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!

Despicable Donald, Part One

     Donald Trump's blatant hypocrisy is downright fascinating... and perversely entertaining. Take notice of how Herr Trump repeatedly whines whenever a news outlet raises the specter of past failures or questionable antics. For example, he goes a little bonkers when he's reminded that he posed as his own publicist in 1991, but his orange hues turn bright red when mention is made of Trump business bankruptcies in 1991, 1992, 2004, and 2009. Duplicitous Donald strenuously objects to any journey through HIS past. And yet, he's decided that Hillary Clinton's past is fair game. Duplicitous Donald has determined that Whitewater is a relevant issue here in 2016! Not that anyone likely remembers--or cares--but there where allegations that President Bill Clinton (while serving as Governor of Arkansas in the mid 1980s) used his influence to arrange a $300,000 loan to the Clintons' partner in a real estate deal.  The Clintons actually lost tens of thousands of dollars in the deal; it was thoroughly investigated, and they were never indicted for anything.  Duplicitous Donald knows there's nothing to this, but he believes in repeating lies enough so that his supporters will believe him.
     Even more disturbing is Herr Trump's ill-advised decision to raise questions that have already been answered about the suicide of a Deputy White House Counsel, Vince Foster, in 1993 (during the first year of the Clinton presidency).  Multiple investigations concluded that Mr. Foster did indeed commit suicide:  the U.S. Park Police (with F.B.I. assistance) in 1993, independent Counsel Robert Fisk in 1994, and even Whitewater independent Counsel Ken Starr (who certainly disliked the Clintons) reached the same conclusion in 1997--after a three-year investigation.  Despicable Donald, however, has no decency or regard for the Foster family--instead, he and assorted talk radio conspiracy lunatics say or do anything to assault the Clintons.  Just a reminder:  this is the same Despicable Donald who touted a bogus National Enquirer photo to smear Ted Cruz; claiming that the photo showed Raul Cruz (Ted's father) with Lee Harvey Oswald.  Of course, we all know what Despicable Donald wanted everyone to think.
     As Herr Trump's campaign melts down into an orgy of bigotry, sexism, and hatred, be prepared for Desperate Donald.  He'll reveal that, among many other things, Hillary broke up the Beatles and staged the moon landing. 
     In the end, Despicable Donald has nothing.  He's a hot air balloon incapable of rational discussion of issues he's unable to understand... and the air is beginning to escape, but like a cornered cobra he'll strike out randomly and repeatedly.  He's dangerous, he's despicable... let's hope he's done.

    

Trumpus Interruptus

The presumptive nominee of what remains of the Republican Party (the tea-partiers and lunatic right-wring fringe have successfully carried out purges that might have made Pol Pot blush; not a moderate remains standing) has given new meaning to the term "whiplash".
Throughout the nomination process Mr. Trump has seen fit to engage in the most childish and nasty name-calling imaginable... usually late in the evening on Twitter. One look at the caliber of his tweets leads to the conclusion that alcohol was likely involved. The "New York Times" provided a public service in compiling a listing of the late-night rants (The Upshot, 4/4/2016) and it was disturbing, to say the least. To think that someone so unstable might be sitting in the Oval Office, or anywhere near the infamous "red button", is enough to make the skin crawl.
Let me state upfront that I am not a Republican, and I am certainly no fan of Ted Cruz. Yet throughout the campaign Mr. Trump saw fit to tweet: "a nasty guy", "world class liar", "biggest liar in politics", "dishonest", "deceptive", "cheater", "didn't win in Iowa, he stole it", "ultimate hypocrite", "says one thing for the money, does another for the votes", and my personal favorite--"doesn't have the temperament to be president" (!). These are but a few of the Trump tweets... what a statesman! To put the icing on the cake, he actively supported the "National Enquirer's" attack on Cruz's father--placing him in Dallas with Lee Harvey Oswald.
Yet, less than 48 hours later after his win in Indiana, Trump said: "Ted Cruz... I don't know if he likes me or doesn't like me, but he is one hell of a competitor. He is a tough, smart guy. And he has got an amazing future."
As I listened, my brain almost exploded and my neck suffered excruciating whiplash. It's what the Manson family would have sounded like had they returned to the scene of the Sharon Tate massacre the next morning: "We didn't really mean it, we're fans".
Words have consequences, Mr. Trump, or at least they used to. Hopefully all the lies, vitriol and negativity will come back to bite you before it's too late for the rest of us. "Instant Karma's gonna get you".

FOX Presents: The GOP Follies

This Thursday evening (August 6th), the Fox Entertainment Group will premiere the first installment of what they fully expect will be a blockbuster series. Sneak previews and advance reviews have already won the show automatic renewal through November, 2016. In fact, Fox is hoping this series will become an international sensation, influencing millions for years to come. It may well achieve this goal. However, although Fox intended to produce a drama of biblical proportions—a serious study of the human condition—advance word has suggested it succeeds admirably as farce, tinged with an undercurrent of spine-tingling fear.
Headlining the cast for this series will be “The Donald”, a Kenyan-born caricature of a successful businessman. The pompous nature of this character is a tribute to the screenwriter’s imagination. His allegedly “storied” business career proves to be a fascinating mixture of successes and bankruptcies (picture Bozo the Clown on a bungee ride).
“The Donald” quickly reveals many quirks: he’s petrified of, and disgusted by, women who breast feed (believing instead that women ought to be paraded in antiquated beauty pageants). He’s vaccine-phonic, a climate change denier, and apparently has a serious issue with war heroes; particularly those who fought in the Vietnam War (no, “The Donald” never served).
Joining “The Donald” in this cast is a ventriloquist’s dummy (named “Walker”) who, while initially humorous, quickly runs out of steam. The interesting twist here is that there are two ventriloquists manipulating “Walker”; they are cryptically referred to as brothers, and they somehow cast a dark shadow over the proceedings. Your first impression is that “Walker” may be a humorous simpleton; we see him spouting silly rhetoric about teachers, labor unions, and education. Unfortunately, that’s the extent of his act, and he repeats it incessantly. Quite sad, actually.
“Bush” appears to be the patriarch of the cast (interestingly, there is no matriarch, nor is there any female presence at all in this opening installment). “Bush” seems to represent the very notion of entitlement that he professes to abhor. We begin to wonder about his family life. Does “Bush” have siblings? Are they successful? Is “Bush” over-compensating? Yet, in spite of his obvious flaws, “Bush” emerges as a somewhat well-intentioned goofball of a character; sympathetic where others are not.
In direct contrast to “Bush”, there’s a blowhard Texan named “Cruz”. You know from the moment you lay eyes on him that this guy can’t be trusted. He’s written as a villain, and takes to the role like a pig in mud. You get the feeling “Cruz” would be willing to shut/bring down our own government in order to further his own ambitions—and to hell with the country’s safety!
Next in line comes “The Huckster”. A bass player, a preacher, and oh yes, the former governor of Arkansas. “The Huckster” has been treading the boards for years, hoping to make an impact but seemingly content to sell books when the latter is not feasible (i.e.most of the time). “The Huckster” caught the preaching bug when he worked for a televangelist, though to his credit he served “in person” (as pastor in Pine Bluff and Texarkana for a dozen years). An ardent opponent of evolution, gun control, and gay marriage, “The Huckster” is prone to making outrageous statements that have no basis in reality. Don’t let the folksy charm fool you, “The Huckster” can sling mud with the best/rest of them while invoking the name of God to justify his actions.
These, then, are the primary characters in the new drama. There are lesser supporting characters: “El Rubio”. Dr. Ben, Rand “I-want-to-be-Ron” Paul, Bobby Jindal (usually referred to as “Bobby Who?”) and the delicate, sweet flower from New Jersey, Chris Christie. There also appear to be a myriad of bit players, but their names escape me.
The series has its moments of comedy, but falls flat in short order. The one dramatic moment for this viewer occurs when the realization sets in that these individuals are running for President of the United States. It’s a deeply disturbing and truly scary thought.
For those of you who might be intending to watch, don’t. For our friends and allies around the world, our humble apologies. Avert your eyes, cover your ears, and may we never need to speak of this again.

Ted Cruz for President???

I suppose we ought to thank Ted Cruz for effectively undermining what remains of the ultra-conservative “birther” movement by announcing he’s running for President (of the United States). None of his “red meat” supporters will be likely to do much talking about Kenya any longer, since Canada presents a much more serious issue. Ted Cruz is not (as the Constitution specifies) a “natural born” citizen. Heck, Donald Trump is already yapping about this one. However, this is something for constitutional scholars to debate, and I defer to their judgment.
Meanwhile, California’s iconic governor Jerry Brown has pummeled Cruz over a series of ignorant statements and for falsifying facts pertaining to global warming. Brown concluded by stating “It’s shocking, and I think that man has rendered himself absolutely unfit to be running for office.” Climate change, however, is merely the tip of the Cruz iceberg (my apologies).

I would argue that Ted Cruz can, in all fairness, be accused of treason. Among the definitions provided by Merriam Webster: “the offense of attempting by overt acts to overthrow the government of the state to which the offender owes allegiance (presumably not Canada); or to kill or personally injure the sovereign or the sovereign’s family.”
In fact, Ted Cruz and his cronies recklessly and knowingly pursued an action (shutting down the American government for purely partisan purposes) that inflicted a $24 billion blow to the economy of our country. He chose to do this at a time when the economy remained in a somewhat fragile state, recovering from a devastating recession. His actions could have triggered dire consequences, and Cruz was clearly hoping he could bring the Obama administration to its knees. Fortunately for the rest of us, he achieved little more than to provide both pleasure and solace to the enemies of our republic. Cruz was more than willing to inflict financial pain on his fellow citizens (American, not Canadian) since he enjoys one of the apparent perks of being a Senator; he’s also a millionaire.
Cruz has served as an opportunistic thug in the short time he’s been a Senator. Apart from shutting down the government (alienating members of his own party), his greatest “accomplishments” include: opposing immigration reform, vilifying gay Americans, acting as a lap dog for the gun lobby, opposing aid for victims of Superstorm Sandy, and, in particular, nattering on incessantly about his plans to repeal the Affordable Care Act. He seems to relish the thought of separating millions of Americans from their newly acquired healthcare coverage. No wonder he’s invited obvious comparisons to the late (though not lamented) Joseph McCarthy—demagogue extraordinaire.

Ted Cruz for President? “Unfit” barely scratches the surface!

Is Senator Ted Cruz a Traitor?

Full Definition of  TREASON:

1)  the betrayal of a trust : treachery.

2)  the offense of attempting by overt acts to overthrow the government of the state to which the offender owes allegiance, or to kill or personally injure the sovereign or the sovereign's family.

If these are accepted definitions, courtesy of Merriam-Webster, I wonder if Ted Cruz could be viewed as a traitor?
Cruz advocated for the shutdown of the government of the United States; it would seem like a fine line between overthrowing and shutting down a government. One can argue it was his goal to remove, or eliminate the government of the nation to which he owes his allegiance (not Canada in this instance).
In addition, he knowingly advocated an action he recognized would cause great financial harm to the Republic—and to its citizens. Among the many voices calling on Cruz and his cronies not to pursue this course of action was the editorial page of “The Wall Street Journal”—hardly a mainstay of liberal ideology. Yet Cruz recklessly and knowingly pursued actions that delivered a $24 billion dollar blow to our nation; certainly weakening us in the eyes of potential enemies.
Given the fact that his net worth is estimated between $204,951 (hardly plausible) to $3,526.994, Cruz certainly wouldn't feel the economic pain he’s more than willing to inflict on his fellow citizens.

Ted Cruz has clearly established his reputation as an opportunistic bully—opposing aid for the victims of Hurricane Sandy, taking an incredibly hypocritical stand on immigration reform (this native of Canada opposes a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, and urges construction of a massive border wall—while still failing to prove his U.S. citizenship), lobbying for the gun industry, and vilifying gay Americans. He also made the outrageous comment that Chuck Hagel’s nomination as Sec. of Defense was “celebrated by the Iranian government”. In fact, his behavior and line of questioning throughout these hearings drew widespread condemnation and fitting comparisons with Joseph McCarthy.
Even if one were able to set aside these and other “highlights” of his short reign of terror in the Senate, the question remains… has Ted Cruz engaged in treasonous acts against the United States of America?