TRICKLE DOWN = TORRENT UP

Despite centuries of proof, even before feudal times, that trickle down economics are a complete societal failure, and is the reason for wealth inequality, as well as being a factor in the demise of a society, here in the second decade of the 21st century we are still debating the issue.

Even though several decades of trickle down economics have contributed to a deep sense of discontent, in American society, leading to the empowering of demagogues such as Donald Trump, we are still debating whether to continue with tax cuts with the wealthy or return to a tax system that we had in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s.  It was the tax code in those decades that enabled us, as a society, to build the dams, roads and infrastructure to win World Wars, educate a whole generation of workers and go to the moon, things that seem to be beyond us, now.   

PUTIN ALLIES WITH TRUMP IN UNION BUSTING

I often speculate how much better the world would be if Gorbachev would have been Premier of the Soviet Union, during the Carter Presidency instead of Reagan.  Reagan, who considered, perhaps correctly, that it was actually the old, evil Russian Empire that needed dismembering,  wanted to preside over its dissolution, and succeeded in doing so.  Gorbachev wanted to reform the Union over which he presided, not dissolve it.

Putin who swore his allegiance, as a KGB officer, to that Union, and who has as long a memory, for perceived wrongs, as his compadre Trump, would like nothing better than to return the favor and witness the dissolution of our own Union. 

Trump, who is, possibly, the neediest of any candidate for the U.S. Presidency, and who may already be kept afloat by Russian Federation interests, has already begun laying the groundwork by claiming a rigged system months before the General Election, and like Trump's "Birther Conspiracy", to become an everlasting issue to sow discord in the electorate, 

GUEST POST

Note, this post arrived minutes after I had posted my own thoughts on Personality Disorders, appearing below  HW

Narcissistic Personality Disorder by daedal2207 Rep.Karen Ross(D-Calif)in a Change.org petition,called for mental health professionals to demand a mental health evaluation of the Donald for the safety of the nation. She went on to list some of the 9 characteristics listed in the latest DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual) only 5 of  which are needed for the diagnosis.Two problems bedevil such a diagnostic pronouncement. The first is that it is a matter of the degree to which these characteristics are displayed and the second is the social context in which they are displayed. In a society which idolizes economic opportunism and  success, often in a zero sum economic & psychological context(racist and sexist to boot e.g."The big swinging dicks" of  Wall Street ),a lot of the winners would score high on such a score , potentially earning only a moral indictment as well as not so secret envy.Nevertheless our nation's sociopsychological experts need to be heard from,if only to explain the difficulty.Beyond that a statement that a lack of empathy is a primary sign of one who might engender risk and one need go no further than the impassioned statement of a father(Khan} and the anguish of his wife,is in order.Thus Congresswoman Ross's call is a request for a profiling of courage as well as a warning to the nation.

EXTORTED AGAINST HIS WISHES

I am struck with amusement, at the thought that returning  one's own money to its rightful owner, could be considered a ransom, as Donald Trump has characterized that $400 million sent to Iran. But considering how the Donald must feel when he is forced to return all, or part, of the money, that he has duped out of some poor "mark", it is understandable.  To him, it is his hard earned money, that is being extorted against his wishes.

MEETING THE DESCRIPTION

I, personally, would never consider someone with a Personality Disorder as being psychotic, or meet the definition of being insane. However, if that person also had hallucinations, such as seeing Muslims, in Jersey City, cheering the destruction of the Twin Towers, or having seen a planeload of cash arriving at an airport, each of which had not been seen by anyone else, I might not preclude the possibility that there may be a co-morbidity present that could  meet that description.

OUR GREATEST PRESIDENT?

Republicans have raised the possibility that Obama, endowed by superhuman powers, is the first superhero to have become President of the U.S.  According to Republicans, Obama bears the responsibility for the death of Capt. Khan, in Iraq.  The fact that Capt. Khan died in 2004, five years before Obama took office, should have been no impediment to a man of Obama's accomplishments. 

NO GREATER SACRIFICE

For a Muslim immigrant, whose son fought and died in the service of the U.S., to criticise Donald Trump for never having made sacrifices for this nation, may be being unfair. What greater sacrifice can be made than for a man to marry and maintain three trophy wives?  

As the old poem says:

 The ultimate sacrifice
 Is when a man marries a trophy wife
 And has to support her all of her life