constitution, which is where their oath was aimed when they were first elected, gave them the means to fix this problem and they chose, instead, to ENABLE! A sad day (and time) in our history!
We have an IMPEACHED so-called president who clearly believes in CHEATING, who is a pathological LIAR, and is morally bankrupt so it’s incumbent on those of us who reject fascism – and, I’m not talking about that word which people have loosely thrown the around for years, I’m talking about real fascism – to UNITE in an effort to purge our government of any remnants of individual 1’s assault on our fundamental values. And, if you consider my suggesting he’s a fascist is hyperbole, I would suggest you read up on what that means and now “democracies” have descended into fascism around the world. Turkey is a great example, and Russia, with Vladimir Putin another example – although, Russia was an “infant” in the terms of democracy when Putin took control. Obviously, individual 1 has not tried to hide his admiration of these dictators around the world and he hasn’t given up on turning America into another example of Turkey or Russia. (There are many more examples around the world – have you ever wondered why individual 1 and William Barr are so concerned with “Antifa?”)
Individual 1 and William Barr, have turned the Justice Department into a “weapon,” he’s clearly been working overtime to fill the courts with lackeys, now we see the head of “Homeland Security” – set up to protect “we the people” from another “9/11” – deploying American “troops” to attack American protesters in American cities. Think about that! Then think about all the organized propaganda attacks on the so-called “liberal media” – while using Fox “news” as the propaganda arm of the government (along with another group of lackeys who will lie for money, like Rush Limbaugh, etc.). This is the culmination of the republican attempt to gain their “permanent republican majority” which keeps running into the problem of “we the people’s” right to vote. Of course, you can be assured, republicans are doing EVERYTHING they can to suppress that vote in places where people would tend to vote for, well, democrats! At this point, republicans are in desperate mode – and, they’ll do whatever it takes to “win.”
This is why it is SO important for Americans across the political spectrum to turn out this November and REJECT individual 1. I’ve recently been donating what I can to the “Lincoln Project” – which is a group of republicans who I disagree with on many issues but a group I’d love to sit down with in a casual setting (like breakfast) and have a dialogue. I often listen to Rick Wilson, Steve Schmidt, and Bill Crystal and find them interesting. It would be fun to debate them on the issues of the day – I believe it could be done civilly – but, fundamentally, despite me being an independent, I’ve disagreed with them politically for years. However, their commitment to helping defeat individual 1 has been an encouragement to me. I’ve been saying since day one of his administration, “we the people” will be relying on republicans to get him out of office. I really didn’t think it would take this long, but…………….. (You should check out the ads coming from the “Lincoln Project” – democrats could learn a lot from this group)
When it comes to CHEATING there aren’t very many republicans I trust to believe CHEATING is wrong. I’ve pointed out here numerous times, for example, I believe there are many republican governors CHEATING in regard to the severity of Covid-19 in order to make themselves and our IMPEACHED so-called president look better. Obviously, they feel this is necessary because of the BOTCHED attempt (or lack of an attempt) by our federal government to stop the spread of this deadly virus. We’ve actually listened to our IMPEACHED so-called president, on multiple occasions, suggest “If we tested less we’d have less cases.” That is such an absurd comment I just hope people in other countries missed it (of course, they didn’t). If you’re a supporter of individual 1 and you’re not that bright, let me help you – if we tested less we’d KNOW about even fewer cases therefore allowing the virus to spread even faster!
I’m guessing, due to the incompetence of individual 1, “we the people” are at or nearly at the point where the spread of the virus can’t be mitigated. In places like Texas as many as one in three people tested are positive – suggesting the virus is REALLY bad in Texas – worst than the statistics available to people like me would suggest – which is REALLY bad! All across the South and Southwest hospitals are beyond their capacity – they’re creating beds in HALLWAYS – and, they’re bringing in the refrigerated truck trailers to act as temporary morgues – the morgues are full! They’re being forced to decide who gets care and who doesn’t – they’re out of beds! These are the realities you can’t LIE about. It’s like this in Texas, Arizona, Florida, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, and several other states – likely to keep spreading across the nation because the virus knows NO borders and individual 1 has chosen being AWOL as his “strategy.” That is, he doesn’t want to be bothered about the virus!
In regard to the CHEATING I’ve been talking about I’ve speculated various republican governors have been finding other “causes” for the death certificates of Covid-19 victims, especially, the older ones. I suggested a while back, after hearing a couple examples, that when someone dies from Covid-19, often times, it’s because it got into their lungs and they couldn’t breathe. Of course, I don’t know all the details of why someone who’s been intubated ultimately passes away, but my guess was, for example, that to someone like Ron DeSantis or Kristi Noem, you could report it as death via pneumonia. So, I did a little checking – and, I’m obviously no investigative “reporter,” but here’s one thing I found: nationwide, in the last week of March and the first two weeks of April approximately 22,300 Americans died of pneumonia when the average expected mortality of pneumonia for those same weeks based on previous statistics would have been 11, 300 Americans would die from that disease. I’ll let you try to “put two plus two together.”
The bottom line to me right now, July of 2020, is individual 1 can’t LIE or CHEAT his way out of the reality he’s incapable of leading this nation in a crisis and the Covid-19 crisis will be part of the MESS he leaves for Joe Biden and the democrats to attempt to “fix” come January of 2021. Most Americans felt the MESS Bush/Cheney left for the Barack Obama administration (Obama/Biden) was overwhelming – Obama/Biden turned what could have been another “Great Depression” after the financial collapse under Bush/Cheney into the Great Recession which Obama/Biden morphed into the slow steady improving economy they handed off to individual 1 in January of 2017. I, among many, predicted individual 1 would do with this inheritance what he’s done with his previous inheritances and destroy it. Well, here we are……………..
When you consider the Covid-19 crisis, the economic crisis, and the crisis in the streets of America it’s plain that, as of now, individual 1’s “MESS” will include three crises the next administration will “inherit.” Here’s the bottom line for “we the people” – the VOTERS – it is incumbent on us to continue paying attention and demanding the changes which are required to move this nation into the 21st century – as something other than the “world’s policeman.” It should be obvious to MOST Americans we spend way too much on the military and not nearly enough on the investments necessary to make our nation healthy once more. Investments in our people – from the bottom up (that’s an entire topic for another day) – investments in our infrastructure, investment in our education system, and, of course, turning health care into a “right” in America instead of a “privilege.” A large “MESS” means there is a HUGE opportunity!
Final thought: I’ve pointed out, in the past, my willingness to give our IMPEACHED so-called president advice and, well, I’ve got some NEW advice for him. First, I have to give a bit of context. I’m soon to be 73 years old and I’ve been dealing with early onset arthritis for about 45 years. Between 2004 and 2014 I had 14 different surgeries – until, I decided “enough” – and, decided to keep taking the pills so I could stay out of the hospital. Every year I take a physical exam and, over the past few years my doctor has given me a test to see if I’m still “all here.” Actually, it’s a test to see if I’m heading toward dementia. I haven’t shared that information with too many people because I didn’t feel it necessary to BRAG that I’m still not totally “losing it.” Well, as things these days would have it, this is the same test given to individual 1.
Things like “can you count backwards from 10?” “Can you name a certain number of four legged animals.” OMG – I can’t remember how many you have to remember! (It’s been almost a year since the last time I took it :o) I was listening to individual 1 BRAGGING to someone on Fox “news” tonight that he “passed” the test and I almost fell on the floor laughing. I can’t believe our IMPEACHED so-called president did anything which caused me to laugh – but, I’m admitting it. However, I laughed because his BRAGGING was unbelievably PATHETIC! Honestly, I had to wonder, “what could cause him to think this is some kind of challenging test?” Does he not remember 6th grade? There wasn’t ONE test I EVER gave my sixth grade students which was not significantly MORE intellectually challenging than this test (I don’t know what they call it). In fact, I’m guessing my second grade granddaughter is challenged well beyond what our IMPEACHED so-called president is BRAGGING about! His advisers keep telling him to SHUT UP! He, really should listen to them!
Individual 1 continues to find new ways to EMBARRASS “we the people.” In this instance the EMBARRASSMENT is NOT as devastating – which is good. But, the coronavirus incompetence is also EMBARRASSING but it’s devastating to those who are suffering because of the incompetence – which is going to be more and more of us every day as the infection spreads. The FACT people around the world are laughing AT America is EMBARRASSING itself and, until, November there’s nothing “we the people” can do about it. I just hope he’ll quit making such a FOOL of himself between now and then and will stop sending military troops into our cities to attack WOMEN trying to shield their children who are exercising their first amendment rights!
I have to add: While we’re talking about republicans ATTACKING women, well, it seems they simply are incapable of learning. Last night I watched video of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on the floor of the House “dress down” Representative Ted Yoho of Florida for calling her a “f@#king bitch” on the steps of the Capitol building in front of reporters. It was as if this is just what republicans do – and, after it was reported in the press, Mr. Yoho gave the typical non-apology apology and Ms Ocasio-Cortez would have none of it. I’ve been saying for almost two years now, these “new” democratic lawmakers in the democratic party – including Ms Ocasio-Cortez – are giving me hope. They are spry, they are bright, and they are fighters. There’s a large group of them and I’m doing the best I can to support them ($5 – $20 at a time) and, maybe, people like Mr. Yoho (along with Jim Jordan, Matt Gaetz, Devin Nunez, and the goofy guy from Texas who I can’t remember his name) will not get re-elected.
When you stop to think about this, it’s not that surprising. If you don’t understand what I mean take a look (again) to the “Access Hollywood” tape where individual 1 BRAGGED about grabbing women by their “pussies” – “Because, when you’re famous they’ll just let you.” Well, shortly after that video was released about 20 women came forward and let us all know they weren’t “just letting him grope them.” In fact, they were incredulous – they just felt there was nothing they could do about him slipping his hand up their dress and, well, you know the rest! Kudos to Ms. Ocasio-Cortez!!!