The REAL Black Friday: Trump Takes Office

     The real Black Friday is almost upon us; Donald J. Trump will be sworn in as the 45th President of the United States.  By a substantial margin, most of us voted for other candidates.  Hillary Clinton alone defeated Trump by close to three million votes.  The Electoral College handed down a different verdict.  So, we are told, we need to grin and bear it--come together in the best interest of the country.

     Well, this was not your “typical” election where political passions ran high, but in the end we unify behind the victor. 

     Donald Trump ran a scorched earth campaign based on vitriol and outright lies, “fake news”, and racial hatred.  He doesn’t deserve a “pass”, and he certainly doesn’t deserve the “honeymoon period” the Republicans never saw fit to deny President Obama (see Mitch McConnell’s infamous remarks following the 2008 election). 

     Trump employed fake news like no one before him... and he started long before the election with the assertion that President Obama was not a natural born citizen.  It was utter rubbish, which Trump undoubtedly knew, but he used it to gain a toehold in the fight for the GOP nomination. Trump’s subsequent ventures into fake news quickly proved the man is pathologically dishonest.  Here are just a few of his “greatest hits”:

Trump attacked Heidi Cruz’s looks, then denied it.

Trump claimed Rafael Cruz was involved in the JFK assassination.  LIE.
Trump claimed Muslims in New Jersey celebrated the 9/11 attacks.  LIE. 

Trump claimed Syrian refugees were entering the U.S. without vetting.  LIE.

Trump claimed 34 million undocumented immigrants are living in the U.S.  LIE. 

Trump claimed he couldn’t release his taxes due to an IRS audit.  LIE.

Trump claimed he never supported the invasion of Iraq.  LIE. 

Trump claimed that he never referred to women he didn't like as "fat pigs", "dogs", "slobs" or "disgusting animals".  LIE
Trump claimed he never said that the numerous women who accused him of sexual misconduct/assault were "too unattractive" to assault.  LIE.

     From his ties/allegiances to Vladimir Putin, to the insane lies he spouted about Hillary Clinton, and now John Lewis... he is a paranoid narcissist run amok.  Whether or not the dossier is factual almost doesn’t matter to me; he’s thrived on these sorts of stories so I hope he chokes on this one.

     This Friday he takes office, and as I write this over 50 Democratic Representatives are boycotting the inauguration.  I applaud their decision but almost wish they’d attended and then turned their backs on the stage when Trump is sworn in (his hand on the Lincoln bible is almost too much to bear).  It would be no less than he deserves.

Resist!

Massacre in Orlando; Trump's Disgrace

     Like millions of Americans, I awakened this morning to news reports about the horrific slaughter in Orlando's "The Pulse" night club.  The headlines state that this is the worst mass shooting in U.S. history, with 50 dead and another 53 wounded--many critically.  My heart goes out to the victims, their families and friends, and to the entire LGBT community.
     One might have hoped that politicians would refrain from pronouncing judgment on this tragedy--at the very least until all the facts are known.  Donald Trump, however, felt compelled to weigh in (to no one's surprise) by informing the waiting world that these events prove he was "right" about terrorism... whatever that means.  He reiterated his call for a "ban" on Muslims entering the U.S. (of course, the suspect is an American citizen--born and bred here--and appears to have acted alone), he denounced our "weak leadership" --demanding that President Obama resign (!), and he attacked Hillary Clinton for not speaking the words "radical Islamic terrorist".  Of course, not once in his statements did he express his support for the LGBT community. Given his recent run of bad press, significant Republican buyers remorse, and dropping poll numbers it's no wonder he'd want to point fingers elsewhere--but, no one needs to hear more of his bigotry and intolerance--least of all the Orlando community.  He's only making a horrendous situation even worse.
     Since he decided to politicize this tragedy, instead of showing restraint and decency, I only hope Trump's actions serve as a wake-up call for those who might actually contemplate voting for him.  He is a demagogue, and an arrogant bully.  His hate speech accomplishes nothing but serving as a recruiting tool for ISIS.   I have to believe that the inherent goodness and decency of the American people will ultimately prevent Mr. Trump from getting anywhere near the Oval Office.  It's obvious that this great country deserves far better.

     After posting the above, I read that Trump has achieved a new low--even for him.  He said that the President "either doesn't get it, or... he gets it better than we understand".  The implication is obvious, and disgusting.  This man has no shame whatsoever.
   

Paul Ryan's Smirk or Scowl

In a few short hours, millions of Americans will be subjected to Paul Ryan's supposed "poker face". The only real question is: will he be smirking, or scowling? As Speaker of the House, Ryan will be seated next to Vice President Biden and behind President Obama as he delivers his final State of the Union address. Ryan’s dark suit will undoubtedly be festooned with his usual American flag pin. Unfortunately, Ryan is unable to grasp or appreciate the incredible strength in the diversity of our nation, so the pin is quite meaningless. If he truly understood, then there’d be no excuse for either his voting record, or for what I’m convinced is the racist manner in which he, Mitch McConnell, and countless other Republican “luminaries” in Congress have consistently interacted with President Obama throughout his two terms. Frankly, their behavior has been so blatant I’m shocked that the word “uppity” hasn’t escaped their lips. Ryan’s disdain of the President has long been palpable, but it’s hardly surprising.
Ryan, who is actually considered a “policy wonk” by some, demonstrated his racist proclivities this past year when he linked poverty to “this tailspin of culture in our inner cities in particular, of men not working and just generations of men not even thinking about working or learning the value and the culture of work”. Rep. Barbara Lee of California immediately (and quite correctly) took him to the proverbial woodshed. Noting his use of “inner city” as code for “black”, Rep. Lee pegged it as a racist attack.
Ryan is a part of the mindset that would find such statements/views acceptable. Today, nine out of ten Republican supporters are white; and 98% of elected Republican officials are white. Ryan continues to fly in the face of diversity. It’s ironic, then, that he actually held a poverty “forum” in South Carolina last week. Given the fact that Ryan has voted against raising the minimum wage ten times since coming to the Congress, and that he envisions one of the “solutions” to poverty as being slashing proven/effective Federal anti-poverty programs and putting them in the hands of the states, it’s hard to take him seriously. Unfortunately, he’s just so dangerous…
As he glowers or glares behind the President this evening, consider the respective messages each man represents. I’m certain President Obama’s will accentuate the positive, while Ryan will embody the party of opposition-with-no-plan. Ryan will undoubtedly make every effort to ensure his flag lapel is in full view, but Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine (a band Ryan claimed to be a big fan of) summarized it best several years ago when he called Ryan out for “his rage against women, immigrants, workers, the poor, gays, and the environment”. We’d all best beware of Paul Ryan, smirk or scowl.