Pride, Luck, Dark Ages, Shame, Choices and Democracy

June is pride month, and the 50th anniversary of Stonewall--when the gay rights movement took off, pushing back against systematic discrimination, and establishing dozens of, what in essence were, new civil rights action organizations. 

It was also this month only four years ago, in 2015, that the Supreme Court recognized that marrying a person of your choice (among consenting adults) is a constitutional right! But, did you know this decision was by a 5-4 slim majority? 

  UPDATE:  This just came in: R. Muller will answer his subpoena and will testify in an open hearing on July 17th, 9am.  It's very important that the American public hear again, and directly, under careful questioning, what Muller meant by obstruction of justice and why he didn't charge the president when Muller found more than 10 instances of conspiracy to obstruct and actually obstructed justice....

Why do you think this is happening? It's because the Dems won control of the House in the last election. The Repubs would be advocating for Trump and act like the US Atty General Barr, as Trump lawyer(s).  

The Republican party has created a monster--an activist base that's extremely conservative and crazy. Take for example Senator Lindsay Graham (R-SC) who had called candidate Trump "crazy" totally unqualified for the highest office, but when Trump got elected and popular in SC, Graham changed his tune entirely. No matter what the reason is, this Republican party owns what Trump has done and will do until he's no longer president.

The conservatives have always been against progress, even if they have to trample over rights and decency, and human dignity.  This country has been held back because of the conservatives. This Republican party--an anachronism among modern western liberal-conservative parties--actually wants to take our country back to the dark ages.... 

I hate when self-righteous people--usually generally uniformed or misinformed (and misguided) by inane religious dogma--want to impose their morality on the rest of us. 

Recently another woman came out to accuse the self-admitted perp of sexual assault; over 15 women have done so already. But the malignant, self-absorbed, man-child denies any of this, on the basis, get this, that those women aren't pretty enough for him! What??!!  Only a maladjusted, immature miscreant would respond like this.  But, as I've been saying all along, Trump's actions make sense if you see him as a spoiled mid-teens brat who never grew up. This is how bully and an imbecile would call others, "losers", and other diminutive nicknames.  Tsk...

Politics, elections, voting, public opinion and mobilization, all matter. But, often the important issues aren't really debated or even mentioned during campaigns. For example, in the 2016 election, the balance on the supreme court and its effect was not discussed. GOP senate leader, McConnell disgracefully denied president Obama a nomination to the supreme court. Guess what? No political penalty for such a gross violation of our institutional traditions and ethics.

On Wednesday night, 6/26, the first Democratic debate for the presidential nomination will take place, and tomorrow the second one. They couldn't fit 20 candidates on stage, so they split them up. I'm for democracy, but there can't be any serious conversation with that many people. Also, not all these candidates can be serious contenders, so I'd like to hear more from the serious ones. On the other hand, this is a problem with an uniformed public, and I think this is why Biden, Sanders, and Warren get the higher numbers--name recognition.

Anyway, summer is in full swing. Enjoy it, and enjoy life because it goes by very quickly.

Peace. 
 

Pleasure in Taking Advantage of People Who Trusted Him.... [Can You Guess Who?]

In a recent Fox poll, only 5% of white Americans with no college degree agree that Trump's economic policies benefit them. It'd be shocking to associate this with voting behavior, but we already knew that many Americans consistently vote against their economic interests, especially the ones who can least afford it.

So, it has to be something else of value these people think they're getting from Trump and the Republican party. Perceived value is something subjective, and I won't pretend to argue that having healthcare, or better wages, or a cleaner environment should be preferable to you than building a border wall or establishing a theocracy in the US. For example, many Russians have opted for a rebuilding of an empire like the old Soviet Union instead of building democracy, and a strong social safety net.

But, what I find appalling is the fact that a con man, a bullshit artist, keeps taking advantage of those who trust him, and that he's applying his trade on a much larger scale since the Republican party has enabled him to get the presidency and constantly eroding our institutions.

Paul Krugman has written another gem regarding this.

Here's an excerpt. [if you're a NYT subscriber, you can find the whole article, here]

"In 2016, on the campaign trail, Trump sounded as if he might be a European-style populist, blending racism with support for social programs that benefit white people. He even promised to raise taxes on the rich, himself included.

Since taking office, however, he has relentlessly favored the wealthy over members of the working class, whatever their skin color. His only major legislative success, the 2017 tax cut, was a huge break for corporations and business owners; the handful of crumbs thrown at ordinary families was so small that most people believe they got nothing at all.

At the same time, he keeps trying to destroy key provisions of Obamacare — protection for pre-existing conditions, premium subsidies and the expansion of Medicaid — even though these provisions are highly popular and have been of enormous benefit to states like Kentucky and West Virginia that favored him by huge margins.

As if to symbolize who he’s really working for, on Wednesday Trump will give a Presidential Medal of Freedom to Art Laffer, best known for insisting that tax cuts for the wealthy pay for themselves. This is a classic zombie idea, one that has been repeatedly killed by evidence, but keeps shambling along, eating our brains, basically because it’s in plutocrats’ interest to keep the idea in circulation.

And here’s the thing: White working-class voters seem to have noticed that Trump isn’t working for them. A new Fox News poll finds that only 5 percent of whites without a college degree believe that Trump’s economic policies benefit “people like me,” compared with 45 percent who believe that the benefits go to “people with more money.”

Trump may believe that he can make up for his pro-plutocrat tax and health policies with tariffs, his one significant deviation from G.O.P. orthodoxy. But despite Trump’s insistence that foreigners will pay the tariffs, an overwhelming majority of noncollege whites believe that they will end up paying more for the things they buy.

Oh, and remember Trump’s promises to bring back coal? His own Energy Department projects that coal production next year will be 17 percent lower than in 2017. 

Now, this doesn’t mean that there will necessarily be large-scale defections on the part of Trump’s beloved “poorly educated.” On the other hand, health care — where his betrayal of past promises was especially obvious — seems to have played a big role in Democrats’ midterm victory. And he is certainly more vulnerable than he would be if he engaged in even a smidgen of actual populism. Why won’t he?

Part of the answer may be personal: Trump’s whole career shows him to be the kind of man who, if anything, takes pleasure in taking advantage of people who trusted him.

Beyond that, however, for all the talk about how “it’s Trump’s party now,” he still needs the support of the G.O.P.’s big-money interests. For now, the party establishment is happy to provide cover for the administration’s corruption, closeness to Putin, and all that.

But that could change. If Trump ever did anything that might hurt the rich or help the poor, many Republicans might suddenly discover that self-dealing and accepting help from hostile foreign powers are actually bad.

Whatever the reasons, the simple fact is that Trump isn’t a populist, unless we redefine populism as nothing but a synonym for racism. At least some in the white working class seem to have realized that he’s not on their side. And Democrats would be foolish not to make the most of this opening."

How the Least Politically Informed Can Have a Huge Impact

Are we appealing to the least informed among us? It appears so. In a close election, like the one in 2016, a 2.5% can have a huge impact. This country has a 2-party system, like it or not, when only the two major parties have a chance of winning. You may not want to vote strategically, I get it. But, I can't do that. If I vote for one candidate or party that has no chance of winning, I'm in effect helping the other. Often this is totally unacceptable, because of start differences between the two viable options.

In a system of winner-take-all, when you vote for a third party you have to be aware that your candidate/party will get nothing if they have low public support... 

I think it's a disservice to our polity for anyone to argue, vote me for because all the others are the same! Even if you're a dumb Republican, you knew there were meaningful differences among the contenders in the party's primaries. 
Similarly, do the Jill Stein (Green Party) voters really believed that HRC's environmental policies would've been the same as what we've seen from DJT?..

I personally don't find any front runner to be progressive enough. But, I couldn't possibly not have voted for HRC on the grounds she and Donnie were the same! I never liked the Clintons, but had she been elected, responsible and competent people would be in charge--you know, persons who accept science. Most probably she'd be raising her own taxes to pay for something, and the Supreme Court would have had 2 liberal judges instead of 2 cons. Yeah, that supreme court that gave us civil rights, same sex marriage, and protected Roe, etc. Most reasonable people expected exactly what we're getting in terms of policy, government officials, leadership , economics, etc, from the buffoon in the White House. It was so obvious before the election.
 
Appropriately here's lots of discussion about "wasted votes", but attention should be given to the least informed voters---the self described "independents" 


First, there are very few truly independents, because most consistently would vote only for one party. There some other "independents" who know almost nothing about politics and can't tell the difference in policies between the Ds and Rs. But, these people are also too apathetic to vote. So, the truly independents are about 7%, that vote either D or R. But of those only 1/3 voted in 2018! That's 2.3%. In a presidential year election, usually the numbers go up as more voters participate, but still...

In my opinion, and not only, what wins close elections is turnout. So, doing a better job getting you're base out to vote is better than anything else. Obviously, it doesn't have to be 'either or'. But, had the Dems had a slightly greater turnout in those three states in 2016, the outcome would have been the opposite.

Here's the Pew Research findings:Six Facts About Political Independents


 _______

Another instance of the man-child in the White House. The Wall Street Journal broke the story that the White House wanted our navy ship USS John McCain out of sight during Drumpf's visit to Japan! CNN's Anderson Cooper 360 has the story, here. I haven't checked lately, but I'd imagine hundreds of Republicans in Congress are speaking out and condemning Trump... right?...

The Muller Report Confirmed: Trump Crime Family Colluded, Obstructed Justice, Betrayed the Country!

One thing is abundantly clear: Trump and his people are criminals, unethical, and unpatriotic/treasonous. After the FBI director and the Attorney General were fired by Trump, his current AG decided to act as his personal lawyer and not as the top law enforcement official in the country. Oh, and the so-called "fake news" outlets got their reporting confirmed by Muller!

The Muller Report, redacted as it may be, clearly shows what we already knew--how Trump and his people have been acting all along. The unredacted details contradict Trump and the AG.  Here's an editorial by conservative columnist J. Rubin, Right Turn -- one of the few Republicans who see this for what it is.

Only the willfully ignorant or morons can't get themselves to acknowledge that the Trump crime family colluded and conspired with the Russians, that they were eagerly willing to use illegally-obtained information and Russian lies to win an election, while they were talking to a foreign power about lifting sanctions, and hoping to profit by doing business in Moscow. The Trump family is still making money and taking payments from foreign interests.

Obstruction of justice? He did it in the open by firing Comey, Sessions, not cooperating with Muller, attacking the legitimacy of the investigation, and instructing others to lie to the FBI and Muller.

The FBI (yes, their job is to investigate) was looking into the Trump campaign for a good reason, because of persons who had been colluding with Russians and other foreign powers. Five of his closest associates already have or are going to jail. When president Trump was told not to give security clearance to his son-in law because Jared was compromised, DJT did regardless. Same with convicted felon Flynn, who was made National Security Advisor with access to the most secret classified information.

Thankfully, Ivanka declined to be the head of the the ..World Bank. Her father wanted to appoint her there, because.. "she's good with numbers"!!!   But, he has appointed dozens of incompetent and unqualified people for jobs in important positions. Trump himself is not qualified to be president.  Yes, I'd still disagree about Republican policies if they were put forth by president McCain or president Romney, or as they were by president Bush. But, the big difference is that those people were qualified to be president of the US. 

"Lock him up"  What more damning evidence do you need?

Others have been convicted on lesser crimes, but as long as he's got the Republicans to shield him, he gets a pass, for now.

So, now what's next? There will be many spinoffs. Those who say the American public is fed up from this and wants to move on are playing a partisan game. Don't listen to them. Keep describing him as crook #1. I'm not suggesting the Dems should focus on this only--they should offer their alternative policies. But, clearly Trump rode the train to the White House by harping on the.. crooked Hillary's emails. [Wouldn't you love it today if that was his scandal instead of all the other crimes and misdemeanors he's been involved in?]

Elections are not won because one side plays nice. The voters themselves aren't the rational jurors who render a careful decision. They're the cultivars of a long process of politicization and cultural indoctrination. There are a few factors that determine close elections, and one very important one--if not the most important one--is turnout. 

What causes voters to show up or stay home? Excitement and commitment, and how do you get those?.....

Capo's Consigliere: Crime Boss Directed the Operations.... (and, let me tell you where the bodies are burried)

Finally, Congress--well, the House, 'cause the Republican Senate was checking executive power only when Obama was president--is looking into Trump's crimes. I don't know what more someone needs to finally accept the reality that Trump cares only about himself and committing fraud-crimes has been his only skill. 

You don't have to believe M. Cohen's testimony to Congress. Don't take his word for it. But, check the evidence and sources to more evidence he provides. I think he had no incentive to lie in his latest testimony; he's already a convicted felon. But, he, and many others, in Trump's inner circle has been saying the same story about Trump and his crooked family. Further, several of those persons have been indicted, plead guilty, and sentenced for various crimes. It's only a matter of time, the crime boss goes down too.

Ah, those damn emails of crooked Hillary.... Wouldn't you take that scandal over what we're witnessing under Trump?

Obviously, the Repubs would attack the credibility of Cohen, but offered no rebuttal to the evidence or arguments he made. They acted like mafia boss lawyers defending their client. Cohen provided insights and ways for Congress to find those "buried bodies." 

It's more than apparent that Trump has cheated, lied, colluded, defrauded, betrayed all sorts of people and the country. Some cognitively-challenged persons can't go past their biases. Trump could indeed shoot someone in the middle of Manhattan and some people would blame the victims for walking in front of his bullets.  Others are indeed deplorables --those who don't care about Trump's crimes.  Of course, they would've started a revolution if Obama had committed a fraction of Trump's crimes. Ah, yeah, those were the good ol' days of a presidential tenure free of scandals...except those "damn emails" that the FBI and Congress investigated ad nauseam .

The whole Trump family, going back to his father, has been a mafia-type operation. They've cheated on taxes; set up a fraudulent foundation, a fraudulent"university", scammed contractors and buyers, profited from bankruptcies, colluded with a foreign power against the US, made deals with foreign interests while running for president, then as president promising to lift sanctions against Russia, and since have been profiting by selling influence, and taking bribes!

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was brilliant in her 5' questioning of Cohen. She put on the record other people who have knowledge about Trump's illegal dealings, which is how Cohen can corroborate his statements. She, twice, made a point that if the Committee was to verify Cohen's statements, Congress needs access to Trump's tax records, which, against tradition of presidential candidates, have not been made available to the public, because Trump has been lying about being under audit..... In itself a stupid excuse since an IRS audit doesn't prohibit anyone from releasing their taxes.  Cohen said that Trump was not under IRS audit, and he might be if he released his taxes, that would show the fraud he's been committing, plus his sources of income!

I can't wait for Muller's report. He may not issue conclusions and leave it up to Congress (and the states) to do so, as well any further legal actions. But, Muller's report will add to the momentum of exposing one of the worst frauds in our history, which may be the biggest considering that a crime family made it to the White House!

I wholly recommend Rachael Maddow's podcast, Bagman. It's about the Nixon-Agnew saga. The similarities between those crime figures and Trump are striking! So much for the party of ..values!  


Update, 3/1/19: It's worth noting what resurfaced in the news today. Trump overruled our intelligent agencies to give Jared Kushner top security clearance! Trump's own chief of staff at the time, John Kelly, wrote an internal memo saying how disgusted he was about this matter. Nepotism is the least trespass here. It's an issue of national security and how the Trump crime family is all about their own interests damn the country!

Sanders to Run for Prez in 2020

A socialist from Vermont

I am a Bernie fan. I think he has almost single-handedly moved the Democratic party to the left and made certain topics part of the mainstream, like higher taxes for the rich, pro-environment, universal health care, etc. Of course the conservatives and the advocates of the "donor class" don't like this kind of socialistic talk, but there are now majorities in America that support, well, socialism!

The word socialism may have a negative connotation but mostly with older Americans who experienced the Cold War and communist/socialist dictatorships in the second half of the 20th century. But the world and our country have changed. 

Younger people are more socially-minded. They do want to tax the super rich. They do want social services. They do care about the environment. They do want regulations in the marketplace, consumer protections, etc.

When the Cons point to Venezuela as a bad example of.. socialism, the reply should be, an authoritarian regime can be socialist, or fascist/Nazi (national socialism), or communist, or, capitalist.

Most people are already aware of Canada and ..Denmark and the rest of the Scandinavian countries who practice democratic socialism. These countries have some very desirable & enviable outcomes. They beat us in happiness, quality of life, health care, education, longevity, leisure, etc, so they must be doing something right.

We should be pointing out that all western type countries are liberal-social-democracies. Liberal, because they promote individual freedoms, social because of social safety net (i.e., Social Security), and democratic, because of free expression, etc. The basics are the same, the recipes vary. But, if we want better outcomes, it's time we try what other countries have done to surpass the US in many critical outcomes.

Bernie will be a good addition to the Dem class of presidential candidates, because he'll raise important issues and force the other candidates to respond. Primary voters of both parties are more to the left and right than the general population, so any serious candidate may have to steer to the more extreme wings of their party. However, I think Trump will be the nominee of the Repubs, unless he's indicted and resigns--which is a probability. I don't think he'll be impeached, nor would I advise the Dems to start such process unless they could secure the 67 votes in the Senate required for removal of a president.

On the other hand, the Democratic candidates will veer to the left during the primaries for sure, though I believe the eventual nominee will be the one mostly considered as the stronger candidate to defeat Trump. Who will be the one to cater to the left but also present themselves as one who could get the independent votes, plus excite people to actually get out and vote? Turnout is always the key to success. HRC could have won if more than 70,000 Dem voters in three states had done that. And, yes, Dems had millions more votes--their turnout was lower than four years earlier!

Perhaps, you noticed that I am not expecting Sanders to be the nominee. He is the most progressive, like Senator E. Warren, but I don't think the Dems will take a chance selecting the most progressive candidate, since the base and most independents find the current buffoon in the White House totally unacceptable, they'll opt for a safer choice. I don't think Warren will fare well in the contest. Sanders might, but not her; it just a hunch... they'll be appealing to same group of voters. 

There are two reasons for both of them not being the nominee. One, the Dems want someone who can beat DJT, so they'll go with the safer choice, and two, the age of Bernie (79 on election day), and Warren (71). Oh, Biden too (78). The presidency is very demanding, if, unlike Trump, the CEO of the USA actually works. 

I also think the Dems would like the next Dem prez to be a two-termer, so all three--Sanders, Warren, Biden--have a great disadvantage. It's not impossible but if you're pushing 90...

The Democratic parties have rules that are mostly proportional representation at the convention. It's much easier for someone with even 25% consistent support, in a field of dozens, to win the nomination in a winner-take-all system, like many Republican parties have. This system made it easier for Trump to win, whereas the PR% system allowed Obama to win in 2008. Hillary Clinton won all the big states but didn't win all their delegates.

We have an interesting system of selecting and electing presidents in the US. Until the 1970s and 1980s, the two major political parties decided their nominees mostly within a closed system of party bosses with the general public excluded. After the disaster of the 1968 Democratic convention in Chicago, the Democrats opened up the primaries to regular voters. By the 1980s, the Republicans followed too. This democratic (small "d") development weakened the political parties further--their power had been declining since the 1960s with the emergence of media politics (TV). It also made the process messier and more expensive.  

Each state, plus DC and US territories, have their own parties with their own rules of voting for committed delegates to the national party convention. Most use simple straight voting (also called a primary). Some used a more complicated and time-consuming process, known as a caucus. The national party committees--the DNC and the RNC--control the conventions and decide on the role of the super-delegates, who are party stalwarts, and are not committed to any particular candidate (at least in theory). The Dems reduced their numbers and impact on selecting the nominee.

Anyway, it's going to be very interesting. I see it as the beginning of the end of a very bad choice the country made in 2016.

======
The Faux News network for a long while now is harping about the "coup d'etat" against Trump.... There was no coup. I wonder what the cons would say if Obama had a similar relationship with the Chinese leader, against the advice of his own security agencies, that he was being bribed by foreign countries & persons while running and after being elected president, when dozens of his top people in his campaign and in his close circle were indicted, under investigation, or plead guilty...   When his campaign colluded with the Russians...

Yes, it's reasonable to begin to discuss the possibility of removing a president who may be a foreign agent...

Today we found out that Trump wanted to give nuclear secrets to the Saudis against NSA advice!

'Tis the Season....

Ti's the season to be..... (insert your own word here). For me, it's been a decent year, better than the previous two. Politically, we got a needed boost, and some hope for the needed additional checks & balances with the Democrats winning the House so convincingly.

Good news from New Jersey. Progressives defeated the NJ Democrats who wanted to gerrymander the hell out of their state, like Republicans so blatantly have done in many states. Perhaps we can now have a national law that prohibits this practice. But, don't hold your breath since the Republicans have to result to such methods and election fraud to win elections and cheat the people of their choices.

Health care is in the minds of many people, and it was a big topic in the past November election. Yes, there are lots of costs of providing care, but shouldn't this be a hallmark of an advanced society? It's about human lives. Suffering matters; we should promote life and happiness.  The recent judge's decision that ACA ("Obamacare") is unconstitutional may be a very bad thing for the GOP. But, what's new about the Republicans promoting policies that hurt people, directly, and often irreparably.

For most Trumpistas, logic and facts don't apply. They're cognitive challenged, and, as someone said on the topic of religion, it's very hard to move someone from a position by using logic when they didn't arrive at their position using logic.

I've asked the following question to a couple of Trump supporters: At which point would you say, 'lock him up' ?  His business have been fraudulent; he was selling and buying influence while running for president of the US; his election was aided by foreign agents/powers, including a brake-in ala Watergate; his top people (remember? "I will choose the best of the best"..) have been indicted, convicted or are under investigation; his transition team and his inauguration committee, his campaign, the emolument clause, the lies, the dishonesty, the attack on our institutions, the..., the....

He needs to be shamed out of office... He will be rebuked by the system and by the voters, and he'll go down in history as the worst, most corrupt, most incompetent president in the history of the U... of the world!

Happy solstice!

Midterms 2018--There Will be Checks and Balances

There was a blue wave, not a tsunami, but Dems, again, won the majority of American votes, this time by 9% points--which they had to to overcome the barriers to voting put up by the Republican machine.

Just watched Trump's press conference. Nothing new. Idiotic, nonsensical statements, very limited vocabulary, same stupid drivel, unhinged, egotistical megalomaniac ignoramus as usual. This is not just about the wrong policies and the wrong direction Trump and his party are inflicting on our country, but it's also about the kind of vile person he is and how unqualified. No serious company would hire this moron or have him speak for them. What an embarrassment. 

There was a big effort to register new voters and get out the vote by the Dems and progressives. It worked up to a point. It was probably a very high turnout for a midterm election, but still most Americans didn't vote! It's pathetic. And, it's also pathetic that we have to beg, entice, almost trick or treat people to vote. It should be a civic duty, a patriotic duty to vote. And, not just vote, but be informed about the important issues.

If you vote is counted, then it matters even if your political choice didn't prevail. We measure public opinion and commitment through voting. It matters because voter participation influences how we're being governed. Of course, elections have huge consequences, especially in a sharply divided country whereas the two parties represent vastly different policies--policies that directly affect the lives of our people, and not only.

 It's disheartening to see so much support for Trump--OK, the majority of Americans disapprove of him, but still there are too many who do like him. The change will take time and lots of effort. I think most people are misinformed about the issues; many are just very ignorant and/or don't have the ability to understand that they don't know enough and they don't know how to evaluate evidence.... 

This is not a snobbish comment. It's the Dunning-Krugger effect in play.  It takes a skill to understand what constitutes a fact and what a reliable source is, and how to arrive at a rational conclusion.  That's why it's very difficult, next to impossible, to have a conversation with anyone who doesn't understand this. In the absence of common facts, no rational conversation can take place!

At any rate, I'm looking forward to the next 2 years....

 

(Un)happy Columbus Day

“They ... brought us parrots and balls of cotton and spears and many other things, which they exchanged for the glass beads and hawks' bells. They willingly traded everything they owned....They were well-built, with good bodies and handsome features....They do not bear arms, and do not know them, for I showed them a sword, they took it by the edge and cut themselves out of ignorance. They have no iron. Their spears are made of cane....They would make fine servants....With fifty men we could subjugate them all and make them do whatever we want. … They are so naïve and so free with their possessions that no one who has not witnessed it would believe it. When you ask for something they have, they never say no. To the contrary, they offer to share with anyone … As soon as I arrived in the Indies, on the first Island I found, I took some natives by force in order that they might learn and might give me information of whatever there is in these parts.”
               ~~Christopher Columbus, Captain’s Log, October 12, 1492

Anonymous: Com'on, You Already Knew Trump is a Dangerous, Impetuous Child

It's painful to have to deal with someone who, by all indications, should have been dismissed long time ago. It's not just an adverse reaction to his policies, but the fact he's incompetently dangerous to be in a position of power. The Don, unfortunately, will be damaging the institutions and interests of the US, and of our sanity for a while longer. My senses are tired and I shudder every time I think of Trump and his actions.

We already know that hard-core Trump supporters are impervious to reality. Even a simple task--comparing two photos from Obama's and Trump's inaugurations--is beyond their ability to see the obvious.  Likewise, when they hear so many voices--many of whom are life-long Republicans--state the obvious about Trump and his chaotic style, such talk is dismissed as "fake news." There are several reasons for Trumpistas to believe in alternative facts. One is the Danning-Kruger effect, that is, people are too incompetent (or morons) to realize the extend of their mistakes and ignorance.

Anyway, the recent anonymous OpEd in the NYT about the resistance against Trump's childish behavior didn't reveal anything new, other some more details that support the view he is so far out that even his own people are trying to curtail his destructive and dangerous impulses.

Very few Republicans, especially the ones who are in power, have dared to openly criticize the "dear leader." Hopefully this will change after the midterm elections if there's a blue wave that sweeps Republicans out of many offices.

But let's not forget that he's also giving the conservatives a lot of what they want: deregulation, tax breaks to the rich, and the Supreme Court. Perhaps that's why the Republican leadership has been relatively quiet and acquiescent to Trump's trespasses.



 

RESIST!

Sorry, I couldn't help it..

Yes, it's been a long while since my last post, but I've been mulling about the nature of blogging in this age of social media. When I started blogging, in 2004, this medium was very, very young. I had many followers soon after, some even outside the US, as people were getting more familiar with online blogs and sites. I was more eager to write posts and I believed it was necessary for the progressive movement. Then everybody came to posting online and most people began to get most of their information on the Internet. Newspapers and dedicated news/opinion/information sites abound today. Many bloggers I knew from the early days have moved on to other things. It's amazing how the media have changed in the last 15 years...


I was working for the Kerry campaign in Cleveland, Ohio, when I started Liberal Citizen. After George Bush's reelection, it became imperative for progressives to resist the kind of conservatism and the policies, including the wars, Bush had been pushing.  You see, the 2000 election was disappointing but most didn't think Bush would do crazy shit, and we believed in 2004, the blue side would retake the White House.  But, 9-11 happened, and it changed everything!

Blogging was great for us. We connected, we learned, we organized, we acted, we helped each other through this free social medium. It was good to feel part of a greater family with regular exchanges via posts and comments. 

So, I'll make an attempt to re-invigorate this blog. I think it'll be good therapy for me. I should raise another "Resist" flag on the Internet, and this will be it.

 

The Dangers of Newspeak Are Very Real Thanks to Trump and His Fake and Fraudulent Persona

In the political world, this year has been a torturous one since DJ Trump became president, because it's a constant assault on our senses. It's like a case of a deranged person or a ludicrous ogre that you normally would dismiss and not bother with him. The evidence is so overwhelming of who he is that you want to stop paying attention, except in this case you can't because he is in the highest office of the land.

How many times are you going to bother with someone advancing the flat earth theory, or insult your decency? You can't reason with such person. I find that I want to forget his bad behavior and insulate myself. I'm a progressive liberal and I couldn't possibly support a Republican, but this is beyond strict partisanship--it's about the incompetency of the person who occupies the White House.

We have reached a point where we're losing common ground with reality. We have to have shared facts in order to have a conversation and a debate. We also have to have shared trust in the institutions that bind our society, from the judiciary, to the media, to the electoral process, to the scientific methodology, and everything in between. [Here's a piece in the New Yorker. The Distrust Trump Relies Upon]  Unfortunately tribalism is eroding such trust. The tribal leaders message is the only true one, whereas the rest is "fake news." 

Losing this common ground makes it easier for the fake news originators to put out their garbage. Curbing fake news isn't easy though if many people don't care (due to tribalism) or don't know how to evaluate a news item. Accuracy and quality are necessary in reporting the news, because it gives us the necessary common ground to have discussions and make decisions.

Having freedom of speech has its price, and fake new is one such cost. The same goes for democracy and all sorts of freedoms. They have to be exercised prudently, or at least there has to be a big majority of the population that has the ability to evaluate the news and the messenger. Otherwise, it's a recipe for authoritarianism. Our democracy depends on shared facts and a consensus on the legitimacy of our institutions.

 Here's how John Oliver [in his latest show of 2017] summarizes what Trump has been doing. One is being an expert troll, another is "what about-ism" which is deflection, and the other is whatever he doesn't like is fake news. He's not held to any standard, from the meaning of words, to statements, to actions. There is a constant assault on reason and truth. This is, again, not about politics or ideology, but about a person who is not qualified and trolled his way to the highest office. Many dictators rode to power on popular support. We have to keep fighting this trolling, this assault on reason and truth. 

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver CLIP November 12, 2017: Trump's First Year

Trump supporters like how he behaves but this is toxic to our society. It's prudent to always be inquisitive and to question established knowledge, but there's a specific process to do it. You can't dismiss anything on the basis of unsubstantiated opinion. Sadly, we see too many people who believe patently falsehoods or ridiculous conspiracies, like a flat Earth belief. [yes, this moronic belief is coming back and this is possible in a universe that nothing can be trusted]

This from a 12/23/2017 NYT editorial also summarizes Trump's persona:

As president, Trump employs the same charlatan’s gibberish that served him well as the owner of a failed casino and a fraudulent “university.” He says “terrific,” “phenomenal” and “incredible” to describe a routine meeting, or someone he just met. His favorite words for those who cross him are “loser,” “moron” and “lightweight.” As he explained last year, “I know words — I have the best words.”

Of late, Trump is down to a single best word to describe himself — “I.” He puts it in quotes, just like that. From a tweet in which he was trying to make down into up, on the loss he suffered with the Alabama Senate race, Trump wrote: ‘I also predicted “I” would win.’ Oh, I, me, mine!

“Liar,” as applied to Trump, is something that can be quantifiably proven. A mere 4 percent of the president’s public statements — 4 in 100! — have been rated true by PolitiFact.


Trump may be the greatest, most terrific, incredible fake person who coned his way to the top.

The Myth of a Loving God...

And the faithful keep sending messages like, "Merry Christmas,"

 "May God Bless..."

Did you hear about the 7 year old who's dying of brain cancer and wants hand-made xmas cards now since he won't, most likely, survive until xmas?... His parents are asking for those cards and for donations for his funeral expenses.

If suffering matters, why do people still believe in a loving God who creates sickness, natural disasters, hunger, and evil? Where's "free will" in this? Where's the chance for a 7 year old to demonstrate his worthiness to his creator? Any decent person (even non-decent ones) wouldn't want little children suffering and dying... for any reason.

Republicans and the NRA are AGAINST Safety and Common Sense

Another mass shooting, in Las Vegas this time, the deadliest in our history, until the next one of course. Our fundamental right to be safe is trampled by the right of people to own military-grade weapons according to the NRA, most Republican leaders (not necessarily their base), and a conservative judiciary.


So, what else is in the news? Oh, hurricanes, flooding, and lots of human suffering. It must be God's will. Let's all pray so we can change his mind to either not indiscriminately punish his creation and/or help the victims. Well, good luck with that! 

But, the humans who could do something about it--I'm talking about the elected representatives--are failing to do much in terms of safety and to alleviate suffering. 

Those leaders are concentrated in the Republican party which is clearly anti-safety.They want to eliminate the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), take away health care, deregulate pollutants, kill consumer protection laws, and are against any sensible programs that reduce violence, poverty, and help people live longer and healthier.

This essentially the party that claims to be the guardian of law and order and national security but in reality it's really bad for people's health and safety!

As the stories and pictures of the Vegas shooting begin to emerge, I leave you with the young faces of the Sandy Hook children, as a horrific reminder of how a society has been allowing WMDs (weapons of mass destruction) to be readily available.

One of the Best Editorials About Peaceful Protests During the US National Anthem.

Dale Hansen, a Dallas sportscaster, nails it!

We should not cede the definition of patriotism to the scoundrels or the intolerant and the ignorant!

In the 1943 West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette,  Justice Robert Jackson wrote for a 6-to-3 majority that the state could not compel children to salute the flag. Reversing a court decision from just three years earlier, Jackson wrote, in the midst of war, what remains one of the enduring statements of confidence in what truly makes America great. “To believe that patriotism will not flourish if patriotic ceremonies are voluntary and spontaneous, instead of a compulsory routine,” he wrote, “is to make an unflattering estimate of the appeal of our institutions to free minds.”

Analyzing the Trumps..... (it's not pretty)

As Ivanka Trump said in her book, The Trump Card [check John Oliver's interpretation here], perception is more important than reality, her father, the president of the US, suffers from an acute syndrome of ego-maniacal narcissism.  I could see why someone would vote for DJT and think he's doing a terrific, fantastic job in is first 100 days, simply because his fans loathed Obama and they're happy hated Hillary isn't in the White House. 

But any reasonable person has to acknowledge Trump's lies, character flaws, bad temperament, lack of knowledge about important issues, his impulsiveness and lack of good judgement, his flooding the so-called swamp with more muck, and his nonresidential demeanor, etc. So anyone who still thinks Trump is fit to be president they have to argue that all these don't really matter. I just can't see how anyone can make this argument.

At any rate, here's a excerpt from a Rolling Stone article:

The most current iteration of the DSM classifies narcissistic personality disorder as: "A pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy or behavior), need for admiration, and lack of empathy, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts." A diagnosis would also require five or more of the following traits: 

1. Has a grandiose sense of self-importance (e.g., "Nobody builds walls better than me"; "There's nobody that respects women more than I do"; "There's nobody who's done so much for equality as I have").

2. Is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty or ideal love ("I alone can fix it"; "It's very hard for them to attack me on looks, because I'm so good-looking").
3. Believes that he or she is "special" and unique and can only be understood by, or should associate with, other special or high-status people or institutions ("Part of the beauty of me is that I'm very rich").
4. Requires excessive admiration ("They said it was the biggest standing ovation since Peyton Manning had won the Super Bowl").

5. Has a sense of entitlement ("When you're a star, they let you do it. You can do anything. Grab them by the pussy").
6. Is interpersonally exploitative (see above).

7. Lacks empathy, is unwilling to recognize or identify with the feelings
and needs of others ("He's not a war hero . . . he was captured. I like people that weren't captured").

8. Is often envious of others or believes that others are envious of him or her ("I'm the president, and you're not").

9. Shows arrogant, haughty behaviors or attitudes ("I could stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and shoot somebody, and I wouldn't lose any voters").

NPD was first introduced as a personality disorder by the DSM in 1980 and affects up to six percent of the U.S. population. It is not a mood state but rather an ingrained set of traits, a programming of the brain that is thought to arise in childhood as a result of parenting that either puts a child on a pedestal and superficially inflates the ego or, conversely, withholds approval and requires the child to single-handedly build up his or her own ego to survive. 

Either way, this impedes the development of a realistic sense of self and instead fosters a "false self," a grandiose narrative of one's own importance that needs constant support and affirmation – or "narcissistic supply" – to ward off an otherwise prevailing sense of emptiness. Of all personality disorders, NPD is among the least responsive to treatment for the obvious reason that narcissists typically do not, or cannot, admit that they are flawed.

Bill Maher: Republicans are Dicks. Who knew?....

What would a "dick" do? He would go out of his way to screw others, demonstrate incompetence and ignorance. Anybody you know?...

Gun Violence in America: Why "Good Guys with Guns" Isn't the solution...

Another shooting at a school today, 2 adults 1 child dead. This latest gun violence incident by an estranged husband who killed his wife in an elementary school classroom also took the life of an innocent student. The perp had a history of domestic violence and weapons charges, but of course in the US obtaining a gun is not hard.

In December 2012, the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting took place where 26 children and staff were killed. In a disgraceful response the NRA and many conservatives repeated the mantra, "a bad guy with a gun can be stopped by a good guy with a gun." Dangerous simpletons.

I just found this clip and I think it's worth sharing.

Why The Conservatives are Hypocrites and Morally Corrupt

The conservatives claim to be faithful, especially those pious Xtians who miss no opportunity to tell us how morally superior they are. In reality, they and their party are morally corrupt when it comes to public policy meant to help the sick, the powerless, and the poor.

The Good Samaritan story? Who's that socialist person who redistributes resources, advocates something unsustainable, and reinforces bad behavior?...

Here's today's NYT Op-Ed:

Editorials, Op-Ed and Letters | OP-ED COLUMNIST

And Jesus Said Unto Paul of Ryan ...

By NICHOLAS KRISTOF

What would Jesus tell House Speaker Paul Ryan about looking after the sick and the needy?

A woman who had been bleeding for 12 years came up behind Jesus and touched his clothes in hope of a cure. Jesus turned to her and said: “Fear not. Because of your faith, you are now healed.”
Then spoke Pious Paul of Ryan: “But teacher, is that wise? When you cure her, she learns dependency. Then the poor won’t take care of themselves, knowing that you’ll always bail them out! You must teach them personal responsibility!”

They were interrupted by 10 lepers who stood at a distance and shouted, “Jesus, have pity on us.”
“NO!” shouted Pious Paul. “Jesus! You don’t have time. We have a cocktail party fund-raiser in the temple. And don’t worry about them — they’ve already got health care access.”
Jesus turned to Pious Paul, puzzled.

“Why, they can pray for a cure,” Pious Paul explained. “I call that universal health care access.”
Jesus turned to the 10 lepers. “Rise and go,” he told them. “Your faith has made you well.” Then he turned back to Pious Paul, saying, “Let me tell you the story of the good Samaritan.

“A man was attacked by robbers who stripped him of clothes, beat him and left him half dead. A minister passed down this same road, and when he saw the injured man, he crossed to the other side and hurried on. So did a rich man who claimed to serve God. But then a despised Samaritan came by and took pity on the injured man. He bandaged his wounds and put the man on his own donkey and paid an innkeeper to nurse him to health. So which of these three should we follow?”
“Those who had mercy on him,” Pious Paul said promptly.

Jesus nodded. “So go ——”

“I mean the first two,” Pious Paul interjected. “For the Samaritan’s work is unsustainable and sends the wrong message. It teaches travelers to take dangerous roads, knowing that others will rescue them from self-destructive behaviors. This Samaritan also seems to think it right to redistribute money from those who are successful and give it to losers. That’s socialism! Meanwhile, if the rich man keeps his money, he can invest it and create jobs. So it’s an act of mercy for the rich man to hurry on and ignore the robbery victim.”
 
“How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of Heaven,” Jesus mused to himself. “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter heaven.”
“Let me teach you about love, Jesus — tough love!” Pious Paul explained. “You need a sustainable pro-business model. And you need to give people freedom, Jesus, the freedom to suffer misery and poverty.”
 
“The Lord God has anointed me to bring good news to the poor,” Jesus replied, emphasizing the last two words. Then he turned to a paralyzed beggar at his feet. “Stand up!” Jesus told the man. “Pick up your mat and go home.” As the man danced about joyfully, Pious Paul rolled his eyes dismissively.
“Look, Jesus, you have rare talent, and it should be rewarded,” Pious Paul said. “I have a partner, The Donald, who would like to work with you: He’d set up a lovely hospital, and the rich would come and pay for you to heal them. You’d get a percentage, and it’d be a real money-spinner. Overhead would be minimal because every morning you could multiply some loaves and fishes. You could strike it rich!”

“Blessed are the poor, for theirs is the kingdom of God,” Jesus said. “But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received comfort.”

“Oh, come on, Jesus,” Pious Paul protested. “Don’t go socialist on me again. Please don’t encourage class warfare. The best way to help the needy is to give public money to the rich. That then inspires the poor to work harder, galvanizes the sick to become healthy, forces the lepers to solve their own problems rather than kick back and depend on others. That’s why any realistic health plan has to focus on providing less coverage for the poor, and big tax benefits for the rich. When millions of people lose health care, that’s when a country is great again!”
 
“From everyone who has been given much,” Jesus told him, “much will be required.”
“Well, sure, this hospital would have a foundation to do some charity work. Maybe commissioning portraits of The Donald to hang in the entrance. But let’s drop this bleeding heart nonsense about health care as a human right, and see it as a financial opportunity to reward investors. In this partnership, 62 percent of the benefits would go to the top 0.6 percent — perfect for a health care plan.”

Jesus turned to Pious Paul on his left and said: “Be gone! For I was hungry and you gave me no food; I was thirsty, and you gave me no drink; and I was sick, and you did not help me.”
 
“But, Lord,” protested Pious Paul of Ryan, “when did I see you hungry or thirsty or sick and refuse to help you? I drop your name everywhere. And I’m pro-life!”

Trump Started His Presidency With Lies, while Conflicts Between His Huge Ego and Small Mind Rage

Meanwhile, in an alternative fact universe...

It is about claims to reality that are fraudulent, meant to deceive, and boost the ego of a pathological narcissist.....   (and, you said, give him a chance to work for the country... look at what he's preoccupied with....  a juvenile's obsession with anything remotely critical of him).

From his interview with ABC's David Muir:

MUIR: What you have been presented so far has been debunked. It has been called false.
TRUMP: Take a look at the Pew reports.
MUIR: I called the author of the Pew report last night and he told me that they found no evidence of voter fraud.
TRUMP: Really, then why did he write the report?
MUIR: He said no evidence of voter fraud.
TRUMP: Excuse me, then why did he write the report? According to Pew report, then he’s groveling again. You know, I always talk about the reporters. They grovel when they wanna write something that you wanna hear, but not necessarily millions of people wanna hear or have to hear. 

The Pew study focused on outdated voter rolls, which showed people still registered to vote after dying or moving. It found no evidence of people actually voting illegally.

We found millions of out of date registration records due to people moving or dying, but found no evidence that voter fraud resulted.

— David Becker (@beckerdavidj) November 28, 2016

Voter lists are much more accurate now than when we issued that study in 2012, thanks to the 20 states sharing data through @ericstates_info

— David Becker (@beckerdavidj) November 28, 2016

Despite the lack of evidence, Trump has repeatedly claimed he lost the popular vote because 3 million to 5 million “illegals” voted in the November election. He repeated the lie in his first meeting with congressional leaders at the White House on Monday. On Wednesday, he announced a “major investigation” into voter fraud.

I guess it'd be like investigating Obama's birth certificate for 8 years while saying "you wouldn't believe what my people are finding".....Geesh, what a fraud! Any decent person when presented with facts and rational arguments would not keep repeating falsehoods because then they become intentional lies.

When Stupidity Dictates Public Policy

This is when ideology, (especially those ideas derived from ages and societies steeped in ignorance), prevents even good-meaning people from doing sensible things that actually may help humanity.
Take for example abortion, which is something nobody likes. I mean everybody wants to see as few abortions as possible; none would be ideal. We can all agree to this. Right? Now, what do you think makes abortions rare? What are those factors that reduce abortions? We have the answer, and it is being pro-active, reach out, educate, provide access to health care.

Why in 2016 (source) we had the fewest abortions in the US since 1973 when the Supreme Court ruled on Roe v. Wade (legalizing abortion)? The facts are there, and they show that sex ed and most importantly women having access to various methods of birth control is what reduces abortions drastically. This is what has made abortion to decline for the last 20+ years.

What do you think Trump and the conservatives are doing now?.... Something that works or something that doesn't?  The con leaders either prefer wilful ignorance or want to impress the religiously conservative base....  So, yeah, now with Trump and Pence at the WH, they'll begin to teach ..abstinence and the fear of God as preferred (but failed) method against abortion, while they'll be de-funding women's health clinics and education in human reproduction.

Are we great yet?

 

Obama Is a Muslim Terrorist, Gun-grabbing Socialist, and the Destroyer of the US Economy.... (or, so we were told by the cons)

As we're drawing closer to the unthinkable, that is, uttering the phrase, "president Trump", there might be time for Obama to live up to the worst fears of the Republicans, tea partiers, and conspiracy idiots.

Now, of course, this won't happen, but it actually won't be noticed by the knuckleheads who've been accusing president Obama of all those things that were actually lies, that he wasn't, and he didn't.  I don't think they'll really notice the tricks Trump will be pulling off to not do what he promised during the campaign.

Happy new year. The resistance begins on January 20th, 2017. I mean, believe you me, Trump is already responsible for bad weather, disease & pestilence, the middle class woes, Putin's grab of power, the rich getting richer, billionaires in charge of our government, and the Giants' loss in the playoffs.