I had just finished my previous post and I was moving to close out my computer and I noticed the byline of an article in the Washington Post which lamented “A vote for Biden will be a vote for one party rule in Washington.” Obviously, this opinion piece was “penned” by a republican who was giving us another example of hypocrisy. This all while individual 1 is planning to cram through a replacement for Ruth Bader Ginsburg PRIOR to the election – certainly in the “lame duck” session if Biden wins and our IMPEACHED so-called president is futilely trying to get the courts to somehow overturn the election. That being said, republicans have HAD one party rule several times in the 21st century – in their quest for what they call the ‘permanent republican majority’ – which of course will NEVER be close to a majority – and, every time they manage it, they blow it with illegal, incompetent, DEPLORABLE behavior. First Bush/Cheney and then individual 1/Pense.

Well, we not only need voters to give us a “one party rule” – meaning democrats control the House, the Senate, and the White House – remember, democrats won’t control the courts certainly in my lifetime – but we also need a population which PUSHES the Biden administration to move forward in an aggressive and PROgressive manner. We always hear of the American people supporting issues by LARGE majorities and, then, NOTHING happens. Get rid of the filibuster and start legislating things which are desperately needed. Stop governing out of fear. Stop FEARING the right wing propaganda machine. Republicans had their “majority” for the first two years of individual 1’s reign and the ONLY legislative “accomplishment” they had was providing tax breaks in the amount of $2 TRILLION to the top 1% who didn’t need the money – the stimulus they predicted NEVER happened. Voters REJECTED their “majority” overwhelmingly in the 2018 mid term election.

Now, we’re facing an even MORE important election where individual 1 is, as I predicted long ago, “throwing the kitchen sink” at “we the people” and everyone else involved in this election. He’s got William Barr preparing his “October surprise” which will be something untoward that I can’t predict what it will be at this point – maybe Hillary’s emails again??? We KNOW Vladimir Putin is involved again and individual 1’s “team” is perfectly OK with that – and, essentially, NOTHING is being done to stop the Russians. Americans who are part of individual 1’s “uneducated voters” are the targets of the Russian misinformation (ie Fake news, LIES, however you want to characterize it) along with the coordinated misinformation coming from individual 1’s own campaign. And, I believe we have to worry about something else which is, right now, completely under the radar.

Individual 1 is the master of projection so, as I listen to him suggesting we be on the lookout for all the “liberals” who will be dumping write in ballots in places where they will be filled out and turned in by the “liberals who plan to steal this election.” Individual 1 continues to tell his supporters “The ONLY way I can lose this election is if it’s rigged.” Well, just as in 2016 the ONLY way our IMPEACHED so-called president could possibly “win” this November’s election is if it really is rigged – in his behalf. I’m guessing his “popular vote” loss will be far greater than the 3 MILLION Hillary Clinton had over him in 2016. Obviously, individual 1’s strategy is to carry the Electoral College again – but, that appears less likely every day. States like Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Arizona, North Carolina, and even Florida are trending more and more toward a Biden victory in each state.

Individual 1 is actually in the courts trying to “rig” the election in his favor. Here’s the irony or ironies. In Pennsylvania individual 1’s supporters got the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to agree that “naked ballots” should be discarded. A “naked ballot” is a ballot which comes in NOT in the “secrecy envelope.” If you’d been voting in Washington State like I have, for years, you’d know what a “secrecy envelope” is and you’d just naturally put your ballot in the envelope before you placed it in the envelope which you use to send your ballot in. Well, if you’ve been paying attention, you know individual 1 is claiming they’re “cheating” in Pennsylvania. Apparently 7 ballots filled out for individual 1, coming from military personnel (those “suckers” according to their “commander in chief) were in envelopes a “volunteer” in one of the election offices mistook for envelopes requesting absentee ballots. The envelopes actually held ballots which were NOT in the “secrecy envelope” and, therefore – based on the court “win” individual 1 had in Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court – those ballots SHOULD be discarded.

Obviously, when republicans chose to agree with individual 1’s campaign that “naked ballots” – those, like the seven ballots discarded which were ALL for individual 1 – are now destined for the garbage bin – just like the seven ballots they found. Apparently, individual 1’s campaign meant that ONLY those ballots for Joe Biden which come in NOT in the “secrecy envelope” are the ones which should be discarded. All seven of these ballots were placed back in their envelopes and placed where those ballots waiting to be counted are held. I have to wonder if they were “marked” so “we the people” can see whether or not they are discarded when the votes are counted – just as they SHOULD be based on individual 1’s “win” in the courts. When you hear republicans making a big deal about those votes – remember what I just said! They’re all nuts and CHEATERS! It never ends!

Individual 1 is dispatching the “deplorables” Hillary Clinton referred to in 2016 to the polling places – apparently already – in an attempt to intimidate people from casting their ballots. These white nationalist thugs are usually carrying high powered weapons of war as they “hang out” in these polling places. Additionally, we know William Barr has turned the Justice Department into a weapon to defend our IMPEACHED so-called president and he’ll be doing SOMETHING in a way to affect the actual election from being “fair.” And, we know, even after a humiliating defeat at the polls, individual 1 will NEVER cede the election. There won’t be a “congratulatory phone” to Joe Biden. Just like the above mentioned fiasco with the “discarded ballots” individual 1, Barr, and the rest of them remind me of the “team which couldn’t shoot straight.”

There are even reports individual 1 will refuse to abandon the “White House” after he’s been voted out. He’ll be doing whatever he can to confuse things in the courts and his hope is this judge who will take Ginsburg’s seat on the court will allow him to remain in POWER even after facing the voter’s wrath. Already in the early voting states – where the voting has ALREADY started – the lines of people voting are long. “We the people” are going to show up at the polls this year and, as I’ve said, that’s just the beginning of what is necessary to repair the DAMAGE individual 1 has inflicted on this nation. And, trust me on this, the white nationalist movement (Check out “Stormfront.com”) will not back away quietly. They view individual 1 as their “fuhrer.” I firmly believe when the evidence is finally public, those who’ve instigated violence and destruction, for example, at the Black Lives Matter protests following the LYNCHING of George Floyd are largely affiliated with the right wing militias speckled around the country in “cells” of radicalized people willing to use their weapons to further their deplorable agenda.

For example, the group who wear Hawaiian shirts and identify themselves with the word “Boogaloo” have openly stated their goal is to start a “race war.” I’ve said this before, but right after Floyd was LYNCHED (by four police officers in Minneapolis) for some reason I felt compelled to check out the web and I found a couple sights where members of the “boogaloo” movement were telling their associates to infiltrate the protests around the country with the purpose of instigating destruction and violence. These protests, for these “boogaloo” characters, seemed to be, to them, the perfect opportunity to further their goals. Only time will tell if any of them were arrested by the police and if so, will their motives become part of the public dialogue. It’s not likely “we the people” will know before the November election.

I believe the young man who KILLED two protesters in Kenosha Wisconsin, Kyle Rittenhouse (with an illegal AR 15), was part of this movement – the self directed militia movement – People who believe taking the “law into their own hands” is appropriate – as if they’re “patriots.” Rittenhouse, as most people know, was allowed to walk out of town, right past several police vehicles, only SECONDS after he had MURDERED his second victim and wounded the third. The police, reportedly, even passed him a water bottle. This is just further evidence of the reality there’s a significant number of white Americans who actually believe our country is under attack by people of color. It really reminds me of when I was reading about the Apartheid movement in South Africa many years ago. The danger to our nation is not from outside our borders, it’s from within.

My grandfathers were involved in defending America back in the time of World War One. My father was in the U.S. Army during World War Two defending this nation from outside adversaries. (Whatever my father went through in WW II caused him to NEVER say a word about it to me during his lifetime) Now, with individual 1 at the “helm” we have to worry that our adversary – Russia – is in cahoots with our (IMPEACHED so-called) president. While I grew up thinking “we the people” join the military or other positions designed to protect our people from adversaries outside our borders, what we now have is an “adversary” sitting in the Oval Office with the ability to control a CULT following of MILLIONS of our fellow citizens while in cahoots with Vladimir Putin. He has a history of association with organized crime families from around the world and a history of believing he’s either above the law or able to INTIMIDATE his way out of accountability for his ILLEGAL behavior.

So, he seems to believe he will be able to INTIMIDATE his way back into the Oval Office after he’s received an overwhelming rebuke by the voting populace of this nation. There are multiple reports individual 1 WON’T accept the results of the election after he LOSES and that he’ll show up at the inauguration with Biden. Wouldn’t that be something you’d want to have in a photo? If you don’t understand the historical importance of what is happening in this election you’ve had your head in the sand. I’ve been saying for years, the heart and soul of our nation is at stake – and, it appears we’ve finally gotten to the point where a significant majority of Americans realize the fundamentals of our democratic republic are on the line on November 3rd.

As republicans face the reality they’re very possibly going to lose THEIR “permanent republican majority,” they are going to “peal off as much skin” from the “body politic” as they can before individual 1 becomes a mafia boss again. They are poised to repeal the Affordable Care Act if they can cram another right wing judge onto the Supreme Court before the election with the goal of taking health insurance from over 20 MILLION Americans, and untold number of Americans on Medicaid, not to mention the loss of protection against “pre-existing” conditions AND the damage this would do to Medicare. As far as I can tell, no one seems to be talking about individual 1’s plan to destroy Social Security and Medicare by repealing the payroll tax. You’d think democrats would be HAMMERING this sad reality to Americans who are unaware. I believe this is an issue which COULD “penetrate” individual 1’s CULT. Many of them are recipients of both of these great programs!

Final Thought: This thought is actually not my “final one.” As I was pondering this post the Grand Jury in Louisville, Kentucky did what Black Americans are painfully used to in this nation. Breonna Taylor was MURDERED by three police officers who broke into her home suspecting they were doing a “drug bust.” Only, they were at the wrong apartment, they didn’t identify themselves (including EVERYONE on the “scene”), and they fired 22 shots into Breonna’s apartment AND the apartments surrounding hers. Breonna was MURDERED via EIGHT of the 22 shots entering her body as she was asleep. As if we’re still in the throes of “Jim Crow” NONE of the officers were charged with ANYTHING to do with the EIGHT bullets which entered Breonna’s body ending the LIFE of a young lady who, by all accounts, was a wonderful, compassionate, member of Louisville’s community.

Apparently, those who are in charge of Louisville’s government feels as if the monetary settlement made with Breonna’s family is sufficient to provide them with “justice.” Of course, people around the country who support the “Black Lives Matter” movement don’t see it that way. The ONLY charge coming from the Grand Jury was a charge of “wanton endangerment” for ONE of the THREE officers involved – based on his SHOOTING bullets into the adjoining apartments! In regards to the MURDER of Breonna? NOTHING! Today, an email of one of the officers involved in Breonna’s MURDER was made public and it wasn’t something comforting – if you believe “Black Lives Matter.” In reality, there are too many police officers in America who have the “warrior” mentality (which was the focus of the officer’s email) and believe they will never be held accountable for their “reckless” behavior.

Sadly, this lack of accountability for the officers who MURDERED Breonna Taylor is further evidence of systemic racism in America. Once individual 1 is voted out of office it will FINALLY be time for “we the people” to address this issue. Of course, it will require individual 1 to be addressing his own issues with accountability as he will be greeted with a plethora of illegal allegations the day after he’s no longer protected by the OLC memo which states a sitting president (even an IMPEACHED so-called one) cannot be indicted while in office. It’s almost as if individual 1, once he understood the protection that memo provided him, reacted like a kid (OK, a mob boss) in a candy store by dismissing any semblance of his actions being guided by our system of laws. Obviously, he believes he’s above the law – just like, apparently many of the police officers in this nation. (In Louisville, this may actually be true)

Oh by the way: I’ve been pointing out my belief individual 1 is a fascist dictator at “heart” (if he has one?) for over three years now. People I know who support our IMPEACHED so-called president or those less “fervent” than myself sometimes suggest I’m nuts. I think the closer we get to the election and people outside the CULT hear individual 1 suggest he’ll support the results of the election as long as they “get rid of the ballots” – and, I’m not kidding, will have their hair standing on end. Essentially, he’ll support the result if he wins – he’s trying to RUSH another “justice” on the Supreme Court because he believes that’s his “ticket” to becoming America’s “Putin.” Regardless, if you want to read an article that gives the history of how fascism might become real in America – meaning, somehow individual 1 would prevail in November, click HERE. This reality, to me, is sobering. Even should Biden prevail in November – which could actually cause Marshals to have to physically remove individual 1 from the “White House” – the reality we are that close AND there are MILLIONS of Americans willing to “go there” is a reminder that “we the people” cannot become “lazy” in our responsibility to participate in the “process” because there are TRILLIONS of dollars at stake and many RUTHLESS characters – besides individual 1 – who want to get their GREEDY hands on as much of the taxpayer’s money as they possibly can while they can! Sad!

I was talking to a friend of mine – a “you’re preaching to the choir” kind of friend – and we had a discussion about the significance of Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s untimely death – I honestly believe there were MILLIONS of Americans hoping she would “last” until after the first of the year knowing she had pancreatic cancer, one of the most deadly forms of the disease – but, that’s not where our conversation was going. Part of the discussion was “what is the right way to go?” regarding when an associate justice dies during a president’s term in office. Is there a time when that president can’t nominate a replacement? And, despite what happened with Merritt Garland, the reality is there’s no LAW preventing individual 1 from nominating Ginsburg’s replacement. Of course, what republicans are doing is hypocritical beyond belief, but it will require democrats to, in my view, abandon their timid response to most crises in order to stop McConnell/individual 1 from cramming another justice on “we the people.”

Personally, I’m of the opinion this one is worth the democrats to be “pulling out all the stops” to prevent the court from being a 6-3 conservative majority for the rest of my life. (OK, I know McConnell/individual 1 could care less about what I think) McConnell has absolutely NO “scruples” and he was planning for the ugly “truth” here before RGB’s body was in the morgue. Personally, I wish we could spend a week or two celebrating what a monumental American jurist Ginsburg was without FIGHTING over her replacement – which, based on what happened to President Obama’s nominee Merrick Garland, SHOULD take place AFTER January 20 of 2021. If there’s anyone in America who doesn’t understand the CORRUPT nature of republicans this should remove ANY doubt. (They must be certain individual is going to lose at the polls and, somehow, another judge will save him)

There’s a lot hanging in the balance. Let’s start with the Affordable Care Act. About one week after the November election the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments in regard to individual 1’s attempt to OVERTURN the Act which is often called “Obamacare.” We’re talking about health insurance for over 20 MILLION Americans, the removal of preventing discrimination for people with “pre-existing conditions,” no longer would people’s children be able to be on their parents’ policy until the age of 26, and much MORE. My daughter has a business with OVER 100 employees who have insurance covered by the business and she has explained to me repealing the Affordable Care Act will/would create a very bad situation. It took them a long time to understand the full ramifications of the law and it’s now ingrained in the “system” and will be just more CHAOS under the time of our IMPEACHED so-called president if the law is repealed.

Of course, there’s much MORE than the Affordable Care Act. Let’s start with the issue of women’s reproductive rights – ie abortion. Conservative “Christians” have been pushing to repeal Roe v Wade for decades – read “Crazy for God” by Frankie Shaeffer if you want the inside information of how the “pro life” movement got commandeered by the republican party. I’m not going to get into detail on this issue – in my conversation with the friend mentioned above we broached the subject – suffice it to say the issue is COMPLICATED and, personally, I just can’t bring myself to believe it’s my role to tell YOU how to deal with this issue. I’m thankful I’ve NEVER had to address it directly, but I, personally, know women who have and it’s, clearly, a very personal and difficult decision for virtually anyone (essentially women) facing this decision. Of course, I’m a male so any issue I would have been confronted with would have been from the standpoint of someone indirectly involved. As I’ve said here before, at some point I’ll write an entire post regarding the abortion issue but, CLEARLY, it’s an issue of women’s reproductive rights! And, a bunch of MEN are presumptuously determining what WOMEN can or cannot do!

While there are many more reasons why democrats SHOULD be doing everything they can to make sure the NEXT justice on the court is chosen by the winner of this upcoming election, actually making sure Biden wins is what is paramount. We have the MOST corrupt (IMPEACHED so-called) president in history and I have no doubt he wants as many judges appointed by him as possible before he’s voted out of office so the first order of business is to vote him out of office. He’s already lobbying for a third term – that should really get people’s attention – people outside the CULT that is.

The rush to cram through a replacement for Ginsburg, here, would suggest both individual 1 and Moscow Mitch believe Biden is going to win in November. Individual 1 is facing a plethora of allegations coming from a plethora of directions and he’s likely going to be relying on the courts, including the SCOTUS, in what I hope will be a futile attempt to avoid accountability for his lawless behavior. Do I want him locked up? Well, actually, I don’t care – what I want is the accountability in a way which would discourage ANYONE from repeating the attempt to turn America into a pseudo fascist nation in the future. If him being locked up is necessary for that end then, well, that’s what I would like to see happen.

I haven’t even brought up the impending election because I just can’t bring myself to believe our IMPEACHED so-called president will be able to get away with STEALING the election via the courts. In 2018’s mid term election there were TEN MILLION more votes for democrats than for republicans (maybe more). Republicans in the Senate think that election was some kind of “win” for them – of course there were 23 democrats running for re-election with several in states won by individual 1 in 2016 while there were less than 10 republicans running for re-election – about the opposite of what republicans are facing in November. I believe it’s possible for Biden to win in November but for the democrats to still be in the minority in the Senate – that, of course, if it happens, will be a near DISASTER – the only thing worse would be individual 1 gaining another 4 years in the “White House.” I believe he’ll have to somehow find a way to CHEAT in order for that to happen.

There are reports individual 1’s supporters are prepared to contest ballots all across the key “swing states” as their main way of CHEATING. Supposedly, they are planning to put their right wing “goons” at polling places in areas dominated by democratic voters in ways designed to intimidate voters from even casting their ballots. Personally, I believe – just like EVERYTHING else individual 1 has done – all of this will BACKFIRE. He’s providing all the energy Biden’s voters need to get them to the polls – just like I’ve been saying for months, individual 1’s own words are the foundation of all Biden’s advertising for the election. However, democrats may not be able to stop republicans from doing this. “We the people” can turn this all around by voting as many republicans out of office as possible and letting the next batch who’ll be running in 2022 know they’re NEXT!

I know America’s young people are likely “in” for this election like never before (at least in my lifetime) and my fervent hope is they do their FIGHTING at the various ballot boxes around the country. Just because republicans are CORRUPT to the bone, to me, doesn’t justify doing the same thing to defeat them. I believe “progressives” (liberals) can mobilize enough people to change the direction of this nation – sooner rather than later. (That’s because I believe “later” is a really bad option) In fact, I believe November 3rd is a tipping point for America. If “we the people” lose this battle I’m not sure what it will take to turn things around going forward. We’ve seen the degree individual 1 is ABUSING his “power” to this point, but I believe, if he gets another term, “we haven’t seen nothin yet.”

The incompetence of individual 1 in dealing with this “once in a century” pandemic has been near depressing, in my view, but the real issue, to me, is the climate issue. And, I hope, our younger generation looks at that issue and realizes the stakes in their voting. It will take a focused effort over a period of MANY years to slow and, eventually, hopefully stop the earth’s temperature from continuing to rise. And, as the fight progresses you can count on the republicans to be using their new found advantage in the courts in an attempt to BLOCK legislation which would be aimed at saving the planet. (I can’t believe I felt the need to write that!) Individual 1 has been QUIETLY rolling back environmental regulations on a whim for over three years. Using the executive orders republicans were so quick to criticize President Obama from using individual 1 has turned the water a different color and the air harder to breathe. This is the most serious issue facing “we the people” and any chance for success depends on voting our IMPEACHED so-called president and as many of his cowardly enablers into the history books as we can – on November 3rd. The vote needs to be resounding!

No, I didn’t forget the “dreamers.” Their future hangs in the balance as well! We may not be able to save them based on the courts at this point in time, but the democrats can save them legislatively if they repeal the filibuster and take control of the Senate – which is a reminder that, despite all the attention, deservedly so, to whoever is going to replace Ginsburg – the MOST important thing to stay focused on in the next 6 weeks is voting individual 1 into the history books (right next to Benedict Arnold as I’ve said many times here) AND almost as important, voting in a democratic MAJORITY in the Senate. For years I prided myself in my independence as a voter, but since the day the Supreme Court stole the presidency from Al Gore and THEN Bush/Cheney took us into Iraq I’ve been voting AGAINST republicans.

In this election I actually feel I’m voting FOR Joe Biden because I believe he’s the right kind of “politician” to “lower the temperature” in America – if that’s possible – and, I’m excited there’s a “woman of color” on the ballot, Kamala Harris – who’s already got the republican name callers working overtime to denigrate her. And, trust me, should Biden prevail we’ll all be listening to 4 years of ATTACKS on Harris because republicans will be preparing themselves for 2024 with the idea she’ll be the democratic nominee. They’ve already started birtherism 2.0 which, to their voters, seems to be OK. So when we question the level of racism in the republican party, well…………….. I don’t think I need to say any more!

I’ll end this rant by pointing out an issue very important to me (I’m old, as I’ve said many times) AND I believe the democrats SHOULD be hammering this issue virtually EVERYWHERE – but, especially in places like Florida, Arizona, and other places with large populations of older people. Individual 1 is going after Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. Not only via his attacks on the Affordable Care Act – which would really damage Medicare should it be repealed – but our IMPEACHED so-called president is directly attacking Social Security and Medicare by pushing for the abolishment of the payroll tax. I believe even many people who are collecting their Social Security benefits don’t understand it’s the payroll tax which funds the program. Should individual 1 succeed in repealing this tax Medicare wouldn’t last more than a year or so and Social Security would be totally insolvent by 2023. That means Social Security and Medicare are on the “line” in November’s election. Why isn’t this a major issue with democrats?

Final Thought: Obviously, there are many reasons for anyone who considers themselves a person with a moral compass to be voting AGAINST individual 1 and republicans in November. If you don’t think you’re a racist, take a good look at what they’re doing, what they’re saying, and what they stand for before you give them a vote. To me, you can’t vote for individual 1 and then disassociate yourself from all his baggage. For me, it doesn’t work for someone to say “I’m voting for a racist, but I’m not a racist” for example. You don’t get to say “I believe people should be able to go to the doctor” and then support voting to take health care from tens of MILLIONS of your fellow citizens. To me, at a minimum, that’s totally lacking compassion.

If you watch Fox “news” I understand why you think some of the things you do, but I don’t excuse you for doing so – for not FACT checking the propaganda coming from the mouths of their commentators. As the saying goes, you can disagree with people like me over the issues but you DON’T get to make up your own “facts.” (Alternative facts, as Kelleyanne Conway suggested) You don’t get to blame the incompetent response to the coronavirus anywhere but where it belongs – right at the resolute desk in the “White House.” As Harry Truman once so presciently said, “The Buck stops here.” STOP enabling YOUR (IMPEACHED so-called) president from placing BLAME everywhere but where it belongs. When he says, “I don’t take responsibility,” stop and think about how you’d have responded had President Obama allowed the Ebola virus to overtake America and then said “I take no responsibility.”

Honestly, if you’re a supporter of individual 1, I’ve lost patience with you. The level of hypocrisy, dishonesty, and immorality has reached such levels that if you don’t “get it” I’m losing my ability to give you the benefit of the doubt – even if you are a “nice person.” To me, just like I would expect you to put this country ahead of your party, I feel it’s my obligation to put my country ahead of our “friendship” – for people I know who continue to support individual 1. I believe his “base” is a CULT and those involved are proving themselves to be unable to think rationally – or, they have no regard for the traditional history of this nation. No matter how this election turns out – I believe we are teetering on the verge of becoming a second rate nation in the world – and, of course, an autocracy.

I have to add: Beyond individual 1 the Senate is the problem in this nation. It is the most UNDEMOCRATIC body we have – by far! For example, the state of California has two Senators with almost a 40 MILLION population. North Dakota has two Senators with about 780 THOUSAND people in their state. South Dakota a few more people than North Dakota but the same number of Senators. You can go down the list, Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Vermont, Alaska, Delaware, Nebraska, etc. Several of these states have less people than the District of Columbia which is NOT represented in Congress. My point is the 9 or 10 most populous states in the union have OVER half the population of the country and 18 or 20 votes in the Senate. The 40 least populous states have 80 votes. Republicans have “aimed” their propaganda at the least populous states because it works for them – that’s how they win elections with less than a majority of the vote – ALL THE TIME! The Senate is what is and has been blocking progressive change in America for DECADES! Democrats MUST figure out how to deal with this – because they always seem “one step” behind the republicans – and, they “fight fair.” Stay tuned……….

It finally dawned on me, “herd mentality” is what is necessary for someone to be a supporter of individual 1. When I first heard those words coming from the mouth of our IMPEACHED so-called president I thought; “He means ‘herd immunity’.” And, I wrote a bit about “gaffes” and how individual 1 commits “gaffes” ALL the time and nobody seems to notice – then, if Joe Biden commits ONE “gaffe” our “liberal media” falls all over itself perpetuating the garbage individual 1’s campaign wants us to believe about Biden. Well, after giving it more thought, I came to the conclusion maybe this was a CULT “dog whistle” to his “base” about the mentality necessary to be part of that base. That must be why I’m so OPPOSED to that “base.”

And, the amount of “stuff” I could write about as I’m trying to do my small part to make sure America is liberated from this IMPEACHED so-called president seems never-ending. However, today my thoughts seem to be “tilting” toward the reality we’ve been enduring; an ATTACK on our nation coming from Vladimir Putin for several years now and individual 1’s seeming admiration of Putin as opposed to doing something about it. In fact, and keep in mind I’ve read everything I can get my hands on which would inform me in this regard – including Mueller’s report TWICE, I believe individual 1 and his closest supporters ABSOLUTELY have been “colluding” with the Russians. I read a book by a young man who was a key part of Cambridge Analytica (I loaned the book out and can’t remember the name), with Steve Bannon and Jared Kushner, right in the middle of their “work,” and he exposed the “connection” between individual 1’s campaign and Russia.

Cambridge Analytica “siphoned” data from tens of MILLIONS of Americans and then grouped it into “neighborhoods” so they could target their MISINFORMATION to unsuspecting Facebook users who would believe what they were spewing was true. In addition, I believe they “coached” the Russians – I’m not sure if that’s the correct term – they shared the information with the Russians so the Russian MISINFORMATION could be “professionally” targeted. The purpose of the Russians was to create chaos among America’s voting public, cause as many Americans as possible to be turned off to politics trying to encourage democrats NOT to vote, and to contribute to what I’m now referring to as the “herd mentality” which seems to be a requirement to be part of individual 1’s CULT!

Cambridge Analytica is gone because, apparently, their misdeeds were discovered by authorities in London, but the data which was collected from Facebook went with those involved in individual 1’s campaign AND the Russians. While I don’t know for sure, but I’m speculating the Russian interference this time, 2020, is much more sophisticated than it was in 2016 and their objective is the same – and that is to spew chaos in America (Ideally, of course, by keeping individual 1 as their “useful idiot”). Look at what they’ve gained in the previous four years. Putin has been “laughing all the way to the bank.” And, I mean that literally. While Putin doesn’t appear on Forbes list of the wealthiest people in the world I believe most people in the know consider him #1. In Michael Cohen’s book Mr. Cohen speculated Putin is worth over a TRILLION dollars. He’s the “don” of the largest organized crime network in the world and all the Russian Oligarchs who are spending their ill gotten gains (which they’re acquiring by ripping off the Russian people and THEIR natural resources) in America are paying a percentage of EVERYTHING to Putin.

And, much of what these Oligarchs have spent has been spent purchasing real estate from individual 1’s organization. The Russians have bailed individual 1 out of economic disasters in the past and it’s strange to me it’s not more of a topic with out “liberal media.” In fact, simply the FACT individual 1 has gone BANKRUPT six times and stiffed so many banks and contractors he can’t get financing for projects from American banks should, in my view, by a key part of the dialogue as we approach the November election. He was forced to go to Deutsche Bank to get money and depended on a person inside Deutsche Bank to push through loans despite the bank KNOWING the possibility they were going to get stiffed – which could still happen because by the time individual 1 is out of office his name is going to be “bad news” pretty much everywhere he’s got his name on properties – was extremely high.

And, his legal issues, in my view, very well could be driving the intensity of his campaign. The CHEATING will be beyond the ability of MOST Americans to understand because it’s NEVER been an issue like this in the past. Yes, republicans have a history of CHEATING and they’ve lived by “the end justifies the means” philosophy for as long as I can remember. But, individual 1 is simply “over the top,” which is why you’re now seeing so many “republicans against individual 1” Super PACS putting out damning ads as November draws nearer. I was listening to Michael Steele, an African American republican who was the head of the republican party during the first years of President Obama’s administration and, I might add, a republican who comes across to me as “sensible.” (although, I struggle to understand how any person of color could consider themselves a republican in today’s environment – a story for another day) Something I noticed while Steele was speaking was, on the wall of his office was hanging a framed caption from one of Ronald Reagan’s speeches. My point is, many of the disenchanted republicans have ties that go directly back to Reagan.

Now, don’t get me wrong. To me, Reagan is where ALL this republican disaster began with the so-called “conservative” movement – which, to me, was anything but conservative. I studied political science in college and always considered myself a “conservative socialist” – meaning I have very strong conservative fiscal tendencies along with very liberal social tendencies. I always think back to Edmond Burke who is considered by MOST educators as the “father of conservatism.” (No, it’s NOT William F Buckley!) I, personally, don’t see the connection between Burke’s view of conservatism (and, I have to admit to being very old and having a foggy, at best, memory) and today’s republican party. I was struggling to see the connection prior to individual 1 and since 2016, well, there is no connection. Based on my memory (foggy as it is) demagoguery is antithetical to Burke’s beliefs. He believed in tradition and a gradual change in society – as I remember it. I’m not sure if my belief that controlling the national debt is important comes from him – but, I’ve always considered that “conservative.”

Of course, I’m also a “student” of Paul Krugman regarding economics (literally), and it’s times like we’re going through right now when it’s appropriate for the government to spend beyond its means to fight off a depression – which is exactly what the Fed has been doing in reference to Wall Street and Congress WAS doing with the “CARES Act” in the first couple months of the Covid-19 crisis. Failing to follow through with another stimulus package – the so-called “HEROES Act” or some scaled down version of it – could be a major blunder of the republican led Senate. Should Biden WIN in November and Mitch McConnell remain focused on judges and NOT the American people, individual 1 could be handing off an economy in 2021 which will make what Obama/Biden inherited from Bush/Cheney seem like wonderful times. This is why it is so IMPERATIVE the American people vote out enough republicans from the Senate to give the democrats control. The situation could be exponentially more drastic than it is right now!

As I was reading Cohen’s book (I’ve finally finished it) I couldn’t help but to continue wondering why individual 1’s “base” continues to stick with him while he’s leading the country down such a dark path. That’s when the thought came to mind his base has a “herd mentality.” Just like Rush Limbaugh calls his audience “ditto heads” I couldn’t help but think individual 1’s “base” is made up of “uneducated voters” to a large extent. Yes, I know some “educated voters” who support him, but with the rare one you can actually have a civil conversation with the response, when I ask, “why do you support this guy,” is almost always a one word answer, “judges.”

For example, Ruth Bader Ginsburg died yesterday and, by last night, I was receiving texts from people I know who support individual 1 coming across as if celebrating. And, of course, the expectation is that McConnell’s “rule” which was in place when Antonin Scalia died back in 2016 will be, to McConnell and individual 1’s base, a “forgotten memory.” I’m not sure if McConnell fully understands what it will do to the division in our country if he CRAMS through another Supreme Court Justice while violating his OWN “rule” or whether he gives a damn. Kentuckians will likely vote him back in this year (sadly – I put him at #3 in Keith Olberman’s “The Worst Person in the World” category – right behind individual 1 and, of course, William Barr) but, hopefully, he’ll be the MINORITY leader of the Senate going forward (It would be awesome if Kentuckians would vote him out of office, but that looks remote at this point in time). To me, Biden “knocking off individual 1” is “priority #1,” but democrats taking back control of the Senate is a close second.

I know Biden thinks he can work with republicans to get things done, but I consider that thinking on the same naivete level which always frustrated me with President Obama. It’s true the president is the president of ALL Americans and SHOULD seek bipartisanship, but we’re watching in “real time” how republicans consider “POWER” in these United States and bipartisanship is a foreign word to them. They want ALL the POWER and they have been using their grip on power, since the days of Reagan – when they have it, to funnel America’s wealth UPWARD (“trickle up”) to the point where the income disparity in America has become enormous. When you compare the DATA regarding the Middle Class portion of America’s wealth prior to Reagan with what it is today you can see what republicans have been doing to this country. We’re teetering on a “third world” reality and, sadly, I believe that is the intent of the republican party. When they’re the “haves” screw the “have nots.”

And, how do you get 35% to 40% of the population to be “locked in” supporters of policies which actually go against the self interests of the people supporting the policy? It’s been a very sophisticated BRAINWASHING scheme which began during the Reagan years and has been based on the Nazi propaganda chief’s “Big Lie Theory.” (Joseph Goebbels – look it up – and, technically the scheme started with Hitler himself, ” a big lie (German: Große Lüge) is a propaganda technique. The expression was coined by Adolf Hitler, when he dictated his 1925 book Mein Kampf, about the use of a lie so “colossal” that no one would believe that someone “could have the impudence to distort the truth so infamously.” ) If you repeat the LIE often enough people will believe it’s true.

To me, this all started with Limbaugh in the mid to late 80’s. I actually listened at times back then and once I started “fact checking” stuff Limbaugh was spewing I realized what was actually happening. And, I started noticing ALL the republican pundits were repeating the same LIES and using the SAME key “talking points” – meaning using the same key terms. I also realized, it was working! And, then along came Fox “news” and I actually watched that a bit in the early days when they had “Hannity and Combs” – the so-called “Fair and Balanced” BS! Of course, it was NEVER fair and it was NEVER “balanced.” Fox’s propaganda has been extremely sophisticated and when they are finally FULLY “outed” I believe they’ll find themselves right next to individual 1, William Barr, and Mitch McConnell in the history books’ section previously dominated by Benedict Arnold.

So, we’re about to see a prime example of what I believe I will now refer to as “herd mentality.” That is, the “base” of the republican party are unable to think critically for themselves. In direct opposition to Mitch McConnell BLOCKING even a vote on Merrick Garland (a very moderate judge, by the way) back in 2016 for NINE months he’s going to CRAM through a right wing replacement (likely a female) for RBG in less than 40 days – if he possibly can. And, MOST of the “base” will just go along with it DESPITE the incredible hypocrisy – even by D.C. standards – AND, the likelihood it will increase the DIVIDE in America almost beyond my imagination. I’m actually fearing for this nation over the next few years – because, win or lose in November, the republican base is full of former George Wallace supporters who now feel empowered by individual 1 who they view as their “fuhrer.” (and, I’m NOT being hyperbolic – check back in a year or two and, I believe you’ll understand what I’m saying)

Final Thought: I’ll give an example of the supporters of our IMPEACHED so-called president’s followers and their “herd mentality. I live on a couple acres and recently (in the last week) had to purchase a new garden tractor. It’s too large for my small pickup truck so I asked a friend of mine from church – a person I truly love along with his family – I taught a couple of his kids in Sunday School many years ago – if he could use his trailer to haul it home from Portland, Oregon for me. (And, by the way, the air was good and there were NO protests where we were) He supports individual 1 (calls him by his surname, of course) and we did hardly any “politics” on the trip. We know where each other’s beliefs are and we’re OK with that.

However, I can’t help but ask a question or two every time we’re together and, today, he said he’s not interested in personal characteristics, only policies when he decides who he supports. Of course, the reality is he supports republicans with little to no thought because, well, that’s just where his family is – conservative Christians and, I’m sure, it’s been that way for generations. Of course, he watches Fox “news” – I made him admit to that sin – which just helps him rationalize supporting stuff he KNOWS is wrong. I could list ALL the DAMAGE individual 1 is doing to the nation, but RBG’s passing puts it all in a nutshell. As I said earlier, the idea of having a 6 – 3 majority on the court causes him to believe Roe is now doomed – and, for people like him there’s nothing more important to them than overturning Roe v Wade.

At some point, as I’ve said before, I will write an entire piece on my views of abortion and why I’ve evolved to understanding the importance of supporting a “woman’s right to choose” – even though I would never be able to support an abortion if it was an issue for my family – except in the event of the health of the mother (in this instance my wife, daughter, etc.). When I think about this subject I’m always reminded of someone who once said in my presence if you’re opposed to abortion, don’t get one. Of course, the issue is way more COMPLICATED than that, but to my friend and many other Christians it’s absolutely NOT complicated. Again, I’ll write more on another day, but this “herd mentality” – and if you read “Crazy for God” by Frank Shaeffer, who with his Dad Francis, started the “pro life” movement – you get a better understanding of how republicans hijacked the abortion issue as a way to gain this “base” who are like, well, Limbaugh’s “ditto heads.” ie “herd mentality.”

As I’ve said, I love my friend and his entire family, but I told him today there will become a time where he will be like Peter in the Bible who “denied Christ three times” in regard to individual 1. He doesn’t understand what he’s supporting – ie what the ultimate outcome will be should individual 1 gain a second term via his and millions of other Americans with this “herd mentality.” It grieves my heart that America could have devolved to this place and my prayer is “we the people” rise up and VOTE in 2020 like our lives depend on it – because I believe they do – at least in any form which would be recognizable to those of us “conservatives” who believe in the tradition of America’s institutions. Stay tuned……………

As I often do, my apologies for any foopahs because it’s late and I’m too lazy to re-read this and edit it. Sad :o)

At the beginning of this 2020 campaign for president of the United States much of what I heard, after Joe Biden became the democratic nominee, was the expectation Biden would be committing “gaffes” which would demonstrate his unfitness for the job. Of course, individual 1 has been committing “GAFFES” since the day he LIED his way through the “oath” of office – where he promised to “defend the constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic” – in which he’s FAILED miserably. (Of course, the “domestic enemy” is, well, himself – but, I digress)

So, the other day our IMPEACHED so-called president agreed to do a “town hall” somewhere in Pennsylvania where “undecided voters” were actually allowed to ask questions. And, of course, individual 1 had NO choice but to attempt LYING his way through the entire proceeding – Laura Ingraham of Fox “news” (ie individual 1 TV) said our IMPEACHED so-called president had been “ambushed,” apparently because he was asked FACT based questions and there were some follow up questions after he tried LYING his way out of an ugly reality – but, back to the issue of “gaffes.” When giving an answer to a question about the coronavirus our IMPEACHED so-called president made a comment about “herd mentality.” (And, by the way, he was “fact checked” by the Washington Post on 24 of his LIES. He received a lot of “Pinocchio’s”)

Well, I’m assuming, and actually hoping – for the sake of our country over the next four months – that individual 1 actually meant “herd immunity” – the solution to the coronavirus pandemic of those who are willing to lose a couple MILLION mostly older Americans to the virus. From what I could tell (I was only able to watch excerpts of the “town hall”) he wasn’t pressed on what SHOULD have been an embarrassing “gaffe.” Naturally, the next time Biden says something a bit on the stupid side “we the people” won’t hear the end of it. I felt individual 1 got a “pass” on what SHOULD have been a serious “gaffe” because if he’s thinking in terms of “herd immunity” it should be a focal point of this campaign. I know people who believe in that solution but, my guess is MOST Americans, especially older ones (like me), don’t like it all that much. (Does individual 1 get a “pass” on his “gaffes” because he commits so many of them?)

I still remember the Lt. Governor of Texas saying, “there are worst things than living” (A thought I just had after writing that – that could be true if individual 1 manages to STEAL another election) as he was suggesting us old folks should be willing to sacrifice our “golden years” in order to keep the stock market up. (Of course, since then we’ve seen the Fed can keep the market up with unlimited amounts of funds to funnel in to purchase toxic securities) I’m guessing this may be the reason individual 1 is polling behind Biden with the over 65 “crew” which he won by a large margin against Hillary Clinton. Can you imagine what our “liberal media” would be doing with a “gaffe” like this one – “herd mentality?” had it come from Mr. Biden? Just sayin!!!

With individual 1 there’s always so much to write about which is simply disgusting or worse that it’s hard to keep up. My wife wonders why I keep reading books about someone she thinks I “hate.” The truth is I don’t “hate” anyone – however, I despise individual 1. His personal moral character shortcomings are just too much for me to admire – all the LYING, the willingness to CHEAT under any circumstances, the routine of degrading virtually everyone who comes into contact with him – some, curiously (like Mitch McConnell, Lindsey Graham, etc.) just willingly put up with it, the destruction of our traditional institutions and norms, and I could go on. As I’ve said here many times, the DAMAGE he’s causing to this great nation might take a generation to overcome. People around the world have gotten past wondering what is wrong with America to actually be laughing AT us. Repairing relationships with our traditional allies will be difficult. I find it difficult to actually feel anything but despising all of that.

They (Our allies) know we have elections every four years and “we the people” will need to prove to them we’re not going to repeat this FOLLY again in 2024. Trust me, individual 1 and his “team” will NOT go away quietly. Whatever is left of the republican party after this next election will start their attacks on Biden and Harris BEFORE they take the oath of office – and, it won’t be pretty and it will include unending racist and misogynistic attacks against Kamala Harris – as republicans will be gearing up thinking she’ll be the democratic nominee in 2024. Count on it!

When Barack Obama became our 44th president “we the people” sat back thinking we had defeated racism, by and large, and we just waited for democrats to solve all our problems without understanding WE must remain vigilant and participate in the process – so, this time demanding the changes we believe in is paramount – like health care for ALL, (however they can get there) a coherent NATIONAL Covid-19 policy, an economic plan which addresses the deficit and the debt we’re leaving for our children and grandchildren, addressing the issue of Social Justice HEAD ON, putting sanctions on Russia which will cause them to back off their neo-Nazi push around the world – including here, increasing the minimum wage to $15 and increasing support for workers to be able to collectively bargain in unions, changing the attitude across America so people understand our workers are as or MORE important than shareholders and finding ways to minimize the tax laws which encourage CEO’s and corporate executives to think short term as they find ways to push stock prices higher AND taxing the gains corporate executives make by receiving their salaries in the form of stocks.

Of course, those are the ideas of a retired school teacher, but my point is we all need to accept the responsibility of being an informed citizen. The fact MANY of us are old doesn’t mean we can’t still be readers. There’s so much information in books which give one a great view of who individual 1 actually is that, had more of us been readers, this NIGHTMARE would never have happened. I’m presently reading Michael Cohen’s book titled “Disloyal” and I can tell you I’m learning more from this book than, likely, any of the others I’ve read lately (although Bob Woodward’s book just arrived in the mail today). Cohen makes something clear which I’ve been saying since the 2016 campaign.

Individual 1 has a way of mesmerizing people and he’s used this “trait” to gain MILLIONS of free advertising from the various media outlets. I still remember back in 2016 I felt confident MSNBC, the so-called “liberal” version of Fox “news,” was giving individual 1 HOURS of free air time virtually EVERY day! I’m very happy Chris Matthews is no longer on their airwaves – I felt the one hour “sit down” he had with individual 1 was designed to “normalize” a candidate who wasn’t “normal” during the 2016 campaign. MSNBC focused on individual 1 day in and day out while rarely giving Hillary Clinton more than a moment – maybe a short snapshot of one of her rallies while covering individual 1 rallies from start to finish.

Well, I think they’re doing it again. Of course, now “we the people” are more informed about what individual 1 is doing and what he’s “about,” but he’s still getting the BULK of MSNBC’s airtime – and, to him, even if it’s negative, he likes it, he believes it ultimately works to his favor – this according to Michael Cohen (and, of course, me :o). I have to add, I’m finding Cohen’s book very well written – much to my surprise. It appears much, or most, of the book was written while he was sitting in his prison cell so I’m guessing it was via him putting pen to paper. Impressive from the eyes of a former Middle School teacher. Regardless, so far it’s a great read and I’m about 2/3 through the book. Cohen’s book verifies, for those of us who’ve been viewing individual 1 as a “mafia boss,” that we have been correct.

Both Cohen and individual 1 have extended ties to the mafia. That our IMPEACHED so-called president has made it this far without finding himself indicted for one of the – LIKELY – many offenses he’s “allegedly” committed just shows how his BRAZEN, LYING, and BULLYING wherever he goes has worked for him his entire life. Based on what I’ve read in Cohen’s book, that MANY of us consider him a pathological LIAR and CHEATER, is right on. My hope is the investigations into his “stuff” will continue once he’s out of office. There’s a mountain of evidence suggesting potential issues with money laundering and various forms of fraud. As I’ve watched him for almost four years now it’s apparent he believes the laws were written for someone other than him. The typical “law and order” person – thinking he’s “above the law.”

A really interesting part of Cohen’ book relates to how he (Cohen) managed to get individual 1 to be more successful in a couple of polls. Cohen has a friend who was an assistant to Jerry Falwell Jr. (who Cohen introduced to individual 1) who was able to get individual 1 into the “top ten” of a poll which was celebrating the top business people in the 25 years of the Washington Post (I believe – if my memory serves me right). Individual 1 had to pay $15,000 for this guy to purchase fake id’s which he could then turn into “voters.” It worked until, apparently, the pollsters figured something was awry and they, essentially, disqualified individual 1 from the poll. Again, with one of the early polls when there were still 17 candidates for the republican nomination in 2015 Cohen’s friend (he was a key person at Liberty University) was able to purchase a bunch of “bots” which allowed individual 1 to get about a 25% rating in the poll – a number making him seem viable when most thought his candidacy was a joke. (As a Christian my doubts about Liberty University are mounting!)

So the CHEATING is just NORMAL for individual 1 (Also, apparently, the guy from Liberty U.) and, then, it should surprise no one he’s got something going with the Russians – who are STILL funneling misinformation (the real FAKE news) into Facebook and other “Social Media” platforms on his behalf. Of course, those on the receiving end of their posts have no idea where the “info” is coming from and many believe what they’re getting is legit without cross checking it or verifying it’s veracity. Cohen confirms individual 1’s connections to the Russians and his willingness to accept their help. In addition, just as I have proclaimed here many times, individual 1 was FULLY aware of the ILLEGAL meeting between individual 1 Jr., Jared Kushner, Paul Manafort, and a group of Russians claiming they had “incriminating” material on Ms. Clinton. Why Mueller didn’t go there is beyond me – although Mueller sent off something like 12 cases to be followed up by other jurisdictions which, apparently, were “quashed” by William Barr – “The WORST person in the world” – using my memory of Keith Olberman on MSNBC.

So, individual 1 has “flooded the zone” with so much ILLEGAL and incompetent behavior and decisionmaking that it’s difficult to focus on ANY of it. However, I believe individual 1’s “gaffe” with the term “herd mentality” should be a MAJOR “red flag!” What our IMPEACHED so-called president is suggesting is the way to end this pandemic is the so-called “herd immunity” approach I mentioned above in reference to the Lt. Governor of Texas. Dr, Scott Atlas has become individual 1’s “adviser” on the coronavirus task force and he’s been all over the right wing talk shows spewing the idea of “herd immunity” – which is obvious what individual 1 was referring to with his most recent “gaffe.” And, it appears that is the policy of “these United States.”

I’ve done the math here several times in the past – I believe the first time was after my initial “introduction” to the Texas Lt. Governor – who, by the way, from what I’ve read, has a lot of power in the state of Texas – maybe why their hospitals are so full of Covid-19 patients. So, in a country with 330 MILLION people you’d need somewhere in the neighborhood of 215 MILLION to 250 MILLION Americans, depending on which expert you listen to, to become infected with Covid-19 to reach the 65% to 75% of the population necessary to reach that point. Based on the present percentage of people DYING to those who’ve been infected (almost 3%) there would be somewhere between 6 and 8 MILLION Americans dying from the disease to reach “herd mentality” (ie “herd immunity”). Of course, if it’s true that after about 90 days you can be re-infected, well, all “herd” bets are off – but our IMPEACHED so-called president appears to be operating under “herd mentality!” That was a significant “gaffe.” I hope our “liberal media” picks up on it and what it actually means!

Final Thought: Just the thought of MILLIONS more Americans dying from this virus, mostly old people like me, doesn’t come across to me as being that palatable. But, just for the sake of argument, suggest that us old people should be willing to die for the Stock Market – how are we supposed to go about doing it. Just think about how our hospitals have been almost to the breaking point dealing with the virus up to this point and then figure something like 10 to 30 times as many cases – are we simply supposed to die at home with this disease – just be willing to suffocate without even trying to beat the disease? Is this what they’re proposing? Is that what you’d call “herd mentality?” Honestly, I’m not that patriotic! I’ve always considered myself patriotic, I’ve believed in my country, but honestly, this kind of thinking is giving me pause. As we get closer and closer to November 3rd this election seems more significant than I already thought. And, of course, as I read about the intentions of individual 1, William Barr, and others to CHEAT in order to “win” the hair on my back is standing straight up! Yikes!!!

I live in the state of Washington and we aren’t supposed to go outside because the air is so bad from ALL the fires which are burning out of control along the West Coast of the United States. If this doesn’t get the attention of people who are part of the “climate deniers” I don’t know what will. We MUST vote individual 1 out of office and, then, we MUST demand ACTION from the Biden/Harris administration to drastically address the reality those who are still clinging to the fossil fuel industry as our bedrock of the economy need to be put in the history books with those who’ve been enabling individual 1. Tonight, I was watching a program on MSNBC where video of William Barr and a group of individual 1 sycophants were marching shoulder to shoulder along the front of the “White House” and all I could think was we have to SHAME these people who are willing to do “whatever” in return for MONEY and POWER. This is NOT patriotic, what they’re willing to do.

In my mind, William Barr may be every bit as BAD as individual 1, himself, as he seems like the epitome of a “hanger on” who’s willing to TOTALLY trash any reputation he had before kissing butt into the administration of our IMPEACHED so-called president. Chuck Rosenberg, who I respect and who was a longtime member of the Justice Department and the FBI, originally spoke of Barr as if he was an “institutionalist” and, now, is explaining his DISGUST toward Barr and I’ve heard Rosenberg admit several times, “I was totally wrong.” Barr undermined the Mueller report, he has worked to overturn the convictions of Roger Stone and Michael Flynn, he was allegedly involved in individual 1’s EXTORTION of Ukraine, and he’s been traveling the world with John Durham, the US Attorney for Connecticut who may be willing to shame himself into the same place in the history books as Barr, in an attempt to create some kind of “October Surprise” designed to swing the election in the direction of our IMPEACHED so-called president.

In my mind, there is virtually NOTHING they can do to change the minds of those who are planning to vote – in MASSIVE numbers AGAINST individual 1, but that doesn’t mean they won’t be trying. These right wing thugs won’t stop until “we the people” force them into the shadows where they will be ashamed to show their faces in public due to the young people of America who KNOW the Climate issue is MORE significant than even Covid-19 and who KNOW it’s the republicans who’ve been BLOCKING any progress against Climate Change for years now. Along with individual 1 republicans are still backing the COAL industry and attempting to BLOCK gains in industries like those focused on renewable resources – ie EV vehicles, solar power, wind power, geothermal power, etc. – in an attempt to keep the fossil fuel industries strong.

Washington state, historically, is not a place where you’d expect to find tinder dry places where uncontrollable wild fires would be something other than a rare occurrence – well, apparently, no more. There have been a couple small towns completely destroyed during the fires of this year. The air where I live – right across the Columbia River from Portland, Oregon (the city which is NOT being torn apart by protests) – is an orange – ish color due to the HUGE amount of smoke in the air. There are fires raging out of control up and down the West Coast with about one TENTH of ALL the people in the state of Oregon being evacuated from their homes – hoping to have a home when they return. I have a friend from High School who now lives just North of Eugene, Oregon along the McKenzie River, who I talked to and he said “I’m fairly confident I’ll have a home to return to once this all is over.”

The place where my wife and I got married, near Silver Falls State Park a few miles East of Oregon’s capital of Salem has been evacuated and there are fires raging on three sides of their property – it’s a retreat center and they have over 40 acres and numerous buildings which are, presently, at the mercy of the wind. They would say it’s at the mercy of God – it’s a Christian retreat center – and, I have to say, I’ve been praying for them for several days now. Last night the wind changed and just maybe saved their property. Stay tuned…. If there’s a place in America where the focus is TOTALLY Jesus it would be there – and, it appears God heard their prayers!

If you check out “Airnow.gov” you can see an interactive map which clearly shows the gravity of what is happening on the West Coast of this great nation. As I mentioned above, you wouldn’t expect this type of catastrophe in Oregon and Washington, two places known for “never ending” rain. Well, BOTH states are dry as a “bone” and we’re seeing the results of a terrible electric storm, a high wind storm, and, sadly, from what I’ve read, a few people who are willing to set fires on purpose for, as yet, unknown reasons. My sisters live in California and I was talking to one of them the other day and she said there have been a couple fires in California which are considered “man made” as well, which is really disgusting if that’s true. Massive amounts of property is being destroyed and numerous people, so far, have perished. This is REALLY bad!

And, think about this for a second or two. These fires along with the incredible temperatures, the hurricanes, the melting of the polar ice caps, and on and on – if this doesn’t get your attention I’m guessing you’re either brain dead or you watch Fox “news” – which would be two things that go hand in hand. Just picture the HORRIBLE, deplorable, pathetic, disastrous, incompetent or however you wish to characterize individual 1’s FAILED response to Covid-19 and picture that incompetence as we go forward in dealing with the Climate Crisis. And, it should be obvious, the Climate Crisis is here and it’s very REAL! I’ve been saying for months I believe young Americans are going to VOTE this year with the realism their futures depend on removing individual 1 from the “White House” so they have the opportunity to LOBBY democrats in Washington to embrace the “Green New Deal.”

Democrats, including Joe Biden – remember he’s really too old, we’re voting for him because we want to get individual 1 gone – must embrace a progressive agenda in dealing with the Climate Issue, the issue of Health Care, the issue of the national debt, and on and on. It’s time for America to find her “footing” in the values which made her Middle Class the envy of the world following WW II. The disasters which are happening “across the board” are ALL happening on individual 1’s “watch” as he fear mongers what it “would be like under a Biden administration.” I say, “How could things be any worse than they are right now?” I guess the ONLY way for individual 1 to campaign is to focus on fear mongering! Below I’ve given a “snapshot” of some of the vitriol he’s spewing in his campaign rallies. I hope Americans are not stupid enough to fall for his shtick! It’s time to create a “balance” in America between those at the “top” and those at the “bottom.”

As the campaign unfolds it will be interesting if our so-called “liberal media” spends much time covering Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. I still remember in 2016 every place I tried to “watch” had their focus on individual 1. He got MILLIONS of free advertising – even from places like MSNBC. I felt at the time they were trying to make sure the election was competitive so they could make MORE money! Could that happen again? I can almost guarantee it! This is America and, “It’s all about the money.” This should be obvious to anyone paying attention. Already, virtually EVERY bit of “news” coverage in aimed at individual 1 – just the way he likes it. Today, I logged on to watch “Deadline Whitehouse” on MSNBC and, sure enough, in the hour I watched there was about 30 seconds listening to a Biden speech and the REST of the hour was focused on individual 1. Even though “Deadline Whitehouse” isn’t complimentary of our IMPEACHED so-called president, Nicole Wallace, the moderator, doesn’t seem to understand individual 1 wants to be the center of attention – no matter what! It makes it appear Biden is in the periphery, and we NEVER hear extended speeches showing what he’s FOR.

Final Thought: OK, I forced myself to listen to part of one of individual 1’s “stump speeches” so that, hopefully, you don’t have to. So, here’s some of what he’s saying, “Biden wants to surrender our country to the violent left wing mob,” “rioters, arsonists, anarchists, and flag burners,” “he wants to flood your state with refugees from terrorist hotspots around the world,” “the ‘left’ wants to get rid of me (individual 1) so they can come after you,” “they want to confiscate your guns,” “shut down auto production,” (he was in Ohio) “they want to delay the vaccine,” (which he wants out before the election, safe or not) “they want to destroy your suburbs and indoctrinate your children,” “you will have crime like you’ve never seen before,” (he didn’t say “even worse than it is right now under MY watch” – just sayin…) “no city, town, or suburb will be safe,” this all coming from the IMPEACHED so-called president who’s been LYING to the American people since February about Covid-19 because he wanted to keep “we the people” “calm.”

And, oh by the way, the unrest in America’s “streets” is happening under HIS WATCH. All I could think of when I was listening to this GARBAGE was “George Wallace, apparently, was a moderate.” The epitome of irony, to me, was demonstrated by the head of the republican party was claiming, in defense of individual 1’s remarks to Bob Woodward where he admitted LYING to the American people about the Coronavirus to keep “we the people” “calm,” in her words. She pointed out the importance of the “Commander in Chief” keeping the American people calm and not creating circumstances where there’s “fear.” Of course, I thought to myself, did she listen to his stump speech I referenced above? Neither he nor the republican party can run away from the FACT his message is one of fear. The two messages don’t comport.

When you’re trying to understand why people like me call individual 1 a RACIST I would suggest you revisit your own beliefs. This is DOG WHISTLE racism at it’s absolute maximum. Of course, this is nothing NEW in the republican party, it’s just getting more intense and, hopefully, just as it’s time to reject the republican assault on America’s taxpayers with their “trickle down” (trickle up, from my view) economic “plan” where they’ve been stealing TRILLIONS from America’s taxpayers for over 40 years, it’s time for this covert dog whistle RACISM to be rejected by “we the people.” If you’ve studied Richard Nixon at all you know about the so-called “Southern Strategy” where republicans have taken advantage of the racial animus of White Southerners which proceeded Ronald Reagan starting his campaign in Philadelphia, Mississippi, the place where three WHITE Civil Rights activists were MURDERED back in the 1960’s. Reagan’s “dog whistle” was a bit more subtle than individual 1’s these days, but, the bottom line is republicans have been soliciting their support from White Supremacists since the days of LBJ and the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act.

I was encouraged to see ALL the White men and women marching with the protesters to the LYNCHING of George Floyd. Of course, individual 1 is doubling down on his approach where he seems to believe there are enough White Americans who are either racist themselves or insensitive to his racist memes to produce another “win” in 2020 with what appears will be an even GREATER deficit in the “popular vote.” Clearly individual 1 is working hard to create another Electoral College disaster for the bulk of the American people. I would expect Joe Biden to be able to turn our IMPEACHED so-called president’s own words back in his face during the debates. Individual 1 supposedly wanted a fourth debate – where I believe, after the first one, he’ll wish there were no debates. His “base” hasn’t heard many of the vile comments our IMPEACHED so-called president has made and, hopefully, Biden will make sure that issue is “resolved” in the debates.

One more thing: I’m sure I’ll elaborate later, but I’ve been saying for almost a year now “we the people” can expect the “kitchen sink” coming from individual 1 the closer we get to November 3rd, especially if he’s TRAILING Biden, which he is. He KNOWS his base is full of “uneducated voters” and he’s priming them for what he says will be a “rigged election” if he loses. If you remember, he did this back in 2016 when he refused to say whether he would accept the results of the election. He’s doing the same thing now, only worse – telling his rallies, “The ONLY way I can lose in November is if the election is rigged.” Of course, he’s teetering between 7 and 10 points behind Biden nationally and he’s behind in virtually ALL of the swing states and maybe a couple which will be surprises. Some of his supporters are encouraging the “base” to buy ammunition in preparation for all the “liberals who are going to be in the streets with their weapons if individual 1 is re-elected.” Yikes!!! Stay tuned!!!

The 2020 election is on the horizon and, suddenly, in the media, FINALLY, we’re seeing more direct “evidence” of what a thug “we the people” have as our IMPEACHED so-called president. Several of the reports have to do with what people either KNOW, or think about individual 1’s relationship with RUSSIA. Of course, MOST of what is suddenly appearing in the headlines has been available to ANYONE who wanted to actually do a little “digging” on individual 1’s history. For example, the apprehension of people like Dan Coats, the former head of the Department of National Intelligence, about RUSSIA “having something” on individual 1 has been OBVIOUS, at least, to me, since he refused to even recognize this ATTACK on our nation. There are SEVERAL books which, factually, list individual 1’s history of dealing with RUSSIA and the Mueller investigations SHOULD have prepared “we the people” for what we’re now hearing from multiple media outlets.

And, the FACT individual 1 has been denigrating members of our armed services seems to have “struck a chord” with more and more Americans, especially after it was reported why he refused to visit the graves of American soldiers in France while calling those in the graves as “suckers” and “losers” for giving their lives for their country. This was NO surprise to me because I’ve been paying close attention since the day individual 1 took (LIED about) the oath of office to “defend our nation from threats foreign and domestic.” Not only did he denigrate those Americans who gave their lives in WW I but, on the same trip, he attacked our NATO allies and, generally, was an “A hole” on the world stage – one of the many times he’s embarrassed Americans who care about our standing in the “free world.”

So, now, today, the preview of Bob Woodward’s new book “Rage” is coming out and, almost unbelievably, individual 1 did EIGHTEEN recorded interviews with Mr. Woodward – RECORDED! Sure enough as his own words are becoming public our IMPEACHED so-called president is calling Woodward’s book a “hit job.” Let me say this one more time, his words in Woodward’s book, are part of EIGHTEEN recorded interviews. Yes, I’m thankful we are going to get a lot of information he CAN’T LIE himself out of, but the FACT he gave these RECORDED interviews, to me, is an indication of how STUPID our IMPEACHED so-called president really is. If it’s a “hit job” it’s a self inflicted “hit job.” (Of course, Woodward sitting on a lot of IMPORTANT information reminds me of John Bolton keeping important information “secret” so a BOOK can produce MORE profits – the American way!)

Now, if you’ve spent any time at all on this site you would know I am somewhat OBSESSED (can you be “somewhat” obsessed?) with doing ANYTHING I can to help encourage a MASSIVE run on the polls by progressive voters to vote this thug into the history books (right next to Benedict Arnold) come November 3rd. Well, as I’ve said many times here, individual 1 has given “we the people” all the evidence we need to understand he is an unworthy, incompetent, dishonest, and disloyal IMPEACHED so-called president. These revelations about his calling our fallen “heroes” “suckers and losers” SHOULD be enough to get even those in his CULT following to reconsider their “blind loyalty” to him – although I consider that unlikely – but, I believe it will motivate more people “in the middle” to join the rest of us in voting AGAINST him – if not FOR Joe Biden.

But, this slighting of our military (and, there’s much more than just the denigration of our fallen heroes in those French graves or elsewhere, along with the disrespect of “his generals” and the Russia “stuff”) is, to me, secondary to individual 1’s unthinkable FAILURE to lead a coordinated effort to fight off the Coronavirus pandemic . In Woodward’s book individual 1 admitted, on FEBRUARY 7th, he was aware of the DANGER of the coming Covid-19 pandemic. If you remember all the “stuff” referring to the “missing 70 days” at the beginning of this crisis, well individual 1 has now made it clear virtually EVERYTHING we – I say “we” because I was among a chorus of people condemning individual 1’s FAILURE to organize a national plan to fight the coming virus right from the beginning, were correct in our criticism of him.

The first case of Covid-19 occurred in “my” state, Washington, in January and it was clearly serious because several people in a retirement facility in Kent Washington died – almost suddenly. Seattle was one of the first “hot spots” in dealing with the virus and my niece, who works in the University of Washington hospital system, gave me my first view of the magnitude of this virus. She’s an occupational therapist but she was pulled away from her normal duties to essentially participate in supporting those dealing with the Covid-19 patients by helping them to change their PPE every time they came from one room in the hospital to another – especially those in the ICU. Everyone involved, including individual 1, knew the DANGER of this virus at that point in time.

Individual 1 was totally aware of the danger imposed by Covid-19 and he’s been LYING ever since the February 7th interview he gave to Woodward where he admitted knowing of the danger of the virus via a conversation he had with China’s president. It was president Xi who informed him of what to expect from Covid-19 and, yet, he’s been BLAMING China for all sorts of things which are, essentially, all LIES. Of course, MILLIONS of Americans knew our IMPEACHED so-called president was LYING right to our faces, but sadly, his CULT simply believes whatever comes out of his mouth. And, you don’t have to be a psychologist to understand individual 1 is a pathological LIAR. He can’t help himself and his “base” simply doesn’t want to believe what is right in front of their eyes. Sad!

According to SCIENTISTS who are experts in communicable diseases individual 1’s incompetent FAILURE to address this pandemic – with a plan which was “left behind” by the Obama administration – has led to the deaths of MANY tens of thousands of Americans – and, continues to lead to the DEATHS of more Americans who SHOULDN’T have to be dying from this virus. Individual 1 does ANYTHING if he believes it will help him get re-elected. Clearly, he cares not about the number of people DYING – as his niece says in her book, individual 1 “checks off all NINE indicators of a NARCISSIST” which is simply more EVIDENCE his behavior is all about himself! How can his “base” continue to support this coming from the highest office in our nation? Yikes!!!

This, of course, leads us back toward the military and individual 1’s relationship with Russia. Woodward’s book is bringing out the reality several of those who were members of individual 1’s administration were puzzled as to “What does Russia have on him?” I’ll not forget our IMPEACHED so-called president standing in front of cameras beaming the press briefing in Helsinki around the world as he took the side of Vladimir Putin over our intelligence service in regard to Russia’s interference in our election of 2016. Quantifying whether Putin was totally responsible for individual 1’s “victory” in 2016 (with three MILLION fewer votes than Secretary Clinton) will likely never be possible, but the reality he’s (Putin) still at it four years later is sobering. And, individual 1 continues doing NOTHING to stop this!

When you read about Paul Manafort giving key campaign information (remember, both Jared Kushner and Steve Bannon were involved in their campaigns’ connection to Cambridge Analytica who had “mined” key data from something like 75 MILLION American Facebook users which had been analyzed into key tendencies of the potential voters – I believe they called it “neighborhoods”) to Konstantin Kilimnik, a Russian intelligence officer, you really have to think their (The Russians) influence on the election very well could have been more significant than most of us are thinking. This “collusion” is continuing on some, at this point, unknown level and “we the people” are likely not going to understand what the Russians are doing in 2020 unless Biden wins the election and ANOTHER Russia investigation can go forward.

And, the reality individual 1 is doing NOTHING to stop the Russians from spreading MORE misinformation (the REAL “fake news”) should have more people than those who think like me to be wanting to KNOW what Russia does “have on our IMPEACHED so-called president.” Additionally, it should have people on edge knowing the Russians are attempting to penetrate various state voting systems obviously attempting to spread chaos once again. While I don’t hold out any hope his CULT followers are going to rebel from this – keeping in mind Fox “news” has them totally BRAINWASHED via tactics originally used by the Third Reich – to me, it’s UNFORGIVABLE for EVERY one of the republicans in Congress who continue SILENTLY supporting this IMPEACHED so-called president who’s a DANGER to this nation – we just don’t know how serious the DANGER really is. And, those in individual 1’s administration supporting his “collusion” to Russia – like Chad Wolf and others who are helping to HIDE the intelligence which is being blocked by Wolf and others in the DNI are acting like TRAITORS!

I’ve talked, here, many times about the DAMAGE individual 1 is doing to this nation and it continues to mount. The country is overwhelmed by this pandemic individual 1 has chosen being AWOL from opposed to leading a national response to the virus, the country is, essentially, teetering on an economic depression with close to 20 MILLION Americans unemployed – and more on the horizon, students across the nation are doing school on a computer – if they’re lucky enough to have one and to have access to high speed internet – and, keep in mind, there are MANY who DON’T fall into that category, the streets are full of protesters, and “we the people” have an IMPEACHED so-called president who is clearly willing to CHEAT in order to remain in POWER. If “we the people” don’t massively REJECT this pseudo fascist, narcissistic, racist, xenophobic, and misogynist thug on November 3rd the America we have known since WW II will be in ruins.

Read “The Family” by Jeff Sharlet if you want to understand more about the moneyed interests which lie behind this version of the republican party which is totally willing to accept individual 1 as the party’s leader. The LYING doesn’t matter to them. The CHEATING doesn’t matter to them. The devastation to our environment today and into the future doesn’t matter to them. All the terrible comments about members of our military both living and dead doesn’t matter to them. The only thing which matters to these invisible supporters of this un-American occupant of the “White House” is MONEY. Wall Street is what matters to them. They could care less about “Main Street.” They are counting on “we the people” being so turned off by the incompetence of our government – under the “leadership” of individual 1 that they choose NOT to vote. And, for those who are willing to VOTE but not totally committed they (republicans) are attempting to put out “roadblocks” making it difficult enough to discourage them from doing so. Our country rests, right now as the November election approaches, on a MASSIVE rejection of individual 1 at the polls!

Final Thought: I’m presently reading (finishing) a book, “White Too Long” The History of White Supremacy in the Christian Church by Robert P Jones, focused on White Supremacy and the Church. As a Christian, myself, I’m always a bit reluctant to broach the subject of politics in church because I know where the conversation will go. I go to church because I refuse to give up my beliefs due to seeing things so differently from MANY in our congregation. This book is going, hopefully, to give me more FACTUAL information should I manage to get into conversations which, hopefully, would be “fruitful” and not deteriorate into people being defensive about their beliefs. Naturally, MANY of the people I’m referring to are individual 1 supporters and I, personally, am constantly struggling to understand how they can “go there” while committing themselves to the “Teachings of Jesus.”

I’ve brought this up here before but my thinking tonight has to do with the reality I’ve come to the conclusion the White Nationalist movement in America is somewhat similar to terrorist movements we’ve seen around the globe in recent years. From researching on the web how some of the organizations – most of which seem affiliated with a moniker using the word “Boogaloo” – act like terrorist groups and seek to “radicalize” unsuspecting ” dupes on the internet somewhat similar to how groups like Al Qaeda operate. I remember right after George Floyd was LYNCHED and the ensuing protests began springing up all across the country I found on the “web” various groups “calling their members to arms” – encouraging them to converge on the demonstrations with the express purpose of stirring up violence and trouble. I still believe, when all is said and done, many of those who were doing the instigating in the protests, including setting the fires and damaging businesses, came from these right wing White Nationalist groups.

Of course, it conveniently allowed individual 1 and his supporters to BLAME the Black Lives Matters protesters – and, undoubtedly, these White Nationalists were successful, in my view, of “sucking” many of the protesters into their “plan” with many entering the businesses which had their windows and doors broken open to participate in the looting. To me, none of that is OK and I’m, personally, OK with anyone who was causing damage or STEALING from businesses to be prosecuted if it can be proven they are guilty – but, I believe the VAST majority of the instigating came from these organized White Nationalist groups – many who claim their goal is to start a “race war.” Time will tell if I’m correct – although I have the picture of the 17 year old young man who had just murdered two people in Kenosha, Wisconsin walking right past several police vehicles out of Kenosha as if he was just your normal WHITE kid walking down the street with a smoking AR15. I couldn’t help but wonder, “What would the cops have done had he been Black?”

Apparently, individual 1 has adopted the theme, “desperate times calls for desperate measures.” I long ago pointed out he was going to “throw the kitchen sink” at Joe Biden during the ensuing campaign – and, that’s exactly what is happening. But his reckless lawlessness is heating up, if that’s possible, as he’s ordering various agencies to manipulate government data in a “desperate” attempt to make himself look better by November 3rd. (Hopefully, MOST progressives will have already VOTED by then) For example, just a few weeks ago I read where he had ordered several Covid-19 testing programs (?) to be shut down. Sure enough, shortly after, I read that the number of new cases of the disease “dropped” to “only” 40,000+ cases per day from 60 – 70,000 cases per day.

However, the number of deaths continues to surpass an average of 1,000 American lives lost to this pandemic EVERY day – and, that’s with some of the right wing governors, as I’ve pointed out prior, to be “cheating” on the cause of death. A few weeks ago I heard Anthony Fauci estimate the total number of deaths caused by Covid-19 to be approximately 50,000 higher than the CDC statistics. And, to me, that made perfect sense because not only are some of the governors CHEATING but, at that time just as in New York back in March and April, people in Texas were DYING in their homes from Covid during July and August because the hospitals were beyond capacity and they couldn’t get treated. In the early part of this pandemic, in New York, paramedics were finding approximately 200 people PER WEEK who had died in their homes – presumably from Covid-19. In Texas, Florida, Arizona and other states where hospitals were beyond capacity (and, may still be) who knows how many are dying in their homes?

So, we have an IMPEACHED so-called president who’s willing to CHEAT on the testing (which, of course, simply leads to the disease spreading more rapidly) and, now, it’s been reported the Labor department has changed the way they report the unemployment “numbers” in a futile attempt to keep the numbers “lower.” To no one’s surprise, sooner or later “we the people” are going to have to deal with the reality of this situation. There are tens of MILLIONS Americans who are out of work and there’s no practical place for them to find work. We are in a serious economic downturn no matter how Jerome Powell is able to keep “pumping” up Wall Street. Sooner or later “the bill becomes due” and individual 1 is hoping he can keep the “bill collector” at bay until after November’s election. When Wall Street finally “crashes” it could be a “sound” heard around the world. (That means, it could be really bad! And, by the way, people who CHEAT at golf………..)

You see, it matters not to him what LONG TERM damage he’s doing to this nation, this nation’s economy, and this nation’s reputation around the world – he’s able to see only a few inches in front of his face – every decision he makes is for that moment with NO concern about the future. I still remember, gagging as I do so, Alan Dershowitz, during the IMPEACHMENT trial, suggesting individual 1’s ILLEGAL extortion attempt to the president of Ukraine was not a “high crime or misdemeanor” because if “the president feels his actions are in the best interest of the country he can do just about anything” – well, I paraphrased his words a bit because I’m too lazy to look them up. But, the “gist” of what he was saying was that if the president feels his re-election is “in the interest of the country” then just about anything he does is “legal.” Yikes!!!

How could you watch that and not think back to Dershowitz, in the OJ Simpson trial, arguing about whether or not the “glove fits” and suggesting that was enough to exonerate Simpson from the “alleged” double murder. Criminals always believe the laws are meant for someone else and, usually, even after being “caught” they claim innocence. Individual 1 has a history of criminal behavior and associations with mobsters – whether organized crime “families” in New York to the Russian Mafiya – and who knows what in between. Both the Russians and the Saudi’s have bailed individual 1 out of financial ruin over the years and it’s now a family affair. (Individual 1 has relied on the lowest of the low attorneys over the years going from Roy Cohn to William Barr with Dershowitz in between.)

Yes, in regard to the family, I’m referring to Jared Kushner. His dilemma with his property at “666” fifth avenue (do you think he purchased the property based on the address? – if you’re not a Christian you likely don’t know the significance of that number) was resolved after a couple of years (while “working” in the “White House”) of “hitting up” Chinese investors, Qatari investors, and likely Saudi investors. Kushner proves the old adage, “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” I’m guessing Kushner’s activities may be part of the investigations which ensue should individual 1 no longer be protected by the OLC memo come January 20, 2021. Do you think, for example, the leaders of these other countries expect something in return for the MILLIONS they’ve “invested” in our IMPEACHED so-called president (and his offspring and their spouses).

I keep talking about the DAMAGE individual 1 is doing to this nation (he’s now encouraging people to vote twice – which, aside from being ILLEGAL, is mind boggling to me – he’s incapable of stopping) and there seems to be a never ending stream of one CORRUPT action after another – it’s almost impossible to keep up. Of course, with William Barr as the Attorney General individual 1 is free to do whatever he pleases. However, “we the people,” I believe, understand his FAILURE to address the Coronavirus pandemic, right from the start, is causing DAMAGE which will be lasting and virtually IMPOSSIBLE to quantify. There are tens of thousands of Americans who SHOULD be alive as I’m writing this and that number is going to increase to levels we can only speculate. And people dying is terrible but, on top of that, just think what is happening to our children.

MOST school children are now being forced to go to school digitally. I’m a former sixth grade teacher and I can tell you with confidence, this is REALLY bad! With the students I worked with, and I was in a high poverty school with over 90% of our students on the “free and reduced” lunch program designed for students in poverty, I learned early in my career the importance of “relationship” in getting students who saw no value in school to learn to apply themselves to the importance of learning. I loved teaching and loved my students and I am struggling to think what it would have been like to start a school year using “zoom” or some other digital program.

And, I had MANY students who had no access to the internet and/or situations in their homes which was not conducive to online learning. For example, I had many students who had a single parent and were living in apartments where there were as many as 7 or 8 people sharing a two bedroom home. And, of those numbers many were students who would ALL need to be learning digitally right now. I believe dangerously high numbers of students will NOT be doing “digital learning” and this could lead to the WORST DAMAGE we’ll be associating with the individual 1 administration. (Now, our IMPEACHED so-called president is using the term “herd immunity” – which would make this all EXPONENTIALLY worse)

Individual 1 has somewhat succeeded in taking the Covid-19 DISASTER off the front pages with his continuation of one scandalous action after another. Of course, he’s been doing this since the day he took the oath of office but, no matter what happens on November 3rd, our IMPEACHED so-called president’s FAILURES in fighting this virus is going to leave DAMAGE which will be lasting well beyond his time in office, no matter when that ends, which makes me think of the scar on my knee from the surgery when it was replaced. (It’s a very large scar) Should “we the people” come to our senses and vote individual 1 and enough of his republican sycophants in the Senate into the history books there’s a chance this virus could be under control by the middle of 2021. The reality is “we the people” are “behind the eight ball” in dealing with this virus and it won’t be easy to get it under control. Joe Biden will need a Congress which is agreeable in order to fight this virus.

What that means is that many of America’s school age children could LOSE a full year of their education which is DAMAGE which is just staggering to me. I think of high school age kids who are part of the “at risk” students I used to work with and I don’t believe MANY of them will be sitting in front of a computer screen for 5 – 6 hours per day. The end result will be an incredible number of high school students “dropping out.” Honestly, it grieves me to be writing this and it’s a big part of the reason I am so focused on doing whatever I can to make sure individual 1 LOSES the election in November. It actually grieves my heart that so many Americans have chosen to continue supporting him.

America is at a tipping point and November 3rd – and the days and weeks which follow – will determine whether we continue into the “abyss” or if we attempt to pull ourselves out of the mire individual 1 has dragged us into. He’s nothing more than a wannabee mob boss and he’s inflicted his anger and rage on “we the people” as he tries to put himself onto the world stage next to his idol Vladimir Putin. I started this post a few days ago and, I guess, I’m just getting tired of watching this thug as our IMPEACHED so-called president and, then, listening to American citizens who support him come across as blind loyalists which you’d see in a cult.

Final Thought: After I had actually written this piece before the article in “The Atlantic” which quotes individual 1 as calling American troops who died during WW I as “suckers” and those who are captured as “losers” while he suggested Americans who served in Viet Nam, which he avoided with his FIVE deferments, as “stupid.” In fact, he’s referred to his own voters as “uneducated” and “stupid” and reports suggest he derides “Christians” in private as also being, well, stupid. Obviously, he attacks virtually everything which moves eventually calling everyone who gets near him names because, with the exception of republicans in Congress and William Barr, others are beginning to tell the truth.

Even individual 1’s response to the article in “The Atlantic” has been disgusting as he attacked our military leadership while “denying” these reports. No one, other than the cult members, believe a word he says – for heavens sake, he’s LIED over 20,000 times since the day he took office. LYING which seems to go unnoticed by the so-called “Christians” who make up his base. I’ve written I’m reading a book about the history of White Nationalism in the Christian church which leads me to better understand why these “Christians” are supporting him. A sad reminder of Germany in the 1930’s!

Our “law and order” president, who just oversaw an incredible series of violations of the Hatch Act, which, apparently, republicans feel no one cares about – and, with their supporters, that’s likely true – is going to attempt to “pin” the actions of the people who are turning the peaceful protests in the streets as “we the people” have become sickened by all the Black Americans being MURDERED by police on Joe Biden. As I wrote the other night, MOST of those who’ve been arrested for instigating violence and/or causing property damage across the nation have been members of various right wing groups like the Proud Boys or those who call themselves versions of the “Boogaloo bois.”

If the so-called “liberal media” allows individual 1 to get away with this it’s just further evidence this election is on “we the people” to mobilize in ways which have never happened before, unless we want four more years of this disastrous administration – we’ve got to vote. And, trust me, things will go rapidly downhill from where we are now if we fail to act. Hopefully Joe Biden is up for what lies ahead – because he’s dealing with the most disgusting DEPLORABLE “politician” ever on the American scene – with the possible exception of George Wallace or Strom Thurmond. And, remember, the violence “in the streets” individual 1 is attempting to convince his “base,” via fear mongering, is what they can expect if Biden wins the November election is what is happening RIGHT NOW in “individual 1’s America.” Pure projection!

When individual 1 attempts to put the violence happening at the protests which are happening on HIS “watch” on Vice President Biden it would be comical if this all weren’t so serious. Individual 1 claims the “peaceful protests” aren’t peaceful but what he, and our so-called liberal media, seems to “miss” is that MOST of the violence and damage happening at the various protests around the country – which have been ongoing since the MURDER of George Floyd – has been caused by right wing agitators associated with the aforementioned “Boogaloo bois,” the “Proud boys,” and other right wing hate groups – all of who are focused on starting a race war in America. They’re all white nationalist leaning groups and individual 1 supports them.

I was doing a bit of web browsing after the MURDER of Mr. Floyd and there were a group of right wing agitators calling their “brethren” to head to the protests – armed – and with the purpose of stirring up TROUBLE. (Bad trouble!) Shortly after I read about these groups being “called to arms” I witnessed someone – who later was identified as a right wing agitator – dressed in black, carrying an umbrella, and walking along a street in downtown Minneapolis and using a claw hammer to break one window after another as he was going from one building to the next. His ILLEGAL behavior was caught on camera by one of the MSNBC cameras but, apparently, not noticed by the police. (Well, eventually, he was arrested)

So, the reality is – as we heard from Kelleyanne Conway on her last day on the job – individual 1 believes the more violence and damage in the ongoing protests the better it works for him – so, do you really believe these right wing agitators aren’t part of the “plan?” And, sadly, many Americans – especially in rural areas, who ONLY get their “information” from outlets like Fox “news” – are susceptible to believe what our IMPEACHED so-called president is saying – DESPITE the reality he’s been documented to have LIED well north of 20,000 LIES since his inauguration. I, personally, know several people who support individual 1 and, the ones I can actually talk to, they don’t believe individual 1 is a LIAR. When I point out he’s been documented to have LIED over 20,000 times – in every instance – they respond with, “Everyone lies.”

Individual 1 offers NOTHING to “we the people” which would suggest he should get another four years to DAMAGE this nation. He’s been supporting the 17 year old kid who ILLEGALLY took an AR15 into Kenosha, Wisconsin and KILLED two young men wounding a third – as if the shooter was “in danger of losing his life.” Here’s the reality I SAW in one of the published videos. Rittenhouse, the shooter, KILLED his first victim and, as he ran away, several people were chasing him and yelling, “he shot someone, get him.” It was then he stumbled and fell to the ground and then started shooting again – KILLING his second victim and wounding the third.

Rittenhouse then got to his feet and began walking right down the middle of the street – walking past several police vehicles with his hands raised in the air and, sure enough, the police allowed him to walk right out of town. I’ve said this before – picture in your mind if Rittenhouse was a young Black man who had just MURDERED a couple people right in the middle of the street as the police were watching from a block or two away – do you really think they would have allowed the young Black man to simply walk out of town?

And, just like clockwork, right wing lawyers are lining up to defend Mr. Rittenhouse. And, interestingly, from what I’ve read, their focus is more on the charge he ILLEGALLY brought an assault weapon, he wasn’t old enough to possess, across state lines – Rittenhouse is from an Illinois town close to the Wisconsin border. This episode, including individual 1’s support of this young man, is just MORE of the overwhelming evidence we have an overt RACIST as our IMPEACHED so-called president.

What is the other evidence which shows how individual 1’s incompetence offers NOTHING for “we the people” as the November election approaches. For starters, it should be something which would be noticeable to MOST Americans that there was NO republican platform. Whatever individual 1 wants is it! Talk about more evidence he views himself as another Vladimir Putin!

Of course, worse than that is the lack of leadership regarding the Covid-19 pandemic which continues to ravage America worst than anywhere else in the WORLD with more than 185,000 DEAD and COUNTING! The economy on “Main Street” is teetering on another “Great Depression” while the Fed continues to prop up Wall Street. As an aside: if individual 1 continues to rebuff the democratic HEROES Act which would continue putting money in the places in America desperately needing it – from unemployed workers to cities and states which are reeling from the pandemic – we’ll be seeing the depression sooner rather than later. Of course, the ONLY way out of this “mess” is to control the virus, but it appears individual 1 wants nothing to do with controlling the virus – recently he’s been using the word “herd” as in “herd immunity” – which would mean MILLIONS of Americans would need to die before the virus “mysteriously goes away.”

Individual 1 claims all the executive orders he’s signed are “legislative accomplishments” which is simply MORE LYING. It’s true he’s rolled back many regulations via the executive order, but MANY of those orders have been directly DAMAGING to “we the people’s” efforts over the years to protect our environment, our air, our water, and to preserve many places in America which we want preserved for those who come after us – not to mention protect our food supply and other items “we the people” trust will be safe when we purchase things in the marketplace. The repealing of environmental regulations goes along with our IMPEACHED so-called president’s “climate denial” – which SHOULD get people’s attention and NONE of these decisions could make it through the “legislature” because they only appeal to the “far right.”

I’ve been alive since the late 1940’s and NEVER have I seen anything which approaches the reality over 50 MILLION Americans have applied for unemployment benefits since March. That’s only 6 months – an average close to 10 MILLION per month. In fact, I believe with one exception, EVERY week since March has had at least 1 MILLION Americans applying for these benefits. And, who knows how many are still unemployed – I don’t trust individual 1’s administration to honestly report the truth. For example, I’m guessing my son is no longer considered “unemployed” because the restaurant he works in called him back for anywhere from 8 – 10 hours per week. Obviously, people can’t live on what he was making before he was laid off, but 10 hours per week? This shows how absurd those in the “White House” who refuse to negotiate with the HEROES Act really are!

Right now not too many people are worrying about the MASSIVE debt which America will be dealing with WHENEVER individual 1 is FINALLY removed from office. The one legislative accomplishment of individual 1 and the republicans was the tax SCAM of 2017 which insured our nations annual DEFICIT would exceed $1 TRILLION per year for the foreseeable future and that was BEFORE the pandemic. I don’t think they “count” the TRILLIONS being accumulated on the Fed’s “balance sheet” which is up to about $7 TRILLION as I’m writing this. It’s true this is preventing another “depression” but I am reminded of the saying a “depression” is when “I’m” out of work. There are MILLIONS of Americans in this situation as I write this – and people like me really can’t identify with those who can’t pay their rent. There was a day when I was in that situation but, I believe, the future is much less “bright” these days than 30 years ago when I was facing the real possibility of homelessness.

So, if you like violence on our streets, a pandemic running rampant through one state after another with soon to be 200,000 Americans dead (and possibly increasing rapidly from there), an abuse of our environmental regulations and regulations protecting “we the people” from tainted food and other products, tens of MILLIONS unemployed, HUGE deficits and, of course, I forgot to include individual 1 is in court trying to take health insurance from an additional 20 MILLION Americans in the middle of this pandemic – not to mention ending the protection for those with “pre-existing conditions” – Oh yes, one more item – he’s in the process of destroying Social Security and Medicare – which would be in the headlines at any other time – but, he’s not only going after the long term viability of these POPULAR programs what he’s “promising” will bankrupt them both by 2023! so, if all this appeals to you then I “get” that you’re supporting our IMPEACHED so-called president.

Of course, that means you’re OK with the reality individual 1 colluded (yes, he did! read Mueller’s actual report AND the Senate Intelligence Committees final report) with the Russians, Obstructed Justice during Mueller’s probe, EXTORTED the president of Ukraine to start a FALSE report on Joe Biden and his son while ILLEGALLY withholding desperately needed aid to the Ukrainians in their attempt to fight off a Russian invasion of their land and then OBSTRUCTING Congress in the ensuing investigation – common behavior of someone covering up misdeeds! Behavior which supports my contention individual 1 is nothing more than a failed mob boss.

Oh yes, the Russians – just as Robert Mueller claimed in his congressional testimony – are still “at it.” They’ve been “interfering” in America’s political affairs for years – their “interference” simply became more intense and targeted once their “witting or unwitting” “useful idiot,” individual 1, became the republican nominee back in 2016. In 2016 I’ve read how the Russians became affiliated with Cambridge Analytica (under the guidance of Steve Bannon) as they assaulted unsuspecting Americans via Facebook (150+ MILLION of them) with targeted misinformation (AKA “fake news” – if you’ve wondered where individual 1 got the “theme” “fake news” it’s what the Russians have been doing for years) aimed at causing as much discord in America as possible – with the ultimate prize getting individual 1 into the “White House.” Just imagine Putin believing they actually have their own “useful idiot” in the “White House.”

Individual 1 has become less covert and more overt in his RACISM as he’s turned his re-election campaign into total fear mongering. He’s adopted Nixon’s theme – “law and order” as he, just as Nixon – is corrupt up to his eyeballs! Individual 1 suggesting he’s for “law and order” is like Al Capone saying he wanted to be a first grade teacher. Individual 1 has been violating America’s legal structure with impunity since the day he took office. He really is trying to be like Vladimir Putin and “winning” this next election puts it all on the line. We MUST stop him!Facebook

Final Thought: For those of us who took the time to read the Mueller report and have been wondering why there wasn’t more of an attempt by Mueller and his team to hone in on the CLEAR “collusion” between individual 1 and his campaign plus the connections between our now IMPEACHED so-called president and Russia we are now learning why. In the report Mueller pointed out there isn’t a law against “collusion” and they were unable to find a clear case of “conspiracy” between individual 1, his campaign, and the Russians. However, in Michael Schmidt’s book which is just coming out (I’ve purchased it and it’s on its way) “Donald Trump v The United States” Mr. Schmidt is reporting Rod Rosenstein BLOCKED the Mueller team from doing a counterintelligence investigation – which is why the focus was on OBSTRUCTION of Justice and issues with Russia which precluded investigating individual 1’s history with the Kremlin. Yikes!

I still remember Rosenstein standing next to William Barr as Barr was providing a “summary” of Mueller’s report which, essentially, “cut out the legs” from what Mueller and his team had concluded. There were several “falsehoods” (LIES) in Barr’s “summary” and Rosenstein stood right next to him and, in essence, gave his approval to Barr’s suggestion there was no evidence supporting “OBSTRUCTION” in the report where he blatantly LIED in regard to Mueller, clearly, stating in the report there was no indictment because his “team” had agreed to honor the OLC “memo” stating a “sitting president may not be indicted while in office.” Mueller, obviously, was inferring it was up to Congress to address the OBSTRUCTION evidence and he included the “aside” saying he “memorialized” the evidence in case there might be a future investigation. Barr LIED by saying Mueller said nothing about the OLC “memo.” And, Rosenstein went along with him. Rosenstein’s reputation has been further “stained” for all of time!

OK, I’ve pointed out over and over here that individual 1 uses the “Big Lie Theory” of the Nazi’s in order to cause people to believe demonstrably FALSE propaganda is true. By repeating his LIES over and over again people start to believe he MUST be telling the truth. In the case of the upcoming election our IMPEACHED so-called president is attacking our election process as fraudulent to the point where I don’t doubt many of his supporters are believing the only way he can lose is by a rigged election. This is pure Nazi propaganda and he uses it because it works with his uneducated voters and the help of his sycophants on Fox “news” like Sean Hannity – who is volunteering for a place in the History book I often talk about where individual 1 and his supporters will sit, right next to Benedict Arnold.

I’ve been pointing out the parallels between individual 1, the republican party, and the Third Reich back in the 1930’s in Germany for the past couple of years, and the one which bugs me the most, I suppose, has been the “base” of evangelical “Christians.” That was the “base” of Adolf Hitler which you can read about in the biography of (Dietrich) “Bonhoeffer” by Eric Metaxas (a great book, in my view) if you don’t believe me. I’ve often lamented my difficulty in understanding how any “Christian” could support individual 1, but I’m coming to understand my own naivete and “forgetfulness” in my understanding of American History. I’m presently reading “White Too Long” by Robert P Jones – a book studying “The Legacy of White Supremacy in American Christianity.”

What was I thinking? – White Christians were the force behind slavery, Jim Crow, Lynchings, Segregation, and the battle to prevent African Americans from voting among other “deplorable” things all throughout our history. Me, thinking conservative “Christians” couldn’t possibly be supporting a neo-Fascist like individual 1 was, well, pure “poppycock.” In my naivete I keep thinking we’re reading the same Bible as I struggle to understand how so many “Christians” could interpret it in such a “dark” way. In my view, individual 1 is encouraging the violence engulfing our major cities which, to me, is due to a continuation of the LYNCHING of Black Americans by the police – and, then, our IMPEACHED so-called president uses the protests which result from the MURDERING of one Black man after another to suggest this is what America will be like under a Biden presidency. Of course, the TRUTH is, this is how it is in individual 1’s America, under his OWN administration. This is projection, pure and simple!

The reality is “Christians” have been the force behind “White Supremacy” for generations upon generations. We saw the emergence of the so-called “Tea Party” once “we the people” chose a person of “color,” Barack Obama to be our president. Anyone who watched the gatherings of the “Tea Party” back then would be deluding themselves if they fail to accept, as reality, the “Tea Party” was founded on racism. Today’s racists in America seem to go out of their way to shroud their racism in a way they consider giving them deniability. But, it’s undeniable individual 1 got his “footing” in the 2016 election via his pushing of the “birther” movement against President Obama – a “strategy” republicans are “dusting off” because we now have another person of color on the upcoming ballot.

Sadly, many of these racists are part of various denominations of Christianity – it’s undeniable. And, let me assure you, the fact individual 1 can get Black football players to stand in front of the republican convention and say, “individual 1 is not a racist” does not make it so. As those who’ve said, “watch what he does, not what he says,” in regard to individual 1 – by doing so, and examining his history – actual things he’s said and done – and you have to be delusional to believe he’s not a racist. I mean I just mentioned the “birther” thing – then there’s the refusing to rent to people of color, the “Central Park Five,” the “Mexicans are rapists, etc,” the “Shithole countries” comment, the references of multiple people listening to him using the “N word,” and on and on.

Again, my disappointment is caused by the FACT his “base” is made up of “Christians,” not that he’s a racist. This country is teaming with racists and many people like myself, who believe we’re NOT racists, actually have a lot of soul searching to do as we watch another UNARMED Black MAN shot by police – this time SEVEN times in the BACK as his three children were sitting in the car he was attempting to enter. Someone needs to tell police to STOP shooting unarmed Black Americans. I was raised by a person, my father, I considered a racist and when I went to college to play basketball and found myself on a team with Black teammates I instantly realized I had been TAUGHT to fear people of color and it was shameful.

The reality, in America, is that segregation is NOT a thing of the past. While I believe there have been many advances since I was a young person the obvious reality is there’s a LONG way to go. Just listening to the republican convention where there have been multiple people warning “housewives” about what will happen to the “suburbs” in “Joe Biden’s America” confirms we have a LONG way to go – this is being said in a national political “convention.” Of course, that’s a “dog whistle” to warn White people about – well, I’ll let you fill in the blank – what’s going to happen to their neighborhoods if………… Individual 1 started this “deplorable” line of fear mongering – and, it’s been picked up by others making it a key part of the republican party’s 2020 agenda. Yikes!!!

Remember, the republicans chose to shred any semblance of a “platform,” ceding the republican message to whatever comes off the top of individual 1’s head. And, members of the “Christian” community who’ve “hitched their wagons” to individual 1, are, essentially, approving so many things which, at least to me, are contrary to the teachings of Jesus. Obviously, we’re all “sinners,” but we also have the ability to process information and choose between what is clearly a challenge to the issue of “right and wrong.” Individual 1, as I’ve been saying for years now, is creating DAMAGE to this nation which will take years, maybe decades to “fix” – especially, if he CHEATS his way into another term in office.

I’ve pointed out for years the bedrock of this nation, for example, is the Justice Department. Americans believing in the apolitical administration of Justice is the foundation of our republic. Obviously, if you’re a Black person you have a completely different picture of whether our Justice Department is “fair,” and now ALL of us are seeing the department politicized into a “weapon” by William Barr serving the whims of our IMPEACHED so-called president. To “throw” his disregard for our belief that this is a “nation of laws and not men,” individual 1 is ENCOURAGING a new level of lawbreaking during the republican convention of all things. (Why am I not surprised?)

Clearly, individual 1’s supporters say they believe in “law and order,” but they could care less when our IMPEACHED so-called president is “flipping off” the constitution and our system of laws. For example: The Hatch Act was passed back in the late 1930’s to prevent members of the executive branch of government from mixing politics with their official duties. Many people are upset by the blatant abuse of that Act during the republican convention, but when you do a little research you see members of individual 1’s administration have been routinely violating the Hatch Act since the early days of the administration.

Kellyanne Conway has announced she is leaving the administration at the end of August, with her final official act being a speech at this republican convention, but the Office of Legal Counsel long ago said she SHOULD have been relieved of her duties because she was routinely violating the Hatch Act. There have been NUMEROUS violations of the Hatch Act by others during individual 1’s term in office and, as far as I can tell, there has been not ONE instance of accountability so it should NOT be a surprise to see blatant middle fingers at the LAW during this convention. Yes, they’re violating the law and NO nothing will come of it. They believe their supporters don’t care, and I believe they’re correct – sadly.

For example, I tried to watch part of the “convention” on the last night and – I guess I haven’t been paying attention to the “news” lately, but there were surely OVER 1000 chairs situated on the lawn of the “White House” where individual 1 was holding his “convention” – after being spurned by North Carolina and Florida due to the pandemic. (And, of course, republicans were making a point of NOT “social distancing” or wearing masks) Here’s the rub – virtually EVERY one of individual 1’s surrogates, including his daughter, who spoke on the “White House” grounds was violating the Hatch Act. That’s the “people’s house” and it’s a violation of the law to do any political campaigning on Federal property – period, full stop! This is our “law and order” IMPEACHED so-called president in action.

November 3rd can’t come soon enough for me and I hope progressive Americans vote in even greater numbers than they did in 2018 when they first repudiated individual 1. Yes, he’s got a cult following and he’ll get 40% of the vote, but it’s up to “we the people” to put an end to this nightmare. And, it’s going to be difficult to recover from the DAMAGE individual 1 has inflicted upon America, but the sooner we start the sooner we can get beyond it. The sad reality is the DYING from Covid-19 will continue at a pace which was unnecessary had we a national plan to deal with the pandemic and the reality of over 20 MILLION Americans out of work is depression level unemployment which is being “covered up” by the Fed pumping TRILLIONS into the stock market to keep it from “tanking.” Who knows what the numbers are for people “under employed” like my son who’s been called back to work, but for only 9 – 10 hours per week. Essentially, he’s still unemployed. (He works in a restaurant) 50 MILLION Americans have filed for unemployment since March!

Individual 1 continues to project his own failures on to Joe Biden. He’s assuming “we the people” are completely stupid. I’ve been saying for years the republican party is turning America into a corporatocracy where the “rich get richer and the poor get poorer.” I believe the “statistics” since the days of Ronald Reagan bears this out. At this point in time the issue of “income inequality” is suffocating this country – unless, of course, you’re in the class of people above the poverty line. Most of us in the “Baby Boomer” generation have benefited from the best of this country – yet, many of us are turning our backs on those less fortunate. To me, individual 1 has exacerbated this problem. His ONLY legislative “accomplishment” is a tax cut (scam) for those who ABSOLUTELY didn’t need it and, as he leaves office, this country will be bleeding debt like it never has before.

And, while Joe Biden is campaigning on a message of “unity,” I can guarantee you the remnants of what’s left of the republican party after this election – should Biden win and the Senate be turned “blue” – will be returning to the days of the “deficit hawks” and the only way we will see unity in America is if “we the people,” after the election, stay “connected” and demand the change which MOST of us understand is necessary if we are ever to be “united.” We need to face up to our problems, HONESTLY. We need to face up to our history, HONESTLY. And, we need to choose whether we want to be a country of “haves and have nots” going forward. It will take what republicans (and some democrats and independents) consider radical changes to get America back to where we have a flourishing middle class.

And, finally, we need to DEMAND that White police officers STOP shooting Black unarmed Americans. Thanks to cell phone videos we’re seeing what has been going on for years (centuries?) as Black Americans keep getting MURDERED (Lynched). I watched the latest example in horror as Jacob Blake was shot SEVEN times in the BACK by a police officer as he was entering a car full of his children – clearly unarmed. I watched in horror as George Floyd was MURDERED on the streets of Minneapolis – suffocated to death with one police officer’s knee on his neck and another with his knee on the middle of his back and another on his legs. Rayshard Brooks was killed by police in Memphis and it was caught on video. And, Breonna Taylor, there’s no video and how many others have been killed with no video? Was this even mentioned at the republican convention?

I could only stomach so much, but I didn’t hear anything – other than a couple rich White people who aimed their automatic weapons at protesters walking PEACEFULLY through their neighborhood being asked to speak despite being under indictment – confirming individual 1’s warning about “housewives” in the “suburbs” which would suggest republicans still don’t “get” that “Black Lives Matter.” The encouraging part of all this, to me, is there are MANY White Americans standing arm in arm with Black Americans who’ve finally said “enough already.” I’ve always said government should work from the “bottom up” NOT from the “top down” – as it has since the days of Reagan. And, of course, it’s not just people of “color” who are at the “bottom,” and, to me, our focus as a nation should be how we can make things more equitable for everyone, how do we “lift” people up? And, while republicans will cry out “socialism, socialism” I believe there is a balance place between “socialism” and a regulated capitalist society.

For those who say they believe in “free markets,” I say, that is, “free markets” that are set up (regulated) to their interests. I don’t believe there have EVER been “free markets” in America during my lifetime. The disconnect between Wall Street and “Main Street” today is the perfect example of what I’m talking about. If we had “free markets” we would be totally in the middle of another “Great Depression.” When you watch the Fed manipulating the markets – meaning Wall Street – it’s hard to suggest we have “free markets.” In 2008 Wall Street was bailed out on a much smaller scale than what is happening right now – but, my point is, America does NOT have a “free market” economy. It’s got an economy which is skewed toward the wealthy, period! That’s what “we the people” want to see changed – a fairer “playing field.”

Final Thought: Try to picture what it’s like to be a Black person in America. It seems, to me, a bit outrageous listening to our IMPEACHED so-called president listing “Antifa” as a “terrorist organization” – when Black Americans consider the Police to be a terrorist organization. And, of course, when you read about our history, you can see why Black Americans would FEAR those in the Churches who’ve participated in the systemic racism over the years – which has morphed into official “LYNCHINGS” by the police where, back in the early to mid twentieth century, the LYNCHINGS often materialized right from the pulpit of various churches. It really is TIME to deal with this issue and those who identify with White Nationalism, in my view, need to be encouraged to retreat to the rocks they were hiding under prior to Obama’s election.

And, do you find it a bit of “deplorable” irony that individual 1 and his supporters are basing their campaign on claiming what is happening in our streets RIGHT NOW is what you can expect from “Joe Biden’s America.” These people are such LIARS that they’ve evolved to the point where their LYING is referencing their OWN failures. I’ll say it once more, the saddest part in all this is, to me, the FACT it’s the “Christian community” – and, I should say MOST “conservative Christians” – who form the “base” of our IMPEACHED so-called president. I’m a, I guess, LIBERAL Christian and I find little to NOTHING coming from the “White House” which comports to my understanding of the Bible. Stay tuned………………

OK, speaking of “Antifa,” the dreaded “terrorist organization” according to individual 1 and William Barr. There have been many arrests, so far, in the demonstrations for “Black Lives Matter,” regarding those creating vandalism and violence, and, as far as I can tell, not ONE of them has been someone affiliated with “Antifa.” The other night in Kenosha there was a group of self proclaimed “militia” walking the streets carrying automatic weapons and one of them, a young 17 year old boy, killed two people and wounded a third – then walked right out of town past police cars and vans without incident. Do you think they let him walk out because he’s White? Later, the police, who had earlier tossed him a water bottle and thanked him for being there, (picture if there was a group of Black men carrying AR15’s at the protest – would the police been tossing them water bottles???) arrested him and charged him with two felony homicides – and, this young man is a strong supporter of individual 1 – NOT Antifa! Additionally, of all the others arrested across the many protests in America (that is, in individual 1’s America), from what I’ve read, many have been affiliates of the group calling itself “Boogaloo.” They converge on protests in order to instigate violence and destruction – attempting to put the blame on the peaceful protesters and, of course, “Antifa” – whatever that is. Sad!

As I have for years, everyday after I turn on the computer I go to Yahoo! Finance to check out the stock market and, during this pandemic when we have a DEPRESSION level of unemployed Americans it’s almost mind boggling to see the market creeping up to record territory. Of course the TRILLIONS of stimulus – up to this point in time something approaching $10 TRILLION, most of which is being “pumped” into the market by Jerome Powell of the Fed, is going to lead to interesting discussions when all is “said and done” with the virus – whenever that might be. In anticipation of republicans taking a “bath” in the upcoming election I already sense the “deficit hawks” coming out of hibernation – just as they did following the “Great Recession” brought on by Bush/Cheney.

Of course, the Bush/Cheney recession “hit” the country right as we were getting ready to vote for either Barack Obama or John McCain who famously undermined his own campaign by claiming the “The fundamentals of the U.S. economy are strong” as America was cratering toward what COULD have been another “Great Depression.” Sound familiar? Well, except, in my view, the economy is in FAR worst condition now than it was back then. Republicans have agreed to approximately TEN times the “stimulus” they agreed to in the so-called TARP bailout AND, they’ve done a good job in hiding where the BULK of that (around $10 TRILLION) has gone. They’re laying the groundwork for a massive attack on the Biden administration which, if history is any indicator, will begin prior to Biden actually taking the oath of office regarding the “Biden deficit.” I’m not kidding!

In other words, due to the incompetence, the LYING, and the CHEATING of individual 1 there’s a good chance republicans will be “down” – but, unless Biden, should he win, has a progressive and courageous start to his administration and MANY republican senators get “retired” along with individual 1, we’ll see the same playbook which has happened over and over in the years since Reagan turned America sharply to the “right” as if it’s a “broken record.” And, by the way, when you look back at Bush/Cheney you see the LYING, the incompetence, and the CHEATING – just in more subtle ways. Dick Cheney was, in my view, every bit as “deplorable” as individual 1, he was just a more polished politician as he went about trying to turn America into a corporatocracy – the equivalency of a Mussolini type fascism – that believes in TORTURE. We stopped that attack on our “better angels” back in 2008 and, hopefully, we’ll stop it again in 2020. But, brace yourself!

As I’ve said here, many times, I’m an old man in my mid 70’s and (too) MANY of my peers are part of the Fox “news” audience. I had discussions with two of them this past week, two people I can talk about politics and they don’t start throwing things – like many of the Fox viewers I’ve encountered over the years. In our discussion I’ve been reminded of the surveys of American voters where it was determined those who watch Fox “news” are the least informed of all the Americans surveyed – including people who don’t watch anything considered “news” on TV. And, that’s saying something, because Sinclair Broadcasting is “beamed” into the homes of nearly 40% of American households, so most people get at least some “news” via TV and, very likely, it’s right wing propaganda. (Thankfully, Sinclair is NOT beamed into mine and I call it the “one minute challenge” when I tune into Fox in a futile attempt to see what they’re saying – the LIES are ALWAYS pouring forth at a level causing me to change the station before I can even make it to that one minute “challenge”)

I believe individual 1 is a traitor to this country which puts his cowardly sycophants, also, in a very DARK part of our history books. If they, led by William Barr, somehow figure out how to CHEAT to “win” another election it will just make their place in History even DARKER – because the young people of this country won’t tolerate another four years of this, as us “baby boomers” have – claiming the system will survive and, in the end, will be standing tall. I still believe that, but I expect our IMPEACHED so-called president to pull out “all the stops” in order to avoid facing our legal system once he’s out of office. To me, he’s nothing but a cheap wannabee mob boss who bullied, LIED, manipulated, and, yes, CHEATED in order to fool MILLIONS of Americans into voting for him. After all, you’d think his “Christian” base wouldn’t be too happy with someone who admitted to being a sexual predator right before the last election. Yet, they voted for him anyway!

You’d think it would be hard to find ANY American who would be OK with individual 1 paying off two women he had illicit affairs with right before the election so his “Christian” base wouldn’t know about this – and, of course, the affairs were while his present wife was bearing his last son which, to me, makes it even worse. And, of course, you’d think it would be hard to find ANY American who would be OK with a politician encouraging Russia to help him “win” the election. I bring this up because of the three Fox “news” viewers I’ve conversed with of late, two of them had NO idea about any of this. One even said, “I believe those are conspiracy theories.” Nice guy, but he reminded me of when individual 1 said, “I love uneducated voters.” Yikes! I taught my sixth graders to process information better than that.

Look, I was NOT a Joe Biden supporter during the primaries, but I understand why the democrats ended up choosing him – the NUMBER ONE goal of the democrats is to IMPEACH individual 1 for good because the republicans failed to convict him when they had the opportunity after his FIRST IMPEACHMENT. I was hoping a strong, young progressive would emerge who could appeal to those of us in the “middle” who understand the word “conservative” has been twisted into “knots” over the past 40+ years in this nation. The “trickle down” economic scam pulled over “we the people’s” eyes, originally, by Ronald Reagan has morphed into the politics of GREED where those who don’t “fit the mold” are simply “collateral damage.” I’m a Christian who believes Jesus was EMPHATIC when he said, “What you do to the least of these, you do to ME.” As a people, we’ve lost sight of that message.

“Trickle down” economics was simply a mechanism allowing the wealthiest Americans, including multi-national corporations, to FLEECE the American taxpayers of TRILLIONS of dollars – money which COULD have been spent on rebuilding our infrastructure to world class standing – instead of letting our roads and bridges crumble. Money which COULD have been invested in our people, lowering the cost of higher education for our young people or providing retraining for those who have lost their jobs because of corporations choosing China’s workers over America’s. (And, of course, then these corporations do everything they can to avoid paying a cent in American taxes)

Again, today, as MILLIONS of Americans are facing evictions, being unable to pay their basic bills, and likely losing hope Wall Street continues to march upward. As I’ve been trying to point out lately, the disconnect between Wall Street and Main Street has NEVER been more evident. That is bound to change soon because of the lack of a “deal” in Congress – and, don’t tell me it’s the fault of “both sides.” That’s an absurd argument! The “HEROES Act” has been sitting on Moscow Mitch’s desk for over three months now. It was the “gift from above” by the democrats to the republicans in the face of the upcoming election and, still, they don’t “get it.” It’s as if the republicans WANT people to be suffering because they believe that will cause them to either NOT vote or to vote for them – as if individual 1 is “good for the economy.”

Actually, one of my friends I mentioned above actually said that is why he supports individual 1, the economy. I said, “Do you believe the economy is in good shape right now?” And, of course, he answered, “Yes.” I said, “Do you understand there’s maybe as many as 30 MILLION Americans unemployed right now, Depression numbers?” And, he answered, “I don’t believe that.” All I could say was, “Man, you’ve got to stop watching Fox “news.” This is a clear failure of our “liberal media.” Individual 1 inherited a healthy economy and is going to pass on an economy in a depression – yet, the polls agree with my friend. People, somehow, believe individual 1 would be better for the economy than Biden. The only words I can pull up: “Only in America.”

I keep thinking about people like Jeff Bezos, Tim Cook, Mark Zuckerberg, and others in the upper echelon of America’s wealthiest people seeing their net worth this year rise dramatically, I can’t help but think of how this nation’s economy worked when I was a kid – the Eisenhower, Kennedy, LBJ years. Top earners, in those days, paid 90% of their earnings above and beyond a certain point – which I believe, in equivalent dollars, would amount to around a few MILLION dollars today. I fully believe we need to return to something similar to those days. A way to discourage GREED and encourage corporations and their executives to reinvest excess profits back into their companies or communities or workers. Corporations really do have a responsibility to the communities in which they’re located – just as they have a responsibility to their workers – who, of course, could be the recipients of some of that excess at the top.

I certainly don’t know how those who are raking in the BILLIONS manage to avoid paying taxes, I just know they pay a lot of money to the top accountants who are able to figure out how to get around the tax laws. When Hillary Clinton pointed out individual 1 hadn’t paid taxes for something like 15 years, his response wasn’t “no, you’re wrong,” it was “That makes me smart.” When the person at the top is openly CHEATING the system why would we expect anything different from other top earners. It’s been reported, for example, that Jeff Bezos has had his “net worth” increase by $68 BILLION the last time I checked, THIS YEAR and that was a month or two ago. I’m afraid to ask what it has risen to since.

CEO’s shouldn’t be able to hide their income in stock options or in places like the Cayman Islands in a tax “shelter.” There’s NO corporate tax there, so many American corporations and/or corporate executives locate their “corporate identity” in a PO Box in the Cayman’s and end up paying no tax. I’m not sure if that’s how Amazon did it, but it’s obscene to me they are paying NO taxes AND looking for HUGE tax breaks as they pit one American city against another for the next distribution center while they are profiting in the BILLIONS. This is what happens when you have a political party which is afraid to regulate business so that the American workers and the American infrastructure where the businesses operate are protected. It’s almost as if corporations “bleed” one location dry and then, after depreciating their assets, simply pack up and move to a new location to start the process all over again.

And, we keep falling for it – allowing ourselves to be convinced republicans are better able to manage the economy. This actually flies in the face of the empirical evidence. Bush/Cheney left a potential return to a “Great Depression” – they had inherited a booming economy from the Clinton/Gore administration. Al Gore “lost” the election in 2000 because Bill Clinton couldn’t keep his pants zipped up AND, of course, because republicans CHEATED and got the Supreme Court to stop the recount of the votes where the CHEATING took place.

Well, I guess you could say “deja vu all over again” considering individual 1 inherited an economy which had been gaining “steam” for OVER 6 straight years and it ONLY took him two and a half years to turn it into ANOTHER possible “Great Depression.” Of course, as I’ve said, the people at the “top” (of the “food chain”) like Bezos, Zuckerman, Bloomberg, and others are getting RICHER by the minute despite the appearance individual 1 will be passing on an economy, once again, in “tatters.” This time could be really BAD, because I believe, for example, Mr. Powell can only “pump” so much money into Wall Street before it collapses and then we’ll all know how serious the situation individual 1 is leaving us really is.

I’ve been suggesting for a couple years now, to anyone interested in better understanding what is going on behind the scene at the “top,” for people to read “The Family” by Jeff Sharlet. There’s a group of people who believe those who are the most wealthy and powerful SHOULD be ruling the rest of us. Every time I try to understand who is behind the support individual 1 is getting I keep thinking of this group. They kind of go hand in hand with the dominionists. “We the people” aren’t smart enough to “self rule” they believe – these people HATE anything approaching a democracy. Many of their members, at the time Sharlet wrote the book – he managed to infiltrate the organization – were republican members of Congress who lived together in a house on “K Street” in Washington DC. These are the people who started the national prayer breakfast and, lest you get the wrong idea, they invited people like Indonesian mass murder Suharto to their meetings – despite the FACT he authorized the MURDER of half a MILLION Indonesians – he was considered a “strong ruler.” Sound familiar?

My point in all of this is, if you believe the American economy is “strong” right now, well, I’d say you’re dead wrong. I believe the foundation of sand, on which the economy sits, is about to erode in a significant amount. I certainly hope I’m wrong – because, I don’t believe “we the people” are going to vote in numbers enough for our IMPEACHED so-called president to “win” no matter where the economy is – and, of course, my other point is, Wall Street is NOT the “economy.” We are witnessing the epitome of income inequality – which, as I remember reading Marx back in my college days (obviously, many years ago) – this is how, theoretically, a capitalist economic system would collapse. I hope we don’t choose to go to that extreme.

Our traditional – and, of course, I’m talking about what I grew up with – combination of capitalism AND a social safety net type of government – what Bernie Sanders calls “democratic socialism” is what I hope ends up “ruling the day.” Should “we the people” fail to remove individual 1 from the “White House” – no matter how he might CHEAT in order to “win” – for example, we KNOW right now he’s still working with the Russians – our system of government, as we’ve known it, will likely collapse. The wealthy few in this nation must understand they CAN’T continue FLEECING our taxpayers indefinitely. They’ve been doing this since 1981 and “enough already.” More and more of them are realizing, for example, the didn’t need – nor warrant – the previous tax scam of the republicans. It’s time to return to the days of tax policy prior to Reagan’s initial tax cut to the top rates which started this massive almost encouraging America’s wealthy to embrace their GREED! To me, that’s not something to be encouraged!

And, it appears fleecing Americans of their tax dollars isn’t good enough for individual 1’s version of the republican party. Just the other day, Steve Bannon and three of his buddies were arrested and indicted on a scheme where they’ve allegedly raised MILLIONS from unsuspecting “dupes,” ie their “uneducated voters,” as if they would pay to build the wall – on people’s private property no less. Well, it appears, these MILLIONS of dollars coming from their lowest level of supporter have been merged into the private accounts of Bannon and his friends to fund a very LAVISH lifestyle. This fraudulent use of privately raised funds the supporters intended to help run the campaigns appears to go way deeper than the scam Bannon was arrested for. Some of the “Super PAC’s” are funding other leading republican grifters in ways I can only hope become exposed once this criminal organization is out of the “White House.” Americans of all “stripes” are suffering but, it seems, that just makes them more of a target for this administration!

Final Thought: If you don’t believe the attack on the Postal Service is serious and might actually allow individual 1 to succeed in STEALING another election the only evidence I have is based on my personal experience selling items on Ebay which get sent all over the country. I only sell a few items each month but, starting a little over a month ago I started noticing my packages, which I follow closely via the tracking system, have been arriving anywhere from one to three days LATE. Obviously, this could create a situation come November where MANY MANY voters could find their votes arriving at the polls LATE. I hope that doesn’t happen to anyone, no matter who they’re voting for. Of course, the data would suggest MOST people who are wanting to “vote from home” are affiliated with democrats. The latest package I’ve been tracking is NOW 5 days LATE and won’t be delivered today!

Individual 1 and his band of cowardly cronies, as I’ve said, will – and, now are, throwing everything INCLUDING the “kitchen sink” at his unsuspecting “base” to convince them if he loses – which, it appears if we have a FAIR election, he will – the election “was rigged.” Of course, he was saying the exact same thing four years ago – also refusing to say he would accept the results when MOST people thought Hillary Clinton would win the 2016 election. I have to add, Nate Silver at Fivethirtyeight.com works in percentages – ie he’s now saying individual 1 has a 27% chance to “win” based on all the polling and research he does (and he’s very good). Four years ago he was giving individual 1 a 29% chance to win at about this time and it was his website I was watching during the final days, after Comey’s now infamous “intervention” in the process, where they were showing the surge in the polling away from Clinton toward our now IMPEACHED so-called president.

That’s just one more reason for democrats to remain diligent right up until election day, but today when I read about Putin’s nemesis in Russia, Alexei Novalnay, who is lying in a coma fighting for his life as I’m writing this, I couldn’t help but think of what individual 1 would prefer America to be like. That is, Putin just has his opponents jailed or, if that doesn’t work, they mysteriously become poisoned. There is so much evidence suggesting Putin has the “goods” on individual 1, also called “kompromat,” that I’m just struggling to understand how any American could choose to vote for someone this deplorable. As responsible citizens we are (SHOULD BE) required to educate ourselves prior to voting and, as I’ve said, watching Fox “news” is NOT educating yourself. Cross check the information with actual facts – they really are out there. Individual 1 is attempting to STEAL this election “in plain sight” and it boggles my mind he conceivably could get away with it. I’m VOTING EARLY and making sure my ballot reaches the location where it will be counted! That’s the least I can do for my country!