Sunday, July 31, 2016

TRUMP HAS RIGHTS, TOO!

Constant hounding, of Donald Trump, to release his tax returns, is in violation of his Constitutional rights not to incriminate himself. To continue to press him, in the matter, is decidedly unAmerican. 

Thursday, July 28, 2016

MODEL FOR MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN

It should be clear, to all, that Trump's model for making America great again, is the  Administration of George W. Bush, a fellow businessman, who, wished to be  C.E.O. to his Vice-President/C.O.O. Dick Cheney  and retire to his ranch in Texas returning to Washington for Board meetings, leaving day to day operations to Cheney.  

Trump has already announced his intention to leave both domestic and international operations to his Vice President, Mike Pence.  In a like manner, Trump has announced an ambitious agenda of both social and military programs along with tax cuts which ballooned our national debt.  That wall that will be paid for by the Mexicans is like the Bush war in Iraq, that the Iraqis were supposed to pay for, but will eventually probably cost the U.S, taxpayers $6 trillion.

Trump, of course, will avoid getting involved in foreign wars, thus saving us the expense and burden of these, but he will increase military expenditures rather than reduce them, so that should help. Tax cuts will improve our economy just like they did under the Bush Administration, and the ensuing economic miracle will be "Beautiful, just beautiful"   Oh, and that 2008 Great Recession that cast such a pall on small town America, that happened, after all, under Obama.  The wisdom of tax cuts and paying for costs of government on a credit card, can be demonstrated by how well protected the elites were from the effects of the Great Recession.  If the middle classes were  only wealthy enough they, too, could have benefitted from all those tax cuts.  It was their own fault that they could not be bailed out with tax payer money,they should have worked harder.

   

Wednesday, July 27, 2016

PUTIN'S PAID LACKEY

As possible ties between Trump and Putin begin to become a topic of conversation, watch how that master of Insult, Innuendo and Inappropriate behavior, Donald Trump, begins to whine about unfair treatment at the hands of his opponents.  He really can't help it, any more than the reporter, with a disability, whom Trump mocked, could control his movements.  We should be more tolerant of people with disabilities; electing them President, however, would be imprudent.

Monday, July 25, 2016

FEELINGS OF DREAD

Bernie Sanders is certainly not the first leader, of a  
revolution, to see the participants, in same, turn into a mob.

As usual, the mob turns into the very antithesis of what the revolution tries to attain.

I fear that today's events, in Philadelphia, have played into the Trump narrative, and Trump has won.  I pray that I am wrong.  

Sunday, July 24, 2016

THE KREMLIN'S CANDIDATE

There are possible connections between Paul Manafort, Trump's campaign adviser,  whose connections with pro-Russian Ukrainians are continuing and close; Trump's "bromance" with Putin; reports of solicitation of foreign funding; Russian cooperation in the hacking of DNC emails; and reports of cooperation between the Trump organization and the "Russian Mafia".

These connections, as tenuous as they may turn out to be, would already have been the basis of a major scandal for Hillary Clinton. Much more proof is required for Republican candidates.  The fact is, however, that the elements for having Trump turn out to be the Kremlin's Candidate, are there and developing. 

THE 14 YEAR AUDIT

In a Meet the Press interview, on July 24, 2016, Donald Trump reiterated that he would not release his tax returns until auditing them was completed.  He indicated that his auditing of his returns started 14 years ago.  It was unclear whether Trump was claiming that one of his returns has been under audit for those 14 years or whether every year his returns get audited. Either way  he did not indicate that he would release any returns that have been audited in the past 14 years.

Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton has 33 years worth of returns posted on line, with no problem viewing, whether or not audited.

Saturday, July 23, 2016

MODEL IMMIGRATION POLICIES

Donald J. Trump has praised both Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un as role models of governance.  This is especially important when it comes to immigration reform where these dictators have much to teach us.  Both of them use governance models that discourage illegals from violating the borders of their respective countries. Illegals actual seem to avoid wanting to go there. Indeed, their immigration policies are so good, they seem to have  a completely opposite problem in keeping people in and have resorted to walls from time to time, to reverse the flow.

Friday, July 22, 2016

ETCH-A-SKETCHING TO THE FAR LEFT

Mitt Romney, after winning the Republican nomination, for President, spoke about pivoting from the rhetoric needed to win the Primary, as Etch-A-Sketching to the center.  The reference was to a child's toy which erased what was done in the past as you continued to draw on the device.

In a speech, given by Ivanka Trump, on Day 4 of the Republican 2016 Convention, probably broke the record for going past the center.  Ivanka didn't stop until she reached the Democratic Party platform. 

Thursday, July 21, 2016

BETTER THAN EVEN BET

Ted Cruz is, for the time being, the villain that gets hissed and booed, on the old time movie, but he may have the last laugh, before the beginning of the 2020 election cycle, and all those guys who are jeering him now, may just regret it.

When one looks at what little we are shown of Trump's financial statements, there is little evidence of great wealth, even as we know that his living expenses seem to be enormous.  We also know that Trump is a hustler who gets involved in hustles like Trump University and Trump Institute.  

His need to get quick reimbursement of his election expenses, and reported need for soliciting funds, even while illegal, from abroad, as well as a not insignificant number of unresolved legal issues, does not bode well for a prosperous political career for Mr. Trump. I think Cruz, while admittedly gambling, has made a better than even bet, in his favor.

CARELESS USE OF THE WORD "CARELESS"

James Comey, the Director of the F.B.I., has proven his mettle as an upright individual by standing up to the Bush Administration, although a staunch Republican, when asked to so something that he felt was illegal,  Perhaps, as a measure of his independence, although he exonerated Hillary Clinton, he also accused her of being careless.

The Republican mob has reacted to this as if "carelessness" was a capital offenses for which, at the very least, required immediate incarceration without benefit of trial.  

The word, however, has no legal meaning, whatsoever, in the context in which it was used.  There is no legal penalty for "carelessness", nor was it appropriate to to make any such judgement "ex officio", indeed the term is considered, by many, to be too ambiguous to have any real legal meaning.

Since, at his hearing before Congress, Mr. Comey was shown, by one of the House members, that the three emails that were believed to have been classified, at the time they were sent, were not marked as such in accordance with the State Department's own manual, I suspect he regrets having used the term, but it is too late now.

WILL NATO SURVIVE 2016?

Never before has The North Atlantic Treaty Organization been put to the stress and strains of having to stand up to a New York City real estate developer.  Is it possible that what the mighty Soviet Empire could not accomplish, one man, in Trump Tower, will be able to accomplish, armed only with a microphone?

"VOTE YOUR OWN CONSCIENCE"

Everything, that Ted Cruz said at the Republican Convention, was within the acceptable for the delegates, except for those four fateful words, that got him booed off the stage: "Vote your own conscience".

That, to a convention of Republican delegates, is the equivalent of being told to do another anatomical impossible thing, not to be used in mixed company.

Wednesday, July 20, 2016

A VIABLE THIRD PARTY

At the Republican National Convention, there has been much anti-Hillary rhetoric, but much fewer endorsements of Trump.  While it is very easy from Republicans to bash Hillary, it seems to be extremely difficult for them to actually back Donald.  I suspect that if Federal Elections laws could be changed to allow negative votes, Republicans could form a viable third party formed of anti-Hillary voters.  Of course, the remaining Republican Party might not be able to meet minimum requirements to join in the debates,  Which, on further thought might be really suitable for the Donald.

PUTTING AMERICA TO WORK AGAIN

Day 2 at the Republican National Convention was supposed to be dedicated to putting America to work again.  Unless, putting America to work again was by forming a nation wide lynch mob to kill Hillary Clinton, I heard not a single word on the materia.

It is possible that, because they had not a single thought on the theme of the evening, they had to fill up the time, with speaker, after speaker, trying to outdo one another with evidence of vituperation and hate towards Hillary.  Facts were unimportant; adjectives and synonyms for vileness were being exhausted at an incredible rate, but speaker after speaker soldiered on doing their duty to denounce the woman, but nary a word did I hear about programs or plans for the country.  Perhaps they hurriedly spoke about them during my toilet breaks.  

Tuesday, July 19, 2016

ANOTHER INSTANCE OF SHAMEFUL BEHAVIOR

Again, Obama has struck an underhanded, low blow to the Trump campaign.  This time by allowing Michelle to use Melania's words, in a speech, before she could utter them.  Chalk up another instance of shameful behavior by Obama!

SAY WHAT YOU WILL

Say what you will about Donald J. Trump, he has demonstrated his class, and may forever change electioneering, as practiced by Republican Presidential nominees, by changing the grey smoke, usually used, to a nice shade of blue.  Now if we can impose upon Melania to change those old fashioned mirrors.

Monday, July 18, 2016

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The State of State Affairs:A Post From RMV

by daedal2207
Yes,the media sure are pouring on the smoke these days: talk about Teflon politics,the man's dirtiest trickery are presented as the works of a saint by CNN.(TRUMP)
Over the past month we've been with family in Alabama and on the Viking cruise talking with perhaps a hundred or more ordinary middle class,college educated people.Many,if not most, ostensibly liberal thinkers who strenuously reject Trump but then say that they couldn't support Hilary as"too long immersed in politics".As if being a Senator  and Stateswoman sullied her soul.for them Hilary didn't pass"purity laws" and being pure of heart,so they themselves couldn't deign to condescend for anyone less than a saint.So with great self righteousness they explain to Jinny and me that they intend to skip the election inasmuch as neither candidate deserves their God Almighty vote even if it means the country goes to hell.(i.e.Trump)I was often tempted to ask if they had EVER volunteered to ring doorbells or make phone calls,but Jinny would probably kick me(under the table) for starting a fight.If my history is correct Mussolini did get the trains running on time and Hitler swore to protect the German people against the communists then spreading across Europe.(our course on the Main and Rhine included so many German cities utterly obliterated by Allied bombers... You get what you vote for!) My brother tells me that Humphrey lost to Nixon in 1968 in a race complicated by 10 million Wallace votes.(Thus allowing the Vietnam war to continue an additional 4 years,killing tens of thousands of Americans..RMV

RACIAL PROFILING

The shooting of police officers, in both Dallas and Baton Rouge, are nothing but bitter examples of racial profiling.  Because of actions of  black men targeting white police officers for some having shot and killed other black men, these attacks are insidious
examples of racial profiling. 

 What makes these shootings more egregious, is that blacks, who have suffered more than 5 centuries, and counting, of  racial profiling, should know better!

Saturday, July 16, 2016

HIGH HOPES

The last experienced Vice Presidential candidate running with an inexperienced Presidential nominee to come to power, Dick Cheney, was able to place his own agenda, Neo Conservatism, whose primary goal was the military conquest of Iraq ahead of any national interest.  

Republicans are again running an inexperienced presidential candidate, Donald Trump, with a politically savvy, Mike Pence, whose agenda is Christian Conservatism.  Evangelicals are excited by their prospects in the next General Election where they hope for the opportunity to turn back the clock when abortions had to be performed with coat hangers; religious sects were not required to obey any laws , and the promotion of the Apocalypse is a meritorious pursuit of our Foreign Policy.  

Friday, July 15, 2016

SANCTIONED SUICIDE

In Islam, as in the other Abrahamic religions, suicide is considered a grievous sin, worthy of special punishment in the afterlife.  As in the other Abrahamic religions, suicide for a worthy cause is excepted.

In the West, one method of attempted punishment avoidance has come to be known as "suicide by cop"

 My hypothesis about the lone wolf terrorist attacks that are occurring, recently, perpetrated by disaffected Muslims, is a punishment avoidance method, whereby the attack is part of "jihad", which like the Crusades of old, excused all sorts of atrocities.  

This may explain why sometimes there is no claim of responsibility by either ISIS or Al Qaeda; they didn't know about it beforehand. Some young man, decides to end a seemingly  unbearable life, and looks for personal salvation by killing the "enemy".

Wednesday, July 13, 2016

SECURITY CONCERNS

Security concerns, about holding a convention in a state where open carry of weapons is legal, has prompted the G.O.P. to consult with the N.R.A. about possible repercussions from holding their Convention in Cleveland.  The N.R.A. has responded by informing the GOP that their corporate sponsors feel that there is adequate protective legislation to shield them from product liability lawsuits, but more importantly there is an adequate availability, in stock, to handle any expected increase in sales should a serious incident stoke a fear that weapon  sales might be curtailed.  The NRA has given the GOP a green light to go forward with the Convention.

STREAMLINING GOVERNMENT RECORDS WITH NON-DISCLOSURE AGREEMENTS

Trump has filed a $10 Million law suit against a former campaign worker  for violating a non-disclosure agreement after leaving the campaign.  

In the interest of streamlining record keeping, Trump has already requested that his personal attorney draw up non-disclosure agreements with his prospective cabinet appointment nominees, should he win the Presidency.  Under discussion is a clause which will, in addition, cover testimony, that is not approved by Trump, before Congress.  Any activity related to his income taxes, will, likewise,  be covered in the new non-disclosure agreement form.

WHITE REPUBLICAN PRIVILEGE

When questioned about actions which smack of partisan politics, Republican appointed Supreme Court Justices invoke their First Amendment rights, which apparently are applicable, in their case, but, should a Democratically appointed Justice, do likewise, a firestorm breaks out.

Justice Scalia could go duck hunting, with Dick Cheney, and still sit in judgement, in a case involving Cheney, and laugh at suggestions that he recuse himself from the case which was ultimately resolved in Cheney's favor.  Justice Thomas'  wife could represent a right wing organization with a case pending before the Supreme Court and  nobody could complain.  Sal Alito can roll his eyes at a State of the Union  speech, indicating his disdain for President Obama, but Donald Trump, who is a candidate, wants Ginsburg's immediate resignation for expressing her opinion of him.



Saturday, July 9, 2016

PROFITS MATTER

The N.R.A. has expressed it's condolences to the families of the fallen police officers in Dallas, but want to remind all, that those brave men died protecting the very foundations of our nation.  It is the God given, and unfettered right of individuals, and their groups to earn unlimited profits, Their gallant defense of those rights should be honored and respected by all of us.

Friday, July 8, 2016

YOU MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE

Over the past few days, we have learned that supposed good guys, with guns, can kill other good guys with or without guns.  We have learned that one or two bad guys with guns can down a dozen good guys with guns.  Remember that the next time the N.R.A. tells you that it takes a good guy with a gun to stop a bad guy with a gun.

It's O.K. by me if you will accept the N.R.A. defecating on your head and calling it shampoo, but as for me, I know the difference between shampoo and the other stuff.

GUEST POST

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A Fine Madness Revisited

by daedal2207
The two candidates for presidential office have suspended their activities for the day in deference to the horrors of the Dallas shootings.There had been no thought of suspending campaigns based on the shootings of two black men alone.Perhaps there should not have been, but there is something bothersome about retaliation with police targeted being needed to indicate the enormity of the events.Meanwhile in Long Beach CA A POLICEMAN CONVICTED OF MULTIPLE RAPES UNDER COVER OF OFFICE AND RELEASED UNDER $2,000,000 BAIL HAS COMMITTED SUICIDE.The confluence of events is a reminder that better evaluations of potential police needs to be done.The training phase of things may be too late.
The only group that may be content with the ruin of 12 shot officers,five dead.One dead retaliator(killed by a robotic device after declaring his hatred and intent to kill whites particularly cops)would be the NRA. More guns for everyone boys?
daedal2207 | July 8, 2016 at 2:08 pm | Categories: Uncategorized | URL: http://wp.me/p4Gt4f-fb

FALLUJAH, U.S.A.

The ubiquitous availability of military style weaponry added to perceived grievances of a minority population can lead to urban guerrilla warfare.  If we continue to do nothing to address the problems, we can expect to have multiple Fallujahs in our own backyard.

Thursday, July 7, 2016

SPENDING ALL THAT IT TAKES

By indicating that they will ask the F.B.I. to investigate whether Clinton lied under oath when she testified, before the Benghazi, that she had not sent or received classified information on her server., Republicans have indicated their willingness to spend whatever it takes, of the taxpayer's money, to further the well being of the Republican Party.  

They have no compunction about spending more money on top of the tens of millions  already wasted on investigating Hillary.  There will be no recommendation to prosecute her for perjury for, basically, the same reason as for receiving classified information.  Lying under oath is not perjury unless willful intent is shown, and it is hard to see how any prosecutor would want to prosecute her for a discrepancy of 3 emails in 30,000, with controversy as to whether those 3 having actually had proper markings in accordance, with the State Department manual, to show that they were, indeed, classified. 

This will probably make no difference, to Republicans, who want any grist for their smear mill, which they operate at full capacity as long as they have U.S. Government funds with which to operate.


BECAUSE THEY DON'T LIKE HER

The semi-literati are out there, on the Internet, contrasting Snowden with Hillary, stating that whereas Snowden is in exile, Hillary has been "pardoned":

1. Hillary, of course, has not been pardoned.  The F.B.I. says that they cannot find a single precedent which could be used to justify any charges,

2. While Snowden acknowledges that he has taken classified documents and actually places them, from time to time, on the Internet, Hillary maintains that she did not put any documents, marked classified, on her server.  The Director of the F.B.I. cites a total of 3, out of 30,000, that, while not marked "Classified" contains markings that might indicate that they were classified. The U.S. State Department, however, confirms that the three, in question, were declassified before they were put on her server.

The foregoing notwithstanding, SCConservatives, insist that she be hung, until she is dead, because they don't like her.

    

Wednesday, July 6, 2016

KICKING THE RUMP OF A FELLOW REPUBLICAN

One of the possible reasons for the anger, displayed by Republicans, at the refusal, of the F.B.I. Director, to recommending criminal charges against Hillary Clinton, is the fact that a majority Republican  Congress, in 2007, and 2008, did absolutely nothing about tens of millions of Government emails, on private RNC servers were deleted or otherwise went missing, during the Bush Administration, thereby inoculating Hillary from prosecution in 2016.  Rather than kicking themselves, a difficult feat, anatomically, they are kicking the rump of a fellow Republican, Director Comey.

Tuesday, July 5, 2016

BLATANTLY POLITICAL

Forgotten in the hullabaloo that Republicans are making about a rigged system, that is letting Hillary off, without an indictment, is the statement, made by Director Comey, to the effect that what Hillary did was a widespread practice in the Government.  Her indictment might have lead to other indictments including those of officials in previous Republican administrations.  Republicans say, however, that any indictment of  anyone other than Hillary would have been retaliatory and blatantly political, which would have drawn very strong protests, indeed.

"THE SYSTEM IS RIGGED"

On learning that the FBI Director, James Comey,would not recommend criminal prosecution of Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump immediately tweeted  out his objection saying that it showed the system was rigged.  I concur.  When Obama nominated a Republican, of proven integrity, to the position, he was obviously rigging it  against Republicans.  Donald's latest whine may be justified.

Sunday, July 3, 2016

PUBLIC PERCEPTION MOULDED BY REPUBLICAN DECEPTION

Twenty four years of attack of Hillary, by the Republican smear machine, for alleged crimes such as Travelgate, Whitewater, Vince Foster's "murder", Benghazi, etc, and not so much as a parking ticket.  But she is untrustworthy?

Friday, July 1, 2016

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE REVENUE STREAM

Paul Ryan indicates that he will bring gun control legislation to the House floor, so it would appear that the N.R.A. has acquiesced, to a vote, in the matter of sales to terror suspects.  Reports are, however, that such sales are too important, to the gun manufacturers revenue stream, for the N.R.A. to allow passage of any meaningful legislation, to restrict sales.