Posts

Showing posts from 2017

A Happy and Prosperous New Year To ALL!!!

Image
We begin the New Year with an Open Thread . Please keep it respectful!

The Attention Craving POTUS...

We all know by now, or should know anyway, that DJT is a reality show POTUS. He is one who craves the attention that the media falls all over itself to give him. Trump is addicted to the limelight cable news, print media, and electronic media provide him 24/7. Bluntly stated Trump is a media whore who needs the media every bit as much, if not more, than the media needs him. From Th e Washington Post : In President Trump’s interview with the New York Times, he declared: Another reason that I’m going to win another four years is because newspapers, television, all forms of media will tank if I’m not there. Because without me, their ratings are going down the tubes. Without me, the New York Times will indeed be not the failing New York Times, but the failed New York Times. So they basically have to let me win. And eventually, probably six months before the election, they’ll be loving me because they’re saying, “Please, please, don’t lose Donald Trump.” On one level, the comment i

Is the Mueller Investigation Increasingly Worrisome for the POTUS?...

Donald Trump has been obsessed with talking about the absence of any collusion between his campaign and the Russian government. We're no expert here but people that find it necessary to repeatedly, and often, defend themselves against allegations sound like they're trying to convince themselves. Which creates the thought in others that they indeed have something to worry about, and, if possible hide. From The Washington Post : You know how if you repeat a word over and over, eventually it starts to sound strange to your ear, like merely a random collection of sounds? That is apparently what President Trump is doing with the word “collusion.” Say it often enough, and perhaps it will lose all meaning. That’s just one of the things that comes through in this bizarre and disturbing interview Trump conducted at the Trump International Golf Club with Michael Schmidt of the New York Times, apparently on the spur of the moment and with no aides there to protect him. As we’ve alm

Expecting the Trend to Continue...

Image
We note that even when erring on the plus side and giving all categories the +2.9% only Republicans and White Evangelicals approve of the way Trump is handling his job as of November 2017. The trend line has been heading south (in all categories) since February 2017 and there are no indications that will change anytime soon. Hopefully the American people continue to grow in understanding Trump lacks maturity, understanding, integrity, vision, and so much more. As leader and head of the Republican party it is deserving of absorbing the disillusionment of the majority of the American people in 2018 and 2020. Article BELOW THE FOLD .

A Refreshingly True Poster...

Image
A most truthful statement. Found on a consevative weblog . In this age of Trumpisms a lie is the truth, even when its not . Just ask 30%-40% of Americans that continue to supprt the BLOTUS.

Trump's Vision For The USA's Place In The World...

Trump is reshaping America's role internationally. Do the possible perils in doing so outweigh the perceived benefits? The Atlantic - When great powers fade, as they inevitably must, it’s normally for one of two reasons. Some powers exhaust themselves through overreach abroad, underinvestment at home, or a mixture of the two. This was the case for the Soviet Union. Other powers lose their privileged position with the emergence of new, stronger powers. This describes what happened with France and Great Britain in the case of Germany’s emergence after World War I and, more benignly, with the European powers and the rise of the United States during and after World War II. To some extent America is facing a version of this—amid what Fareed Zakaria has dubbed “the rise of the rest”—with China’s ascendance the most significant development. But the United States has now introduced a third means by which a major power forfeits international advantage. It is abdication, the voluntary r

Will 'Never Trump' Be the Only Survivors After He's Gone?...

When the Republican Party’s current coalition falls apart, those who stood up to bigotry will be the only ones with the credibility to rebuild. Excerpt from The Atlantic . Conservatives and republicans need to read, reread, and fully understand the following as well as the ramifications of their failure to stand for right rather than the misguiuded right wing of their party . Of course, Trump has presided over many policy failures. Any president could pass a tax bill or confirm federal judges given a Senate and House that is controlled by their party. And Trump’s tax bill failed to simplify the system while his federal court appointments include embarrassingly unqualified choices. But even without those caveats to the two policy achievements that conservatives cite most often, there are sound reasons to justify opposition from Never Trumpers. Some relate to incompetence, others to lack of transparency. And the most important and damning traits that distinguish Trump from hi

Happy Holidays!!!

Image
A Very Merry and Safe Holiday To ALL .

Some Things To Think About...

Laws of the Universe The Law of Divine Oneness - everything is connected to everything else. What we think, say, do and believe will have a corresponding effect on others and the universe around us. Law of Vibration - Everything in the Universe moves, vibrates and travels in circular patterns, the same principles of vibration in the physical world apply to our thoughts, feelings, desires and wills in the Etheric world. Each sound, thing, and even thought has its own vibrational frequency, unique unto itself. Law of Action - Must be employed in order for us to manifest things on earth. We must engage in actions that supports our thoughts dreams, emotions and words Law of Correspondence - This Universal Law states that the principles or laws of physics that explain the physical world energy, Light, vibration, and motion have their corresponding principles in the etheric or universe "As above, so below" Law of Cause and Effect - Nothing happens by chance or outsi

Sane Republicans Recognize the Danger To Their Slim Margin of Power...

POLITICO - A few weeks before Alabama's special Senate election, President Donald Trump’s handpicked Republican National Committee leader, Ronna Romney McDaniel, delivered a two-page memo to White House chief of staff John Kelly outlining the party’s collapse with female voters. The warning, several people close to the chairwoman said, reflected deepening anxiety that a full-throated Trump endorsement of accused child molester Roy Moore in the special election — which the president was edging closer to at the time — would further damage the party’s standing with women. McDaniel’s memo, which detailed the president's poor approval numbers among women nationally and in several states, would go unheeded, as Trump eventually went all-in for the ultimately unsuccessful Republican candidate. The backstage talks provide a window into how those closest to Trump are bracing for a possible bloodbath in the 2018 midterms, which could obliterate the Republican congressional majorities

Faux News, Official Propaganda Outlet of the Trump Administration

“The President of the United States regularly starts his day watching Fox & Friends and then tweets about whatever they cover, and however, they cover it.” Mediaite He promotes their show, tags them by name, and sings their praises. That alone makes [them] three of the most influential media people not just in the United States, but in the entire world.” Donald J. Trump ✔ @realDonaldTrump Was @foxandfriends just named the most influential show in news? You deserve it - three great people! The many Fake News Hate Shows should study your formula for success! 7:45 AM - Dec 21, 2017 “That is influence like few other media figures have ever enjoyed." Trump regularly praises the Fox News show's coverage, as well as other coverage from the network and Fox Business. Since taking office, he has sat down for more than a dozen interviews with the network, but has mostly avoided other outlets. SOURCE

Trump Admits Deceit... Lying To The American People, AGAIN...

President Trump was so excited about passing his first major piece of legislation Wednesday that he blurted out that the Republican Party had misrepresented the entire bill, handing Democrats some potentially troublesome talking points for the 2018 midterm elections. ... Trump basically admitted that the GOP's talking points on the bill weren't exactly honest in two major ways. While talking about the corporate tax rate being cut from 35 percent to 21 percent, Trump said, “That's probably the biggest factor in our plan.” The problem? Republicans have been selling this legislation as a middle-class tax cut, first and foremost. A sampling: “The entire purpose of this is to lower middle class taxes.” — House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) “Primarily, and priority number one, is middle-class Americans.” — White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders “The theme behind this bill is to get middle-class tax relief for most people in the middle class.” — Senate Majo

All Hail the King!...

This is what our once great republic has fallen to. Back in June, President Trump allowed almost his entire Cabinet to speak, one by one, in praise of him. And praise him they did, with each being more effusive than the last. They called it an “incredible honor” and a “blessing” to serve him. They said they were “humbled” and “privileged” to be part of his team. They talked about how much Americans loved Trump. At Wednesday's Cabinet meeting, Vice President Pence decided he'd just handle praising Trump for the entire team. Over nearly three minutes, Pence offered plaudit after plaudit after plaudit, praising Trump's vision, his words, his strategy and his results in light of the passage of tax cuts. By the end, Pence offered 14 separate commendations for Trump in less than three minutes -- math that works out to one every 12.5 seconds. And each bit of praise was addressed directly to Trump, who was seated directly across the table. Here's the full list: 1) “T

As Trump Cruises To Yet Another Low Swampland Distinction...

Washington (CNN) President Donald Trump's approval rating sank to a new low in CNN polling on Tuesday, earning the approval of just 35% of Americans less than a year into his first term. That's a significant drop from the 45% approval rating that Trump had in March, shortly after taking office. It marks the worst approval rating in a December of any elected president's first year in the White House by a wide margin — and only the second time since the dawn of modern polling that a president's approval rating sank under 50% at this point. A broad 59% of Americans said they disapprove of how Trump is handling his job as president. George W. Bush ended his first calendar year at 86% approval, John F. Kennedy hit 77%, George H.W. Bush reached 71% and Dwight Eisenhower hit 69%. Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama all finished their first calendar year with approval ratings in the mid-to-high 50s. Ronald Reagan, previously holder of the worst ap

The Age of Aquarius...

As a change of pace as well as tone, we offer the following for your consideration and comments. This shift is bringing out the best and the worst in mankind . Some people are preparing for this shift by opening their hearts and minds and embracing this new age, and some people are intimidated by the changes that they don’t understand and want to return to a “golden age” in the past, or to circle the wagons and trust only those who are like themselves. Transformation is never a painless process. When you fast or cleanse to purify your body, at first you feel worse, because toxins get stirred up in order to be eliminated. Once these poisons have been cleared, you feel lighter and more energized. Now imagine that every person on planet Earth is going through this shift. We are heading into a time of radical change. It is a time of great potential growth and expansion, but it is also a time of great potential pain and suffering. The more that you understand what is happening, the mor

The Public's Trust In Government on the Decline...

Image
A PEW Research Center report shows Americans trust in their government has become less positive and at the same time more partisan. Since 2015, opinions about the federal government’s handling of several major issues have become less positive and much more partisan. Yet majorities continue to say the government should have a “major role” on such issues as defending against terrorism and helping lift people from poverty. And views about government’s role, unlike its performance, have changed only modestly over the past two year.    Public trust in government, meanwhile, remains close to a historic low. Just 18% say they trust the federal government to do the right thing “just about always” or “most of the time” – a figure that has changed very little for more than a decade.  And while more Republicans say they trust the government today than did so during the Obama administration, just 22% of Republicans and even fewer Democrats (15%) say they trust the government at least most of th

The Vote Is In, the Outcome Righrt...

At the end of the day Alabama did the right thing. They elected Doug Jones to the United States Senate. It is true Jones won by a slim 1.5% margin of victory, and, some will say he won because of media bias, irregularities in the voting process, that Moore ran a poor campaign, that the GOP was late in supporting his campaign etc. There may be a very small amout of truth to some of that. Nevertheless Jones won and his winning could very well be a harbinger of the 2018 congressional elections to come. Even with Trump and Bannon stumping on behalf of Roy Moore Alabama voted blue, a most stunning development in one of the south's deepest red states. Many folks, myself included, consider this a landmark election, an election that is as much a rebuke of the Trump and Bannon agenda as it is support for the democratic agenda. Time will tell. For now there is much work to be done. Remenber, gloating and over confidence loses elections. It's time to prepare for the next election w

Obama, a Real American President - Trump, a Fake American President...

CHICAGO (AP) — Former President Barack Obama says Americans must be vigilant in their defense of democracy or risk following the path of Nazi Germany in the 1930s. At a speech earlier this week, the former president told the Economic Club of Chicago that “things can fall apart fairly quickly” if Americans don’t “tend to this garden of democracy.” During the speech Tuesday, Obama pointed to Hitler’s rise to power in Germany as he implored the audience to “pay attention ... and vote.” Obama also defended the media. He said the press “often drove me nuts” but that he understood that a free press was vital to democracy. The above is EXACTLY how a REAL President and ex President thinks and speaks. Fake presidents like Trump think and act like authoritarian dictators. Which is why Trump admires Hitler ( keeps Mein Kampf by his bedside ) and Russian strong man Putin . Thoughts from REAL Americans welcome!

RIP Congressman John B. Anderson...

John B. Anderson, an Illinois Republican who cultivated a free-thinking reputation during his 20 years in the U.S. House of Representatives, and who mounted a serious third-party bid for the White House in 1980, died Dec. 3 in Washington. He was 95. After entering Congress in 1961, Anderson spent many years in lock step with Republican Party orthodoxy and was a supporter of ultraconservative Sen. Barry Goldwater's presidential bid in 1964. B ut Anderson, who had voted against many of President Lyndon Johnson's Great Society economic and social programs, gradually came to embrace them. As part of his incremental political evolution, he spoke of being deeply moved while attending funerals for civil rights activists. He began to travel more widely, seeing the effects of housing discrimination and racism. His signature legislative achievement came in April 1968, days after riots sparked by the assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. tore through Washington. King'

An Unsettling Reminder of the Past in the Time of Trump,,,

Image
The following was reprinted in the Kansas City Star on December 03, 2017 courtesy of the estate of Art Buchwald. Originally published in the The Los Angeles Times in 1973 during the Watergate hearing it certainly resonates today. Click on the Kansas City Star LINK above.

What Are the Most Important Characteristics of a Good Leader... In Your Opinion?

Image
Here you have it folks, a POTUS in name only. One who is perceived as competitive, intense, emphasizes success, and enthusiastic. As to characteristics that predict a good, or great, leader how does he fair? Trump  rightly so scores low on the vision thing, has little if any courage, really doesn't give a hoot about people, isn't very focused, is uninspiring, lacks analytical skills, is horribly inconsistent, and is most often unprepared. Yet America put the "man" in the most powerful position on the planet. Even though all the indicators of this were there shortly following his announcement that he was going to run. Many want to blame Russia, and certainly they were a minor influence given the country's interference. But, the real blame for the man siting in the Oval Office rest squarely on the ill informed or willfully ignorant voters of America. We have ourselves to thank for The Master of Disaster now occupying the White House. Complete poll write u

Flynn Charged With Lying to the FBI...

Image
Investigation heats up. From AXIOS . President Trump's former national security advisor Michael Flynn pleaded guilty during a court appearance this morning to "willfully and knowingly [making] false, fictitious and fraudulent statements and representations" to the FBI regarding his conversations with Sergey Kislyak, Russia's then-ambassador to the United States. Flynn's plea came under Special Counsel Robert Mueller's expanding investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. Why it matters: With his plea, Flynn agreed to cooperate fully with Mueller's investigation. In a development that could have far-reaching implications as Mueller's probe moves forward, Flynn admitted in his plea that senior transition officials directed his contacts with Russian officials in late December of last year. The lies that Flynn told FBI agents: Flynn claimed he did not ask Kislyak to attempt to "refrain from escalating the situation" a

Making America Great Again, The Trumpian Way...

Image
As the POTUS and congress attempts to sell another bill of goods to the public. As always the ultimate burden to pay for the "tax break" falls on the middle class and the retired who bust, and busted their asses for 40-50 plus years Making America Great. A bad deal being sold to a sleeping American electorate. More HERE Afterthought, the cuts may be needed to pay for America's next war.

Are We Americans Capable of Entering Into Rational, Honest, and Productive Discusion Over Sensitive Matters?...

  Rape -  The crime of rape generally refers to non-consensual sexual intercourse that is committed by physical force , threat of injury, or other duress. Common law defined rape as unlawful intercourse by a man against a woman who is not his wife by force or threat and against her will. A sexual predator is a person seen as obtaining or trying to obtain sexual contact with another person in a metaphorically predatory or abusive manner. Pedophilia is considered a paraphilia, an "abnormal or unnatural attraction." Pedophilia is defined as the fantasy or act of sexual activity with prepubescent children. Pedophiles are usually men, and can be attracted to either or both sexes. How well they relate to adults of the opposite sex varies. Sexual harassment is bullying or coercion of a sexual nature, or the unwelcome or inappropriate promise of rewards in exchange for sexual favors. In most modern legal contexts, sexual harassment is illegal. As defined by th

Happy Thanksgiving To Everyone, Friend and Foe Alike... !!!

Image
The Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving (Edgar Albert Guest, 1881-1959) It may be I am getting old and like too much to dwell Upon the days of bygone years, the days I loved so well; But thinking of them now I wish somehow that I could know A simple old Thanksgiving Day, like those of long ago, When all the family gathered round a table richly spread, With little Jamie at the foot and grandpa at the head, The youngest of us all to greet the oldest with a smile, With mother running in and out and laughing all the while. It may be I'm old-fashioned, but it seems to me to-day We're too much bent on having fun to take the time to pray; Each little family grows up with fashions of its own; It lives within a world itself and wants to be alone. It has its special pleasures, its circle, too, of friends; There are no get-together days; each one his journey wends, Pursuing what he likes the best in his particular way, Letting the others do the same upon Thanksgiving

When Madness Overtakes Reason...

THE HILL - Two prominent progressive groups are calling on Sen. Al Franken to resign in the wake of sexual misconduct allegations against him. Credo Action and Indivisible called for Franken’s resignation Monday after a second woman accused Franken of groping her without her consent. “Sen. Al Franken had the chance last week to take full responsibility for past sexual harassment, sexual assault and any other behavior that demeaned women. He failed to do so,” Credo said in a statement. “We believe that Sen. Franken should immediately resign from the U.S. Senate and that Gov. Mark Dayton should appoint a progressive woman to replace him . Emphasis mine.” At least there is consistency here, among the Gloria Allred progressive feminists anyway. It is beginning to look like America's progressives are marching gleefully towards the neutering block. A place where feminists rule and men are considered evil predators A place where an accidental brush against a feminist could be consi

Keystone XL Pipeline's First Spill, 210,000 Gallons...

THE HILL - Workers took the Keystone oil pipeline offline on Thursday after it spilled 5,000 barrels of oil in rural South Dakota, officials said. A TransCanada crew shut down the pipeline at 6 a.m. Thursday morning after detecting an oil leak along the line, the company said. The leak was detected along a stretch of the pipeline about 35 miles south of a pumping station in Marshall County, South Dakota. TransCanada estimates the pipeline leaked 5,000 barrels of oil, or about 210,000 gallons, before going offline. The company said it's working with state regulators and the Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration to assess the situation. The South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources heard about the leak at about 10:30 a.m. Thursday, ABC affiliate KSFY  reported . TransCanada is seeking to expand its Keystone pipeline network. President Trump this year signed a presidential permit allowing the company to build the Keystone XL pipeline

First Daughter Speaks Wisely...

"I've yet to see a valid explanation and I have no reason to doubt the victims' accounts. That  is what Ivanka Trump has said about Roy Moore's explanations with respect to allegations of sexual misconduct. The First Daughter is showing herself to be a rational and intelligent woman. Waiting until today to weigh in with such a strong statement shows maturity and character.  Is it possible Ivanka is speaking for the President as well? It makes sense that she is. Yes? Washington (CNN) - Ivanka Trump spoke out for the first time against embattled Alabama Senate Republican candidate Roy Moore, who has been accused of pursuing sexual relationships with teenagers when he was in his early thirties. Her father, President Donald Trump , meanwhile, has largely stayed mum on the issue.  "There's a special place in hell for people who prey on children," Trump told The Associated Press in an interview otherwise focused on tax reform published Wednesday. Yup,

More On The Unfolding Saga Of Roy Moore And Sexual Misconduct...

Given the recent allegations of sexual misconduct by Roy Moore with underage girls, the incidences of abuse of power in the attempt to secure sexual favors from women this weblog provides the following snippets with hot links to the quoted articles for your perusal and consideration. Given the number of recent comments that we have ben forced to delete due to being nothing more than distractions from the subject of the post, completely irrelevant, the use of vulgar language, or being completely unintelligible we are posting the following notice and guidelines. All on topic, intelligible, relevant, thoughtful, and respectful comments are welcome, REGARDLESS of your viewpoint on the subject. All comments that fail to meet the foregoing criteria WILL BE SUMARILY DELETED IMMEDIATELY UPON DETECTION . Please adhere to the above criteria if you wish to leave a comment. Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation. Now for the snippets. Kellyanne Conway spent several minut

More On Roy Moore...

The right, and by right I am referring to the far right. Those who spend time distracting from the importance of the issue by bringing up Bill Clinton, George Takei, or some other incidence of democratic sexual misconduct as though that makes it okay if in fact the allegations are ultimately shown to be true. Sexual misconduct is always wrong, regardless whether the sexual predator is a conservative, a liberal, a republican, or a democrat. It is especially egregious when the predator holds a position of power and influence over a younger individual, such as was the case with Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky. Roy Moore, an adult male in a position of influence and power allegedly pursued under age teenagers, one as young 14. The allegation states that Moore, while not forcing sexual intercourse did unclothe and touch touch the young teenager inappropriately. Moore was in his early 30's at the time these alleged encounters allegedly occurred. As the statute of limitations has

Another Republican Accused Of Sexual Misconduct...

David French had the following to say regarding Roy Moore and his alleged sexual misconduct 40 years ago. Conservatives, be careful. Don’t dismiss the claims. While I don’t know if the allegations are true, I’m deeply troubled on a number of grounds. First, these women didn’t seek out the press. According to the Post report, its reporters reached out to them after hearing that “Moore allegedly had sought relationships with teenage girls.” So far as we know, they weren’t put forward by the opposing campaign, and the woman who made the most serious allegations against Moore says that she voted for Trump in 2016. None of the women have donated to Moore’s primary or general-election opponent. Second, if you read the report, it includes validation from a number of witnesses who say that they were aware of the relationships at the time. While this isn’t proof of guilt of course, it bolsters the credibility of the accusers. Third, the youngest accuser’s explanation for her decision n

More Deaths By Mass Shooting... Will The Carnage Continue?

Image
From The Atlantic , yet American "leadership" is most likely to continue to say prayers and offer condolences to the families who lose loved ones, as well as partaking of solemn candlelight vigils. American leadership is apparently owned by the NRA, firearm manufactures, and gun nuts who believe the right to own private arsenals trumps the right to life. Twenty-six people shot dead in Sutherland Springs, November 5. Fifty-nine people shot dead in Las Vegas, October 1. Forty-nine people shot dead in Orlando, June 12 of last year. They are three of the five worst mass shootings in modern U.S. history. All happened in the last two years. Two occurred within the same two months. Skip Diseases spread between individuals, but the contagion of mass shootings seems to spread through broadcast media. In an interview with The Atlantic in 2015, Sherry Towers, the ASU paper’s lead author, hypothesized that television, radio, and other media exposure might be the vectors t

Frenzied Trumpian Republicans Work To Railroad Justice,,,

Trumpian Republicans are getting nervous, which is understandable given their "savior's" manifest corruption. Three Republican U.S. lawmakers called on Friday for Robert Mueller to resign as special counsel investigating Russia and the 2016 U.S. election, the latest in a series of conservatives’ criticisms of the FBI and Justice Department during the probe of how Moscow may have influenced the campaign. Representatives Matt Gaetz, Andy Biggs and Louis Gohmert accused Mueller of a conflict of interest because he was director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation when former President Barack Obama’s administration approved an agreement allowing a Russian company to buy a Canadian company that owned 20 percent of U.S. uranium supplies. President Donald Trump’s fellow Republicans have been calling for an investigation into the Uranium One deal, amid news of Mueller’s first indictments of Trump associates as the special counsel investigates allegations that the Trump ca

So True!...

Image
This s what a rational well balanced conservative has to say about President Trump's illness.

Concisely Summing Up Trump's Presidency...

Image
Star Tribune, Sack

30 Something Percent of Americans Apparently Agree...

Image