Thursday, September 29, 2016

TEMPORARY POWER

My head acknowledges that Obama was right to veto the Saudi 9/11 bill; it will only further complicate a Middle East that is already convoluted enough.  But, I must confess that, in a way, I am pleased that the Saudis, and hopefully, any others out there, learn that they cannot rely on the temporary power of  any American administration  to protect them forever, from the repercussions of perpetrating an action on U.S. soil even if at the behest of that administration. 

THE MEANING OF MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN

A mere 8 years ago, the worst Presidency, at least in my lifetime, which has encompassed fourteen different Administrations, ended in the Great Recession. 

A recent statement of Mike Pence, to the effect that his role model, if elected Vice President, will be Dick Cheney, makes it abundantly clear that" making America great again" involves returning us to those halcyon days of the George W. Bush Administration when it was truly "beautiful".  It was a time that was really and truly beautiful for people in Trump's class.  It was a time when financiers could, unfettered by regulations, make their billions secure in the knowledge that the American taxpayers had their back, even if they didn't know it.

Now the Trump campaign says any outlandish thing, secure in the knowledge that the American electorate will not ask "for whom", when Donald says he will make America great again.

   

 

WHY NOT?

In response to Hillary Clinton's remark at her first debate with Trump to the effect that she was being made to blame for everything, by the Trump campaign, Trump interjected "Why not?"

One of the things that Trump tries to hang, like an albatross, around her neck, is NAFTA, the North American Free Trade Agreement.

This was a treaty that was wholly negotiated during the George H.W. Bush Administration.  It was a treaty that George H.W. Bush signed, during the last days of his term.  The treaty was ratified, by the Senate, during the term of the next President, Bill Clinton.

At the time of both the signing and ratification of the NAFTA treaty, Hillary was not only not in power but not an official of the Government, but as Trump aptly put it, "Why not blame (her for it)?"

Wednesday, September 28, 2016

TO SET A THIEF

Trump supporters are not only singularly unconcerned that their candidate may be  the most venal and corrupt man to ever run for the U.S. Presidency, but indeed, his experience in gaming the system and skirting the law is actually an asset.  Their support is based on the adage "Set a thief to catch a thief".  The only thing that they fail to remember is that both parties, in such a scenario, remain thieves. 

Monday, September 26, 2016

EVERYTHING WILL BE BEAUTIFUL!

To allay any fears that Trump's audience may have, with respects his call for the suspension of disbelief during the debates by banning fact checking, he promises that, if elected, he will hire nothing but the very best screen writers to script the scenarios of his administration.  In this manner he will ensure that everything will be beautiful!

Sunday, September 25, 2016

NO INTEGRITY? NO PROBLEM!

Last week Donald Trump provided prima facie evidence of his lack of integrity.  A mere 5 days after allowing that Obama was born in the U.S., he advised an audience of his supporters that he only said that to "get on with the election".  His supporters, relieved that their candidate showed no sign of having any integrity, raised the Donald's poll rating.

Saturday, September 24, 2016

A SOLITARY TEAR FOR THE HOUSE OF SAUD

They really could not see any advantage to going along with such a brash deal.  It took much pressure from the new U.S. leaders, the blandishment of billions of U.S. dollars in "fees", and the personal assurance of George Tenant, the C.I.A. Director that nuclear weapons would be found in Iraq to cover the operation, to get the Saudi rulers to allow the bin Laden family to begin the negotiations, with Osama, for the attack on the U.S.  This would be the "Pearl Harbor" type attack that neo conservative doctrine called for, in their plans.

The U.S. Administration agreed that Osama would be protected in the ensuing war and would be assured safe haven in Pakistan.  The U.S. also agreed that the bin Laden family would be granted free passage, in the U.S. and Pakistan, in the immediate aftermath of the attack.

Now, 15 years after the attack, the Saudis, who played a relatively minor role, is facing major liability claims, in the U.S. for abetting a rogue operation of the then U.S. government, while the master minds are now peacefully retired as well as enormously rich. 

REHABILITATING TED CRUZ

Ted Cruz promises to regain the trust and respect of his constituents by working even more diligently, in the future, on shutting down the Federal government.

Friday, September 16, 2016

DEFLECTING THE BLAME TO THE DEMOCRATS

Despite the fact that no one has, as yet, documented the birther claim that Hillary Clinton initiated the canard that Obama was not born in the U.S., they insist that this is the case, repeatedly, so it's not their fault.  

We can imagine a scenario, in a decade, or so, when the effects of climate change becomes more evident, the Republicans will likewise deflect blame to the Democrats, principally, Al Gore, for the problem of climate change, on the grounds that, unlike the Republicans, they knew what was to occur and did not work forcefully enough to make the necessary changes.

LET'S CHANGE THE FOCUS OF THE QUESTION!

Now that Mr. Trump has definitively  informed us, providing at least three different, sometimes conflicting reasons, it is time for the press to stop asking when he will release his tax returns and start insisting that he tell us what he is hiding. 

Wednesday, September 14, 2016

AUDITING THE MEDICAL RECORDS

The media is making a big deal out of Trump's postponement of the release of his medical records.  Mr. Trump has indicated that he will release them soon, immediately after they are finished with the audit.  

The impatience shown by the media is an indication of how corrupt it has become, according to Mr. Trump.

Monday, September 5, 2016

THE FINAL SOLUTION

Despite the fact that the ancestors, of Jewish residents of Nazi Germany, had been there there from before the arrival, from Asia, of the ancestors of modern Germans, the Nazis declared that Jews were foreigners and were to be deported.  

A large number were, indeed, sent out of Germany, only to be denied refuge, even in the U.S., and returned to Germany, to face death camps. 

If Donald Trump is  elected and is able to implement his plans to deport undocumented foreigners, just what happens if the country of origin refuses to accept the return of the deportee?  Do we have a final solution waiting in the wings?

BLATANT BIAS

Perhaps, one of the most blatant examples of the lop sided treatment of candidates, by the Press, is that being afforded to Hillary Clinton, in the matter of emails while she was a government official.  Clinton made an arrangement with her office to send her emails, that were not marked classified, to her server at home, probably so she could read them there when she got back from trips.  There were not supposed to be any classified material sent to that server.  Subsequently, some 180 of those emails, out of 30,000 were reclassified but we have not been told how many were reclassified while Clinton still was in office.  Additionally, 3 of those 30,000 bore the mark "c" on them.  According to the manual of the State Department, there is no mention of any meaning for the letter "c"; classified material must be clearly marked as such. Perhaps the people in the responsible department used the letter "c" to indicate that further research was needed before classifying the document.  In any event, that department was satisfied and released the document for relaying Ms. Clinton.  There is no evidence that her server was hacked, however, Hillary has been excoriated for  "carelessness" and endangering the security of the nation and  the matter may yet sink her campaign.

In stark contrast, in 2003, officials of the Bush Administration actually outed a covert CIA agent, an indubitably caused harm to other CIA agents, and the security of the U.S.  These officials were, subsequently, rewarded with reelection to public office.  




Sunday, September 4, 2016

MAKING A GRAVEN IMAGE

While I find nothing wrong with a person wanting to, voluntarily, show respect to a symbol, it should always be borne in mind that it is beyond our power to endow any material thing with religious or symbolic significance.  In the end, a flag, or an anthem, are cloth and and poetry, both made by man and cannot be sanctified.  To make them into anything more is analogous to making a graven image prohibited by a Commandment.  

ASYMMETRICAL WARFARE

A Mexican Senator is introducing a bill which would allow the Mexican Government to expropriate American companies, operating in Mexico, to compensate for levies made upon Mexico for the construction of a proposed wall.  Considering that it is American companies, that take advantage of lower costs, by operating in Mexico, that have the most assets at stake in any dispute of this nature, it just may not be very prudent for the U.S. to get involved in such a game.