I’ve been paying for the Washington Post for several years now because I wanted to support the investigative journalism I believe is so important to the future of our republic. Every once in a while I think to myself, “Do I want to keep doing this.” Tonight I almost ended my subscription because in their “Washington Post Live” series the first segment on November 1st’s “docket” will be (is/was) “The Drift: Stopping America’s slide toward Socialism” by Kevin Hassett. If you don’t know who Kevin Hassett is he was the chair of the Council of Economic Advisers under individual 1 and his claim is: “individual 1 (he, of course, uses the surname which I can’t bring myself to type) was the right president to deconstruct government intervention in the economy.” He was the guy who couldn’t get the s@#t eatin grin off his face every time he was interviewed during the reign of our TWICE IMPEACHED so-called two time popular vote LOSING (ex) president plus, he always got EVERYTHING wrong.

He used to do interviews on MSNBC with Ali Velshi, who apparently worked for one of the cable channels focused on the economy before coming to MSNBC. I forced myself to listen to them and, as I said, he ALWAYS got it wrong – including during the pandemic. His “cubic model” of, in essence lifting Covid restrictions as the pandemic was accelerating was referred to by many as “nonsense.” His predictions the pandemic would subside within a few weeks of enacting the “cubic model” proved to be as absurd as individual 1’s saying “It’s all going to go down to zero.”

But, as usual, that’s not all. He was instrumental in defending the 2017 tax SCAM which took close to $2 TRILLION tax dollars and, as usual with “conservatives,” funneled it to America’s wealthiest individuals and corporations who used the money to buy back their stock. Hassett was adamant the “plan” (SCAM) would generate enough stimulus to the economy to pay for itself in increased government revenue. Of course, that was as nonsensical as the day Ronald Reagan first said, “I’m going to reduce your taxes and get rid of the deficit.” Individual 1’s tax SCAM along with the rest of his “policy” led to a RECORD $7 TRILLION “boost” to our national debt in just four years.

President Obama spent 8 years working to bring down the HUGE deficit he “inherited” from Bush/Cheney (a HUGE “mess” but nothing compared to what individual 1 left for President Biden) and individual 1 had DOUBLED it in just the first year. Here’s kind of the rub for me as I look at the subject of Hassett’s “stream” put on by the Post: He was (ultimately) a strong supporter of the $1.9 TRILLION “rescue plan” which was enacted soon after President Biden took office – which, well, how can he defend what he supported under individual 1 and then call what the democrats are doing “Socialism.” (As an added bonus, he supported the “CARES Act” which included the “Paycheck Protection Program” (PPP) along with an extra $600 each week to those who were collecting unemployment benefits.

Don’t get me wrong. I have supported both of those programs enthusiastically – and, the “CARES Act” was largely the work of Nancy Pelosi and the democrats – the republicans would NEVER have agreed to such a program if they didn’t believe their chances in the upcoming election depended on infusing a few TRILLION into the economy (much of it, of course, went to businesses which didn’t need the help – but, each side had to agree to stuff the other side would never have otherwise agreed to because the economy was sinking – to republicans (who controlled the Senate) they had no choice.

In fact, I’ve used a word I hate – STUPID since about four or five months prior to the November 3rd, 2020 election in describing individual 1 and the Senate republicans (and, since, in describing many in their “base”). The pandemic simply kept picking up “steam” all throughout 2020 and Pelosi and the democrats proved their focus was MORE on “crushing” the virus than on winning in November. Moscow Mitch and individual 1 were NOT sophisticated enough to accept what likely would have led our TWICE IMPEACHED so-called two time popular vote LOSING (ex) president to actually “win” in November.

If you remember, Pelosi and the democrats in the House came up with the “HEROES Act” a proposal totaling close to $4 TRILLION to be enacted in the second half of 2020 which included much of what ultimately was included in the $900 BILLION package passed by Congress in December of 2020 AFTER the election, of course, plus President Biden’s “rescue bill.” McConnell called the “HEROES Act” “dead on arrival” and it sat at the foot of his desk for the rest of the year. Naturally, individual 1 was supportive of McConnell’s decision (And, likely Hassett, although I believe he was “gone” by then – a victim of the absurdity of his “cubic model”) and the economy continued to TANK (except for Wall Street, surprise, surprise) right up to the day our TWICE IMPEACHED so-called two time popular vote LOSING (ex) president left office.

The stimulus the economy felt from President Biden’s “rescue plan” COULD have happened prior to the election, PLUS there would be (likely) 100,000 (or more) fewer Americans dead from the pandemic had the “HEROES Act” been enacted. If you remember, there were around 3,000 to 4,000 Americans DYING each day in the last month of individual 1’s reign – because, he was doing literally NOTHING about it – too busy laying the groundwork for the attempted coup d’etat of January 6th, 2021. I’ll say it once more, that was STUPID.

I mean, I had a double or nothing bet that he would LOSE the election – I could have owed an acquaintance of mine TWO steak dinners had individual 1 (and McConnell) not been so transfixed on “deconstructing the administrative state.” The bottom line in America is if Americans are DYING at a rate in excess of one 9/11 EACH DAY, well, and if you’re the president, you need to at least make it look as if you care – and that you’re trying to do something about it. Likely, individual 1 will be remembered more for attempting to OVERTHROW our elected government (OK, I know what you’re thinking – he STILL is working on the “coup”) than for being responsible for the DEATHS of HUNDREDS of thousands of Americans due to his INCOMPETENCE and lack of – well, how do you describe someone who doesn’t seem to care about so many DEATHS? You got me!

In fact, had individual 1 actually “won” the election – of course, he would still have been CHEATING (and America would be SCREWED) – but, with him, that’s a given – I would likely still be communicating with the person I had the bet with – I would have had to pay up because I doubt even he thought individual 1 could pull off being another Putin or Xi and name himself “president for life” – but, it stands to reason, there then wouldn’t have been January 6th, 2021 and individual 1 would still “only” have been IMPEACHED once – although, I’m sure, by now, he’d have found another way – just sayin.

Also, my friend likely wouldn’t have gone off the deep end supporting individual 1’s claims which led to the INSURRECTION and we’d still be arguing about “how can someone who calls himself a “Christian” support someone as morally bankrupt and VILE as our (now) TWICE IMPEACHED so-called two time popular vote LOSING (ex) president. I still don’t get it. And, hardly anyone on the republican side seemed to grasp what “nonsense” – from an economic point of view – Hassett was “feeding” individual 1. NOTHING he said, proved prescient – other than he supported the “CARES Act” and, eventually, the “Rescue plan” although, now he’s apparently referring to the democrats proposal to INVEST in our people, from the bottom up, and actually PAY for the investment by going after tax CHEATS (which, of course, will include individual 1) and forcing corporations to pay SOMETHING (Did you know Jeff Bezos applied for, and I believe, received thousands in the child tax credit – because he paid NOTHING in taxes for various years?) as Socialism.

Just like I’ve said lately, the problem isn’t exclusively republicans – just ALMOST exclusively. By now, anyone who’s been paying attention knows about Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema – two democrats who enjoy the spotlight enough to possibly TANK President Biden’s agenda – still to be determined, but I digress. Manchin blocked several of the proposals of the democratic House because he doesn’t believe in “entitlements.” I really wish I could ask him one question: “How many times have you voted to continue the oil depletion allowance or other “giveaways” to the fossil fuel industry – including COAL – in which you have a vested family interest? Are those BILLIONS of dollars not “entitlements?” Is it just you consider giving a “hand up” to the “least of these” (in the words of Jesus) to be an entitlement and NOT giveaways to corporations? I’m confused.

Then there’s Sinema who’s blocking the provision where the government can negotiate drug prices for Medicare – it almost seems absurd to me I have to write those words. I believe THAT “entitlement” was the work of the Bush/Cheney regime and it costs “we the people” around $700 BILLION per year. And, then, of course, Ms. Sinema BLOCKED the reversal of the individual 1 tax SCAM – which provided virtually NO stimulus to the economy and simply piled up MORE debt – and which republicans are now screaming about (and, don’t want to pay for). None of this makes sense, until you take a quick look at where the money comes from for Ms Sinema and Mr. Manchin. Sinema has received $500 THOUSAND from the pharmaceutical industry – no surprise – and a BUNCH of money from Wall Street financiers. Manchin, well, fossil fuels, mainly. The results are painfully clear – and the rest of the democrats are FORCED to “kiss their asses” because they need EVERY vote in the Senate to do ANYTHING.

Nothing new in America and when these industries see a 50/50 split in the Senate they swooped in like an owl which has spotted a nest of rabbits – easy prey! All they have to do is swing one vote and voila “case closed.” Think about the prescription drug “thing” just for a second – an “investment” of half a MILLION in Ms. Sinema’s campaign coffers saves the industry an amount in the tens of BILLIONS – EACH year! That’s leverage “we the people” can only dream about. And, blocking the reversal of individual 1’s tax SCAM (that part which benefits those making in the MILLIONS) cost even less for the Wall Street “investors” (er lobbyists). It’s all UGLY, but in the end, I do hope they succeed with something Mr. Hassett will still refer to as “Socialism.”

Here’s what Kevin Hassett SHOULD be talking about. Until America deals with the extreme income inequality which has slowly engulfed the nation since the days of Ronald Reagan we will continue to have a broken society where people have grown into “tribes.” There’s plenty of wealth in this nation for some people to be RICH and STILL be investing in those at the “bottom;” lifting them up so they can become productive tax paying citizens. To get to that point, sadly, as I’ve been saying for YEARS, the “present day” (and, it keeps getting worse) republican party needs to be voted into the History books.

It’s going to happen eventually, but, clearly, there’s a lot of work – and, possibly, a lot more “water under the bridge” being necessary before it happens. Common sense would say our young people are growing up (and, really do care about things like the Climate crisis) and the old white people who are supporting the coup d’etat of individual 1 are getting older and dying off. Have we put individual 1 “to rest?” Well, that’s still to be determined because he’s still not where he belongs (JAIL) and the “alt right” considers him their “fuhrer,” so the “war” for the heart and soul of our nation I’ve been writing about for years, CONTINUES.

Will progressives continue to show up to vote in EVERY election? If history is any guide, the answer is NO! Which is exactly why republicans have so much power in the state legislatures of the so-called “red” states and they’re trying to embed the possibility of overthrowing the “will of the people” in their codes of law via some incredibly arrogant LAWS which they’re confident will “pass muster” with the Supreme Court – and, very likely, they’re correct. – Unless Congress manages to PASS Voter protection legislation. (Why wouldn’t they do that with democrats “in control?” Again, we have to “beg” Manchin and Sinema to do the obviously RIGHT thing – not a promising proposition.

Obviously, reading the Washington Post has lowered its standard enough to grant Kevin Hassett an hour of time on their “Washington Post Live” stream is what motivated this rant. I’ve got another couple “rants” in the works, but him suggesting individual 1’s attempt to “deconstruct government intervention in the economy” – which was TANKING the economy – remember individual 1 is the ONLY president to have a NEGATIVE jobs number when leaving office in the “modern era” – and suggesting he was “stopping the slide toward Socialism” is every bit as much NONSENCE as the so-called “cubic model” he introduced in the middle of the first wave of the pandemic. (And, then he supported the “CARES Act” and President Biden’s “‘Rescue plan” – go figure! Weren’t they “Socialism?”) That’s what got me “riled up” and this rant is the result. To me, Kevin Hassett should “ride off into the sunset” and keep his s@#t eatin grin to himself and SHUT up!

Final Thought: I can’t seem to write anything without reference to some of the STUPIDITY of individual 1’s time in office. Certainly, January 6th, 2021 falls into that category, but he’s simply incapable of admitting any kind of mistake and he CAN’T accept that Joe Biden (“Sleepy Joe”) TRASHED him in the election. So, he’s still out there pushing the “Big Lie” and demanding all republicans do the same. Here’s the deal; this issue WON’T be resolved until there’s accountability – and, I’m not talking about the near 700 suckers who listened to our TWICE IMPEACHED so-called two time popular vote LOSING (ex) president on the Ellipse January 6th, 2021 and then stormed the Capitol Building chanting “Hang Mike Pense – and are now in JAIL.

Nope, I’m talking about individual 1, Steve Bannon, Mo Brooks, Rudy Giuliani, individual 1 Jr. Josh Hawley, and anyone else who planned the INSURRECTION, financed it (the people came on FREE buss rides – somebody had to pay for that), or were on that stage urging the MOB to attack the Capitol. John Eastman developed the “plan,” Jeffrey Clark attempted to use the Justice Department to pull off Eastman’s “plan,” and likely several members of Congress were involved (Yeah, I’m thinking of you Jim Jordan). If there’s NOT a SERIOUS investigation going on at the Justice Department regarding all these people – there should be. And, all indications are, from my viewpoint, that Merrick Garland is allowing the House Select Committee to do the investigating. Sadly, Mr. Garland (Our Attorney General) is coming across to me as “milk toast”). Stay tuned……………………..

I said this about Bush/Cheney: “If they’re not held accountable for their CRIMES the next time there’s a republican president it will be worse. OK, I was correct, and then some. So, I’ll say it again – and with God’s help Mr. Garland will read this. If individual 1 is NOT held to account for his MANY CRIMES, the next time – and, of course, he’s planning it will be him the next time – although, there are plenty of republican low life’s waiting in the wings (DeSantis, Noem, Abbott, etc.) who will do even worse if given the chance. The list of the groups they HATE is too long for me to list here – I thought I was done in the previous paragraph! :o) VOTE!