An Existential Threat

It is President's day today and many news programs are inviting historians on their stations to offer opinions and analysis on the best and worst Presidents. Almost to a person, because of the existential threats to America as a nation and a democracy, Lincoln, Washington, FDR and Truman seem to rise to the top of most lists, regardless of party or political slant. Mostly because the existence of America was at stake. For Truman and FDR it was fighting Fascism and insuring that freedom would be preserved against the mind boggling hate and imperialism of Hitler and Japan. For Washington, would the revolution be in vein, or would the United States survive as a nation? For Lincoln, would a united America be preserved? In all cases, these four men rose to the occasion, thus preserving our great nation and making it to the top of most analysts' lists as best among the 44 men (don't forget McKinley)to occupy the office. It is unfair to place Donald Trump on the list quite yet since his Presidency is still young, but based on their analysis thus far, Democrats, Independents and even Republicans rank him at the bottom. It isn't because of his human foibles, frailties and fecklessness, but because he is refusing to face an existential threat to our democracy and this, according to historian Michael Beschloss is "chilling". Our Congress thus far, has turned its back on this reality due to partisan loyalty and there is obviously still time to reign Trump in and face these threats, but if left to Trump, the institutions of American democracy may be destroyed for a very long time. Many around me suggest it is hyperbole and over reaction to think that such a thing could ever happen here, but, it is happening. Foreign powers can disrupt our electoral processes, nations around the world are fast losing respect for the United States, doors are being opened for autocracies and dictatorships and hate groups and terror groups both domestically and abroad are being emboldened by the absence of the usual credible global leadership of America and the tweets of one very sick and unstable man. This is no hyperbole. It is the truth. It is indeed an existential threat that we face. And so too, are we threatened by the guns. It is time to step up and address the issue and put the NRA where it belongs...with the hunters. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

You decide

Treason" is defined in the Constitution as: Whoever, owing allegiance to the United States, levies war against them or adheres to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort within the United States or elsewhere, is guilty of treason and shall suffer death, or shall be imprisoned not less than five years and fined under this title but not less than $10,000; and shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States. Russia is the enemy. Trump is adhering to them. He has certainly aided Putin and given him comfort. He has blamed this as a hoax and refuses to execute sanctions law. You decide. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

Missing the point

Those of us that hate Trump are so caught up in the Bannon affair and collusion and his lying and his stupidity and his obsession with undoing Obama's regs and the size of his button etc., that we are missing the point. All of that, although important to us, pales in comparison to the real issue. This President has done what was almost unthinkable. He has made Kim Jung Un look statesmanlike, he has opened the door to China and Russia to fill the void being left behind by an absence of global leadership by the United States and has dangerously proven such incompetence in the job that we are all in more danger than is necessary. To add salt to this unbelievable situation, is the enabling of both leaders in Congress, lets call them RyConnell. They have added to this situation all the while knowing the truth....that the President is unfit. We must not miss the point. Where are you Americans for Reason and truth?

Moore of Trump

If you want to believe that trickle down economics works, then fine. If you want to be pro life, that is perfectly fine. If your religion keeps you from accepting non heterosexual lifestyles, I can respect your commitment to your faith. If you want to believe that Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid are unsustainable programs that must be cut to bring economic stability, then we can agree to disagree. If you want to accept that the science behind climate change is not 100 percent sure but 95% sure I will give you that and if you believe that the deficit is only a concern when Democrats grow it and not Republicans I will simply call it partisan politics. But, if you accept violations of the Constitution and pedophilia in our elected officials, that is where any person with a scintilla of moral conscience must draw the line. The President of the United States instead of hoping for a Moore win, has actively thrown his support behind a man that twice was removed from his Judicial responsibilities for violating the Constitution. Local police, decades ago, were told to keep judge Moore away from the cheerleaders. Judge Moore was banned from the mall due to his creeper activities. Judge Moore said slavery was when America was great, he has called homosexuals a blight on the world and accepts the notion that our country is better when it is whiter. Our President has supported this man. Our President is knowingly and willingly endorsing pedophilia, white supremacy and violations of the Constitution in the name of his eroding but committed base. Shame on him and shame on us. If the people of Alabama cannot put partisan politics aside for the good of country, then we are certainly in for a period of history that will be one of the darkest ever. Vote Doug Jones Alabama and remember your 13 year old daughters as you enter the polling places on Tuesday. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

No More Hugs

A few months ago, Senators Collins and Murkowski, the sensible ladies, the protectors of women, were lauded when they expressed opposition to the attempts to repeal the Affordable Care Act. There were pictures of them being swarmed by supporters both in Alaska and Maine and in one particular video, Collins was being hugged in the airport. Her specific concerns were that premiums would rise and millions would lose their coverage and she could not support such a reality. In the wee hours of Saturday morning, both women voted to support the Senate bill that does two things related to healthcare. It will cause 13 million to lose it, and raise premiums. Now in the case of Murkowski, its easy...Arctic drilling was the bribe used for her vote. Suddenly that became more important than her constituents' health. In the case of Collins, she was assured by the President, who never lies, that the markets would be stabilized and is relying on a letter promising to deal with the issue in the future. The Brooklyn bridge is still for sale. Shame on them both. Not only have they abandoned their principles regarding the health of our nation, they support hurting teachers, small businesses, homeowners and yes, middle class taxpayers who according to this version of the bill, will only receive modest and temporary cuts in taxes while corporations receive permanent ones. Collins declared her support after she got a 10,000 cap for property tax deductions but she ought to be reminded that prices of homes in Maine, are not the same as in higher cost of living states. This may be OK in Maine, but not where I live. It is true that the conference committee has a lot of differences to iron out before any bill reaches the dictator and calls, letters and protests should continue. These tax efforts seem to be less popular than chicken pox and perhaps there is a glimmer of hope. For now, NO MORE HUGS. Where are you Americans for Reason and Truth?

The Blame Game

No one plays the blame game better than donald trump. President Obama, according to trump, is responsible for all that is bad while only he, is responsible for all that is good. The current ISIS strategy that trump crows about, is Obama's policy. Not a hairs difference. The current economy is Obama's economy and trump crows about the stock market he called fake under his predecessor. This afternoon, after a terror attack in NY, trump immediately blamed Chuck Schumer for supporting a lottery program for immigrants from low immigration countries such as Uzbekistan. The suspect was actually radicalized while in the United States according to authorities, not because of how he came here. Again, the blame game. Try this on for size. The hateful bigotry caused by trump, has sparked violence amongst domestic terror groups and he and he alone is responsible for violence in Charlottesville. Hate crimes are at increasingly high levels due to trumps hateful language and inaccurate bombosity and arrogance. trump is responsible for the terrorist action in Vegas, killing dozens and injuring hundreds with real guns, not fake ones in the hands of the NY terrorist yesterday. trump is to blame for giving full support for the most dangerous and extreme views of the NRA. I can go on. If we allow trump to blame everyone else for current day failures without reminding him that he and only he is to blame, we let him slide like the slimy piece of trash that he is. Its all your fault mr. trump, not Barrack Obama's. Where are you Americans for reason and truth.

Take A Knee

While storms, nuclear threats, deliberate sabotage by our President of our healthcare and tax policy are all in the mix of daily life, trump, with a small T, picks a fight with the black athletes of our country. He started it in Alabama where two other lunatics were running for Senate, the winner of that primary, now trump's guy, is a homophobic, law breaking bigot, so picking such a fight down there seems right for him. Now trump has never read the Constitution so he doesn't understand what America is about. Several Supreme Court rulings have unambiguously declared that even unpopular or disrespectful expression, is protected. In the instance of the NFL dispute created by a President, he is preying on the stupidity and ignorance of many people who think the flag, the song and the statues are what makes America great. I wont change their minds and certainly wont waste my time trying. The actions of unpopular resistance have historically proven to facilitate progress such as expanding civil rights, raising consciousness on matters of importance and truly represent what our values are and what we stand for. Protest, respectful disagreement and activism are the true representations of our nation. trump will never get that. He actually by sabotaging law, using racism to quell disagreements and displaying ignorance with every breath he takes, is demonstrating much worse than taking a knee. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

The Dismantling of Humanity...Trump style

I love President Obama. He will always be a great President in my eyes, not for what he did not accomplish, but for his intellect, his vision for the future, his committment to the human condition and his scandal free, family friendly, poised, stable and compassionate administration. He talked about future technology jobs, improved infrastructure, an updated electric grid, respect for our global connections, protection of the environment and the basic decency and humanity of the American spirit. He left with a 58% popularity and an economy in a better position than the one in existence when he took office as evidenced by the continuation of good numbers over the past months. These are numbers completely unattributable to President Trump. If you are objective, put your hatred aside and be honest with yourself, my description cannot be factually unwound. In a few short months, hate crimes are up, we are questioning whether or not to condemn Nazis, we are denying the reality of human made environmental disasters, we are threatening nuclear destruction of sovereign nations, backing away from trade agreements, disrespecting our allies and using harsh, despicable language toward fellow citizens, declaring the free press obstructionist and putting fiction over fact on the most serious of matters. It is no coincidence that this is happening during the administration of Donald Trump, whose inhumanity pre-dates his Presidency. He is not alone responsible. His party has nurtured the conditions that have allowed such a man to be elected President. Now, in a last ditch effort of desperation and hurt, the Republicans may finally succeed in kicking millions off of health insurance, remove requirements that would have long term health benefits, make premiums in many quarters much higher, particularly for the sick and economically challenged all in the name of hate for Obama. It is a dismantling of humanity in our supposedly morally superior nation. It is a perfect storm. Trump style. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

A Teachable Moment

Back to school is around the corner and as a teacher, I am getting the usual pangs of anticipation and hope as a new year approaches. One thing we are not hearing a lot about during our current political reality, is how all of the dysfunction and meanness pervading our country right now, should be handled in the classrooms. I, quite frankly, am a bit worried about how to teach students the difference between good and evil without entering the arena of their own family dynamic and political perspective. After all, I actually work with teachers and other educators who support President Trump and it takes a lot for me to restrain myself and say to them how unbelievably inappropriate and ignorant their viewpoints are but I refrain. I have always made it a habit to teach students how to make decisions rather than make the decisions for them. It is hard, but it is right in my judgement. They may be able as they get older to guess that I am a left of center Democrat believing in compromise but they wont hear me define myself as such in the classroom. I never, however, refrain from modeling for them or teaching them about good character, respect for others and the avoidance of apathy. In the movie, "American President" Michael Douglas plays President Andrew Shepard who is dropping in the polls nearing re election. He finally decides to speak out against his fear mongering opponent Bob Rumson played by Richard Dreyfuss. In a famous line from his speech Shepard says "Being President is entirely about character". The teaching strategy that this example provides us as teachers is therefore the one I will use, without condemning party political affiliation or calling out the President by name. Instead I will teach students that we must fight against symbols of hate such as swastikas and KKK robes. We must respect each other and not use vulgar terms and expressions of disrespect toward women. I will teach that lying is bad and avoiding responsibility by blaming others is inappropriate. I will reinforce the importance of stopping bullies and speaking out forcefully against bigotry and hate. I will remind students that how they behave as young adults will shape who they become as adults, and I wont even have to mention Donald Trump, the most despicable human being, the most incredibly hateful and disingenuous thug, the most lacking in character of anyone to assume the office of the Presidency in a long long time. Maybe even forever. I will not squander this teachable moment. Where are you Americans for Reason and Truth?

Let It Fail

Article 2 section 3 of the Constitution says that the President "shall take care that the Laws be faithfully executed". It doesn't ask for his opinion of the law or suggest he even have one. The President as any citizen, has the right to speak and share his thoughts, but he must enforce the laws that have been passed by Congress and signed by a President. We have today, a President who is boastfully, systematically and aggressively hoping that a law, "The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act" signed into law in 2010, fails. In fact, he is encouraging and helping it to fail. He is hoping it fails. He is willfully and systematically not enforcing this law. I personally believe that this rises to a high crime or misdemeanor, but that is just my opinion. Until such time as something changes with the laws that impact healthcare, it is his duty to do what he can to insure that this law is faithfully executed. If everything spoken about, written about and observed about Donald Trump is put aside, the one thing we should be most concerned about is his desire to hurt our citizens. He wants to do it deliberately to score some political points. In their worst days, no previous President would call for failure. Where are you Americans for Reason and Truth?

What about the country?

There is no time for I told you so. The man has always been a liar, a cheat and a very bad human being. He holds the office of President for now. But what about the country? We still have McConnell trying to push through a deathcare bill. We still have a Speaker who is too petulant and phony to stop supporting the President in the name of party. We still have many Republican leaders going with the usual approach of partisanship and resistance to compromise. The scandal that is unfolding in the White House which I would like to refer to as TrussiaGate, has a long way to go. It will eventually play itself out, but in the mean time, who is running the country? Who is protecting us from a terrorist attack? Who is coordinating the agencies of government? Who is getting out the message that things will be just fine? No one. We have a President so unhinged, so concerned with his ego and cable news and tweets, that he has no business being in charge. Yet he is. If this persists, the dangers will be worse than we even imagine. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

Spite

There is a Seinfeld episode where Jerry decides to return a blazer for spite. It fit, there was nothing wrong with it but he just wanted to spite the salesperson. The manager said "you cant return it for spite". This was a funny episode but our President rules over our land with spite. Without thought and without any knowledge about policy or impact, if it is related to Barack Obama, it goes. Why? Spite. Trump is threatening not to pay insurance companies the money due them for providing care for those in need of financial subsidies. This is bad policy, bad humanity and solely due to spiteful, hateful ignorance. Can he get worse? Yes. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

The Will of the People

We had an election. Trump won. Republicans are scared to do anything because they feel the will of the people will be breached. Well yes, for 35 percent of us. But 35 percent of us would vote for a Nazi sympathizing racist criminal who supports cannibalism. We have a certain group of people like that and they do not represent the will of the people, but they do represent votes, votes these Repubs don't want to lose. They wont. Repubs will always own the crazies. So here is a lesson about the will of the people. It fluctuates like the wind. Remember Obama? Won big in 2008. Amazingly popular and loved. He had the will of the people behind him. And then? 2 years later we were impatient, he was too slow to deliver, he must be punished. He was. Lost the House. Dems got crushed. A new will of the people. We are an impatient and often ungrateful lot, we Americans. We want change but don't like it. We want tax cuts but want our medicare. We want food stamps but mock the poor. We want, we want, we want but we hate government except when it benefits us. We are human and being human involves a bit of selfishness. We are, however largely moral. We know right from wrong and after we make petulant, often stupid decisions, we rethink. We shift. Right now we have a President who tried to stop an investigation and probably gave intel. to Russia that while not illegal, may have been strategically dangerous. And that was this week. What I am trying to say is that Republicans shouldn't worry that we picked Trump on November 8th. That's a lifetime ago. Remember that the will of the people picked Obama twice but the Republicans said it was the will of the people to wait to pick a justice with a new President. We can spin this will any way we want. What is more important than our will, often based on who we are angry at today, and not the best barometer for doing what is safe and what is right, is our Democracy. Right always prevails, our will shall follow. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

"Believe Me"

Remember during the campaign, Donald Trump at his rallies invoked "Believe Me" wherever he went. Never any substance, just a promise that for a vote, you can count on him to do what he says. After all, "Believe Me" is powerful medicine to the ill informed. So by the millions, three million less than his opponent, (unless you don't count the millions who voted illegally,another total lie) people did believe him. He promised that he would direct his Treasury Secretary to declare China a currency manipulator, oh wait, he just said they aren't. He said we must stay out of Syria, oh wait, didn't he just bomb them? He said there were no ties to Russia, oh wait, didn't we just find out one of his key foreign policy aids might actually be a spy for Russia? He said we would have great healthcare, oh wait, didn't his efforts fail thus far?. He said that we need to get Wall street to curb their greed and help the middle class, oh wait, didn't he appoint 5 cabinet members all with ties to JP Morgan, the very corporation he condemned Hillary for making speeches to? He condemned Obama for golfing or taking vacations or being away from the WH, oh wait, Trump has just spent more in 85 days on travel than O did all 8 years. He said Planned Parenthood does good things. Oh wait, today he signed an order making it OK for states to deny them funds. That will result, knowingly, in the death of many who rely on their health services. He also said yesterday, that he may stop giving the subsidies to the Insurance companies under the ACA because he didn't win and now wants to punish Democrats. Oh wait, wasn't it Republicans who got cold feet and don't these subsidies save lives? I remember when Trump said that he could stand on 5th avenue, shoot people and not lose support. Well, by his own deeds so far, he is killing people by polluting the world, denying health services and being just plain out of control and unhinged. To the Trump voter, you really are screwed. And you screwed the rest of us "Believe Me". Where are you Americans for Reason and Truth.

Its not Just the Lies

The Donald has been President now for about two months. It isn't just that he lies in a pathological and hateful way, it isn't just that he is incapacitated by the truth, it isn't just that he really has no clue about how the government works, or what the Constitution says, it's that he has no regard for the millions he insults, hurts or worse, whose lives he will destroy. The irony is that those who will hurt the most, are those who supported his candidacy with great fervor. The uneducated white man, in his forties, living in places like West Virginia, Michigan and Ohio, not too educated, out of work manufacturing workers, angry at everyone, blaming Government for their failures while accepting unemployment, medicaid, food stamps and other programs that they demonize with no desire to retrain, retool, take some responsibility for their ignorance and re enter the collective called the United States. It is this group, passionate for the misogynist in chief who will find that his lies and distortions will only make matters worse for them. But you know what? It wont matter. They just don't get it. Enjoy your new healthcare. Enjoy your new minimum wage factory job and enjoy the great American dream of Donald Trump. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

Now What

I have not been able to post since election day. I have been frightened, amazed, angry, disappointed and totally disgusted with my fellow citizens. I am not angry at the stupid ones, who do not understand, who listen to demagogues and liars because they are too dumb to know any better. I am angry at those who either do not think there is a difference or who are smart, but so focused on one selfish interest or issue, that they set aside all the other realities and amazingly think "oh, it wont be that bad. It really doesn't matter much" I am angry at those who stayed home and didn't think exercising their right to vote, something to be cherished not squandered, was important. And so it goes. The same drumbeat of apathy, cynicism and ignorance. Already, only two days in to his Presidency, the man has sent his Press Secretary out to lie for five minutes about the size of an inaugural crowd. He has professed love for the very agency, only a week ago he assigned Nazi like tactics to. His speech, was dark, divisive and not reflective of this great country. So now what? We watch him destroy himself, little by little, each day, showing even his supporters how totally wrong they were. I only hope he doesn't destroy We the people, before he destroys himself. Resistance is at the heart of American patriotism and we need organized, consistent resistance every single day that we have a Monster in Chief in office. Thank you ladies for getting us off to a good start. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

The Trump Alphabet

Assault, buffoon, controlling, deplorable, exaggeration, facist, groper, horrific, insane, joyless, KKK, liar, misogynist, neurotic, obnoxious, predator, quack, racist, selfish, troglodyte, unaware, vitriolic, womanizer, xenophobic, yucky and zany. Dont forget to vote. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

The Truth

This has been a sickening campaign. I stopped posting because of it. I have been emotionally and physically ill over what I have seen and heard. On Tuesday, the election isn't just about who is more experienced, who is less impulsive, who has the knowledge and capability to adjust and react to dangerous situations, who has shown the ability to compromise, who has paid their fair share of taxes, who has advocated for others, who has raised money to support important causes around the world, who has been in the toughest situations, who has been kicked to the ground and with dignity gotten up to fight another battle, or who is a woman or man. This election is about decency vs. indecency. Hillary Clinton used a personal email server that may have had some improper emails on it. She regrets it, apologized for it, said it was a poor choice but no one in their right mind can believe this woman tried to do harm or commit treason to our great nation. No one. Hillary has been investigated over thirty years by those who just don't like her or her husband. In a nation of laws and justice, which we still are, at least for the moment, you are either found guilty or not guilty, you are either indicted due to sufficient evidence of wrong doing, or not. If after the non stop scrutiny, unfair, politically motivated and vindictive that she has received, not a single act of guilt or lawbreaking has been discovered, this should dismiss the narrative of corruption that her enemies have obsessively tried to pin on her. Her enemies are so fiercely vindictive and vitriolic that they are already promising more obstruction after her election if she wins and even floating the I word, using handcuffs as props and continuing this path of hatred before the election is even concluded. This is not how this country works. From reports and widely known aspects of Mr. Trump, here is a comparison to consider. Donald Trump was born in Queens where I grew up and the Trump name was always couched in racist activities. Blacks were targeted as unwanted tenants and Jews were used for investment, while the family's anti-semitic undertones were always in evidence. From this upbringing of white superiority, Donald continued in his father's footsteps targeting Manhattan. His real estate holdings and projects have only been marginally successful despite the bluster. His holdings are over leveraged and his debt at skyrocketed proportions. His fame and fortune comes from reality TV more so than from savvy investment capability. He has avoided paying taxes going on 15 years and is the only candidate in 40 years refusing to release his taxes. He has refused to pay service providers, used bankruptcy as a tool to avoid responsibility and has a reputation of being an absolute thug, one that decent men refuse to do business with. He has admittedly judged women to be inferior, boasted about groping them. He is on trial for rape has been accused by 12 women of assault. His university has been a fraudulent activity continually under scrutiny and soon to have its legality judged. He has promoted a racist undertone as evidenced by the support he gets from the KKK and white supremacy groups. He boasted about having the tallest building after 9-11. He has lied about his level of charitable contributions, which have been made available for scrutiny. He lied about thousands of Muslims cheering on roof tops after 9-11. He has lied about financial links to Russia. He has disrespected our President through his ridiculous and proven to be false birther conspiracy. He has insulted our military saying they are in awful condition, has boasted about knowledge he does not have. He used excuses of spurs to avoid the draft on multiple occasions. He has insulted Muslims and Mexicans, lied about the extent of illegal immigration, lied about his net worth and his holdings. He has failed at marriage, was accused of rape by one of his wives and has cavorted with the criminal underclass. This is a very incomplete list. When you choose on Tuesday, there is only one choice if decency is what you want in a President. If you disagree with a President, you fight in Congress or within the rules of fair play and institutional processes traditional in a Democracy. If you pick someone who is as flawed, as pathological and mean spirited as a Trump, you not only defile the country, you set an awful example for your loved ones. Vote Clinton for decency. Where are you Americans for Reason and truth?

Must Read

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/26/opinion/why-donald-trump-should-not-be-president.html?smid=tw-share&_r=0

Debate One

If you tune in tomorrow to watch the debate, you will be amongst an estimated 90 million people. This will probably break modern debate records in terms of viewership, but this is only because of the reality TV atmosphere created by a reality TV star. If you are tuning in to see him bully Hillary, or make another incendiary ridiculous remark that turns you on, or to see his hair, then you deserve his Presidency. If you are tuning in to see if either one of them knows what they are talking about, there is only one choice. If you dont like her, fine, but if you think he can run this country, you are void of any real understanding of the job of President. Be careful. Where are you Americans for Reason and Truth?