Wednesday, May 29, 2019

LATE BREAKING NEWS-For liberals only


The only side Mitch McConnell has is a dark side, in contrast with a piece in Politico featuring the inference this slime ball might have some worthwhile virtues. He doesn't. Politico says, "The Senate majority leader is relishing his turn as villain to the left." I posted this by Robert Reich saying, "Mitch McConnell is destroying the Senate – and American government." Reich states...
"The majority leader cares only for winning, not rules or democracy itself. He is doing more damage than Trump"
 Politico says...
Call him “Cocaine Mitch,” “Nuclear Mitch” or the steward of the “legislative graveyard.” Mitch McConnell says he’s the “Grim Reaper” anyway, so he’s loving every minute of it.
The “Grim Reaper” comment illustrates a sickness in this pariah who craves his power as head of the Senate, with the sole intention of getting his way and the way of the Republican Party over all that is good for this country. Donald Trump is the bottom of the barrel but Mitch McConnell is the ground under the barrel. The left will no doubt tell us that the country would be much better off with a Democratic Congress, particularly with a Dem in the White House.

Joe Biden wants to be that Dem and he's running ahead in the "brigade-sized Democratic field," described by The Hill. He has a...
"double-digit lead not only nationally, but in the key early primary states of New Hampshire and South Carolina. He is also currently even leading Sen. Kamala Harris in her home state of California."
But wait, The Hill says that polling is fickle...
"At this point in 2007, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani was way ahead in the Republican race, and Hillary Clinton was leading Barack Obama by double digits. In the 2012 GOP race, the assortment of one-time poll front runners included, at various times, Newt Gingrich, Rick Perry, and even Herman Cain."
Will he or won't he, but could Bernie Sanders still be the dark horse? Although Biden was once tentative on Roe v. Wade, just recently he said he would support abortion rights "if necessary." Doesn't sound too convincing, especially when "Two-thirds of Americans want Roe v. Wade left in place." In a CBS News poll, 67% say Keep it as it is; only 28% want to overturn it. But 48% claim they would be angry if it was overturned. That is fairly dramatic.

It isn't likely a Democratic House will allow a bill to repeal Roe v. Wade, but New state abortion laws are threatening the law, like the recent legislation in Alabama. It has been judged by many as going much too far and is already being challenged in court. The real fear by the left is when one of these laws is brought up in the ultra-conservative Supreme Court. Meanwhile, back at the White House with Rex Tillerson, who once called Donald Trump "a fucking moron."

Rex Tillerson Secretly Meets With House Foreign Affairs Committee to Talk Trump, was reported by the Daily Beast...
"In a more than six-hour meeting, he told members and staffers that the Trump administration actively avoided confronting Russia about allegations of interference in the election in an effort to develop a solid relationship with the Kremlin, a committee aide told The Daily Beast."
Tillerson's meeting comes on the heels of the Mueller Report release, and the refusal of Don McGhan to appear before the Democratic House. Trump recently had this to say about Tillerson...
"Rex Tillerson, a man who is 'dumb as a rock' and totally ill prepared and ill equipped to be Secretary of State, made up a story (he got fired) that I was out-prepared by Vladimir Putin at a meeting in Hamburg, Germany. I don't think Putin would agree. Look how the U.S. is doing!"
 This is after Trump chose Rex Tillerson to be his secretary of state ...
in December 2016, he praised the former head of Exxon Mobil for his "tenacity, broad experience and deep understanding of geopolitics." In a tweet touting the pick, Trump called Tillerson "one of the truly great business leaders of the world."
Donald Trump is a certifiable lunatic!

And that's the current wrap up. Please give me your comments. 

Tuesday, May 28, 2019

Howard Stern has proof Donald Trump 2016 campaign a publicity stunt


I have information that he...
It is hard these days to condense all the machinations of the Oval Office lunatic into one post, so I have to go on my merry way blogging on Donald Trump. For instance, after one White House meeting, Nancy Pelosi questioned his manhood and called him a skunk. Pelosi's view of the meeting...
"I can't explain it to you. It was so wild," Pelosi told top Democratic legislators after her White House meeting with the president, Vice President Mike Pence and Sen. Chuck Schumer, the top Senate Democrat. "It goes to show you: you get into a tinkle contest with a skunk, you get tinkle all over you."
 There was more on the subject of manhood, Pelosi linked Mr. Trump's masculinity to his infamous border wall pledge. "It's like a manhood thing for him," she said. "As if manhood could ever be associated with him. This wall thing." With all Trump's braggadocio about scoring with women, you wouldn't think so, but apparently Pelosi found a crack in the wall. Trump concluded the meeting with...
"We can go two routes with this meeting: with a knife or a candy."
What the hell does that mean? .Whatever it means, his tirades appear to be getting worse to convince Democrats to stop the investigations of him. Trump's statement to the press...
"I respect the courts, I respect Congress, but what they've done is abuse." 
It's hard to believe that Donald Trump has respect for anything, including himself. Then the next thing spewing from his mouth was that he would refuse to work with Congress until the investigations ceased. In other words, in his own demented way, he was saying, if I don't get my way, I'll take my ball and go home. You'll note that I said ball not the plural, which he never had. Here's what a U.S. District Court Judge ruled in Trump's case...
"On Monday, U.S. District Court Judge Amit P. Mehta ruled in favor of the legislative branch, reaffirming the importance of congressional oversight authority."
CNN muses over how T-rump keeps taking Nancy Pelosi's bait. This gigantic ego cannot accept any criticism of himself without a rebuttal that most of the times turns nasty. Think back, any president you can think of that ever exhibited this kind of behavior? I think not. And this draws a correlation between the man who easily blew off his competitors in the overcrowded 2016 Republican Primary with a soaring self-admiration.

Race forward to now when he seems completely bamboozled by the Speaker of the House who apparently isn't done with him yet. Pelosi seems to be on the right path planning more baiting to draw out more of Trump's bizarre reactions. Here's a grabber, "Howard Stern says he has inside info that Trump's campaign was a 'publicity stunt'" Here's the scenario...
Radio host Howard Stern, who often hosted President Trump on his show before the reality star and real estate mogul entered politics, claims Trump’s 2016 campaign was a “publicity stunt” to get NBC to give him a raise for “The Apprentice.”
 “This is a publicity stunt,” Stern said in an interview with CNN’s Anderson Cooper. “I have no doubt because I have some inside information.”
Ludicrous sounding but entirely possible with the maniacal Donald Trump. It's almost as if he senses the impending dementia and wants to shove his point through on innocence before going to never-never land. This may sound crass for someone with this condition, and I wouldn't wish it on even Donald Trump, but when you weigh what this man has done to our country, there is certainly grounds for disgust. More startling news from Stern...
Stern said it all started with the 1987 book “The Art of the Deal,” ghostwritten by Tony Schwartz but credited to Trump. Stern said that a public relations professional suggested Trump start a "rumor" that he was planning to launch a White House bid.
 “So, all of a sudden, he was being interviewed — the book goes right to No. 1,” Stern said.
All Trump needed was several thousand double-digits to vote for him plus an outdated Electoral College, and we have a lunatic in the Oval Office. And yet another GOP congressman has called for T-rump's impeachment, former Rep. Tom Coleman, who represented Missouri for nearly two decades. He told Erin Burnett on CNN...
"I'm calling for impeachment now because the Mueller report is out, and in it (special counsel Robert Mueller) describes 10 obstruction of justice charges that he could not bring because of a Department of Justice rule and regulation that says you can't indict a sitting president
The other Republican was Justin Amash whose stand has pissed off the GOP en masse. Now it seems like Nancy Pelosi is going to have to work on the other side of the aisle as well to quell the demands for impeachment.

Monday, May 27, 2019

Have a great Memorial Day


Memorial Day is an American holiday, observed on the last Monday of May, honoring the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. ... Originally known as Decoration Day, it originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971.

How to Observe Memorial Day

By visiting cemeteries and placing flags or flowers on the graves of our fallen heroes.
By flying the U.S. Flag at half-staff until noon. ...
By attending religious services of your choice.
By visiting memorials.

Or you can do it your way...Just Remember!

Thanks to Google for the information.

Sunday, May 26, 2019

Political Looney Tunes of Donald Trump



If ever there was a good use for the word loony, it is now, to describe Donald Trump. Sitting in the Oval Office he has performed such foolhardy high jinks that he would have been guaranteed a spot in the cast of the cartoon Looney Tunes. There are so many characters he could have replaced such as Daffy Duck and Elmer Fudd, to name a couple. And can't you just imagine that zany lineup populating the White House just as the current members do? Looney...Looney...Looney



 Having said this, these antics provide people like me the ammunition to point out how much of a mental case maniac Donald Trump is. As an example, Trump has proposed rolling back healthcare protections for the LGBTcommunity passed by former President Barack Obama. With the spread of HIV in the offing, how foolish can this be?  Here's the scenario...

"The proposed rule from HHS reverses President Barack Obama's administration, which found that the Affordable Care Act’s anti-discrimination section does indeed protect transgender people seeking health care services."

The rule can be finalized after a 60-day public comment period. HHS' director of the Office of Civil Rights, Roger Severino, justifies the move by saying, “When Congress prohibited sex discrimination, it did so according to the plain meaning of the term, and we are making our regulations conform.” Huh? The Trump administration should be impeached en-masse for its stupid interpretations of the laws.

We're experiencing one of the early examples of the new conservative supreme Court making bad judgments for the country. Gerrymandering, which everyone but Republicans think is wrong, has been given a reprieve in Michigan and Ohio by SCOTUS. The background...

"The high court heard partisan gerrymandering cases in its previous term as well, in 2017 and 2018. But a year ago, the court issued a limited ruling that largely left the issue undecided and opened the door for lower courts to enforce limits on partisan gerrymandering. Since then, however, Justice Anthony Kennedy retired and was replaced by Brett Kavanaugh, a conservative who doesn’t have a record on the issue thus far."

This is the guy, Kavanaugh, that Sen. Susan Collins believed on abortion, and why there is a move today to vote her out of office. With the headline, "Trump is a would-be tyrant surrounded by henchmen," Joe Conason of Creator's Syndicate says...

"Donald Trump is no longer just a persistent object of national shame and revulsion. He has become a threat to the Constitution and the rule of law — and the question before the House, quite literally, is what to do about him."

Although many Democrats want to impeach Trump, Nancy Pelosi "warns that attempting to remove a duly elected president, even one who lost the popular vote, will be inevitably divisive and politically unpopular." And of course with a Mitch McConnell led Senate, there is virtually no chance to convict the Oval Office lunatic. The arguments for impeachment,however, get louder by the day, as Trump continues to commit impeachable offenses in the eyes of the left.

In keeping with the above, "MSNBC's Joe Scarborough and Donny Deutsch agreed President Donald Trump's feud with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had revealed his mental diminishment." In late 2018,Jeffrey Sachs did an intriguing piece on "Trump’s Diminishing Power and Rising Rage," illustrating what a danger this manic is as his mental capacity continues to decline. How far will the American voting public allow to go?

Saturday, May 25, 2019

Observations from left field


Did James Madison really want the 2nd Amendment? History tells us his intention was to land a seat in the Virginia legislature andin doing so he had to appease Southern Baptists. The results were that...
“Madison found himself one of the first American politicians to pirouette, in the course of a campaign, from a deeply held view to its opposite—all the while insisting (and trying to convince himself) that he had not changed his view at all. The Bill of Rights was born of a pander to a noisy interest group in a single congressional district.”
Thus evolved the First and Second Amendments. READ MORE.

The anti-vaxxer measles outbreak has now spread to 24 states, the 24th being Oklahoma. The number of cases has now increased to 880, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Here's the scenario...
"The total number of cases is inching closer to the record 963 cases reported across the U.S. in 1994. The current outbreak is still the largest since the disease was declared eliminated in 2000."
The majority of measles cases are still concentrated in New York. READ MORE.

Donald Trump is sliding in in Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania,the Rust Belt, where he barely won in 2016. His campaign polling shows him trailing Joe Biden. Apparently the state Republican Party isn't performing up to par raising concerns...
"that a potential GOP Senate candidate in Michigan could hurt the president’s prospects there."
"The Trump campaign recently completed a 17-state polling project that concluded the president trails Joe Biden in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan." READ MORE.

Donald Trump's misguided escalation in the China trade war could lead to a dangerous confrontation. Here's where it stands...
"Ely Ratner, the director of studies at the Center for a New American Security, told The Washington Post that the failure to reach a trade deal could see the US unleash "harsher measures" against China."
The South China Sea or Taiwan are the focal points for a future crisis. READ MORE.

However, Xi Jinping says China is embarking on a “new Long March, and we must start all over again!” That has been interpreted in the U.S. to mean that he will not give in to Donald Trump's demands. Even worse...
"Xi also visited rare earth mining and processing facilities on Monday, the report said. There has been speculation that China could ban rare earth exports to the U.S. if the trade war escalates, according to the South China Morning Post."
All negotiation between the U.S. and China are in limbo, with it looking like  Xi Jinping is not interested in resuming talks. READ MORE.

Friday, May 24, 2019

Corporate income tax dodgers


Here's a fact: "Corporations are paying a smaller share of federal tax revenue than they did in the 1950s, dropping from one-third then to only one-tenth of the total today." Here's more from Americans for Tax Fairness...
"Yet, an army of lobbyists is pushing hard to convince Congress to cut the corporate income tax rate by nearly one-third — from the current 35% to 25%. This issue is at the epicenter of the coming battle over tax reform."
Bernie Sanders has been screaming this to anyone who would listen for his entire political career. Here are more facts...
Corporate share of federal tax revenue has dropped by two-thirds in 60 years — from 32% in 1952 to 10% in 2013.
Profitable corporations paid U.S. income taxes amounting to just 12.6% of worldwide income in 2010.
U.S. corporations dodge $90 billion a year in income taxes by shifting profits to subsidiaries — often no more than post office boxes — in tax havens.
Corporations complain about their tax rates but...
"The top statutory tax rate of 35% in the U.S. is somewhat higher than that of 30 other OECD countries, but the average effective tax rate — the actual rate paid after deductions and credits — is slightly lower than our competitors, according to the Congressional Research Service (CRS).
"Several studies have found that U.S. corporations pay a similar or a lower effective tax rate — the rate actually paid — than corporations in other countries."
Thanks to Donald Trump's new tax law...
"This ITEP (Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy) report provides the first comprehensive look at how corporate tax changes under the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act affect the scale of corporate tax avoidance. The report finds that in 2018, 60 of America’s biggest corporations zeroed out their federal income taxes on $79 billion in U.S. pretax income. Instead of paying $16.4 billion in taxes at the 21 percent statutory corporate tax rate, these companies enjoyed a net corporate tax rebate of $4.3 billion."
 Go to this site for startling figures on who is not paying their fair share, as Bernie Sanders puts it. With escalating profits, conniving corporations leave it up to the American taxpayer to foot the bill, the ones who contribute to corporate profits. Legitimate deductions to decrease a fair tax is one thing, but in each case U.S. companies have an unfair advantage over the average taxpayer. This is why it is so important to elect Progressives to Congress and the White House.

Thursday, May 23, 2019

Charley Manson's "Helter Skelter" is back


A young Charles Manson

The Manson family got its start in 1967, just north of where we lived in Canoga Park, Calif. We rode up there one day looking for Spahn Ranch where the Manson cult collected and did their evil business. We were almost immediately turned around by signs saying"No Admittance" accompanied by a heavy wire fence. Appropriately called the Spahn Movie Ranch, it was owned by George Spahn who willingly allowed Manson and his followers to live there.

The ranch had been the home for TV episodes of "Bonanza," "The Lone Ranger," and "Zorro." Although George Spahn wasn't involved in any of Manson's crime, his ranch was where the 'family' lived while committing the 1969 Tate-LaBianca murders in Los Angeles. A wildfire destroyed all of the Spahn Movie Ranch film set and buildings on September 26, 1970. The owner, George Spahn died on September 22, 1974. My thanks to Wikipedia.

With this background, you might remember the book, "Helter Skelter," written by Charles Manson's prosecutor, Vincent Bugliosi. It was Charley's term for the race war he intended to start between blacks and whites, expecting near annihilation after which he would lead his followers to take over the country. The words, from a Beatles' song, were written on the LaBianca's refrigerator door to instigate the race war. And that's a long way around to get to this...
"The Russians who interfered in the 2016 US presidential election are still at it — and this time, they’re trying to ignite racial violence in America and a partial collapse of the United States."
Looks like Charley Manson got in Vladimir Putin's head, assuming there is room next to Donald Trump. Here's the scenario from Vox...
"According to secret documents obtained by a Russian opposition group, hackers have discussed plans to stir up racial resentment in the United States in hopes of tearing American society apart. The operatives are apparently associates of Yevgeny Prigozhin, the man who set up a troll farm and was indicted by special counsel Robert Mueller for his role in 2016 meddling."
Someone has been reading "Helter Skelter." There's more...
"Prigozhin and his team of Russian trolls tried to inflame racial tensions during the 2016 cycle by operating several social media accounts that tried to discourage African Americans from voting, mainly by repeating messages of police violence and voter fraud."
But the "apparent new plot" originating as early as 2018, in preparation for the 2020 election, digs much deeper. The following is unbelievable...
"The documents reportedly contain shocking proposals such as sending black Americans to Africa “'for combat prep and training in sabotage,' as well as targeting people who have previously been incarcerated and people 'who have experience in organized crime groups ... for participation in civil disobedience actions.'”
Manson could take lessons from this guy, Yevgeny Prigozhin. Vox says...
"there is no indication of how seriously the documents — titled “Development Strategy of a Pan-African State on US Territory” — and the plan overall have been received in Russia. It’s possible the set of proposals went absolutely nowhere and were viewed as too extreme (or ridiculous) even for Moscow."

We can only hope with Donald Trump in the White House.

Justin Amash run against Trump as Democrat?


Republican Rep. Justin Amash is taking a ton of flak from his party because he publicly condemned Donald Trump's actions saying the Mueller report "showed he committed impeachable offenses by obstructing justice. The Michigan congressman refuted...
Trump/Amash-Who will win?
"many of the mistaken and weak defense of Trump’s actions. Many have criticized the idea that an obstruction of justice charge could possibly be warranted." 
My gut tells me that a switch of parties is called for, as he faces what will probably be a major backlash by the GOP. What the hell, the Democrats need a fresh face, assuming Amash can abide a more liberal philosophy. But after looking at his position on the issues, that is not likely. That's all very well since the left can just use him to point out the many shortcomings of Donald Trump. He even shakes his fist at the GOP National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel.

Amash comments...
"the idea that 'there is no crime' in the Russia case is just false.

“In fact, there were many crimes revealed by the investigation, some of which were charged, and some of which were not but are nonetheless described in Mueller’s report.” 
This clearly shows one Republican has chosen to see the Mueller Report in the context that it was meant to be seen, information that was legally gathered pointing to the fact that Donald Trump did obstruct justice in the Russian 2016 election tampering and otherwise. Most other Republicans in Congress choose to see it as a threat to the Party, therefore protecting Trump. Some think GOP attacks on Justin Amash could doom Trump’s chances for re-election...
"The Michigan Republican finished reading special counsel Robert Mueller’s report, which he faulted other lawmakers for neglecting to do, and concluded the president had engaged in impeachable conduct — and Attorney General William Barr had misled the public about the investigation’s findings."
This is the opinion of New York Magazine‘s Jonathan Chait. He commented further...
"The Michigan Republican finished reading special counsel Robert Mueller’s report, which he faulted other lawmakers for neglecting to do, and concluded the president had engaged in impeachable conduct — and Attorney General William Barr had misled the public about the investigation’s findings."
Here are four excellent points from Chait...
Here are my principal conclusions:
1. Attorney General Barr has deliberately misrepresented Mueller’s report.
2. President Trump has engaged in impeachable conduct.
3. Partisanship has eroded our system of checks and balances.
4. Few members of Congress have read the report.

House minority leader Kevin McCarthy and Trump say Amash did it for attention, and, if so, he certainly accomplished his purpose. However, back to Amash challenging Trump, he was one of 13 Republicans "who voted to block Trump’s phony emergency declaration, reported by the Washington Post. I say let him run against Trump in the Republican Primary, where Trump will no doubt show his true self along with depleting his war chest for 2020.

Wednesday, May 22, 2019

Trump supporters don't want Iran war. Why does he?


Trump-Pompeo-Bolton- The 3 perpetrators
Trump_Pompeo_BoltonDonald Trump supporters loved it when he castigated "Washington’s regime-change wars and nation-building crusades." Republicans didn't like it, but he went on to slam Bush for the Iraq War and Afghanistan. Everyone in this country was sick of wars--except John Bolton, of course--with a peaceful outlook in the future. But not to be when T-rump starts sword rattling against Iran. Vox has 9 reasons, with John Bolton, even Mike Pompeo, expressing hate for Iran.

The Daily Beast reports...
"Three U.S. government officials familiar with the situation told The Daily Beast that officials in multiple U.S. intelligence agencies have assessed that Iran’s new, threatening activity–which the administration points to in justifying its military presence in the Persian Gulf–is in response to the administration’s aggressive steps over the last two months."
On Capitol Hill, lawmakers say...
"that Tehran’s aggressive moves—reportedly planning attacks on U.S. diplomatic facilities in Iraq and loading missiles on fishing boats in the Gulf—appear to be in response to Washington’s moves to press the Islamic Republic and its leadership. The Trump administration’s decisions to tighten oil sanctions and to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist group, particularly provocative"
In my recollection, the nuclear treaty negotiated by former President Barack
Obama, while certainly not perfect, was at least progressing. Here's what National Security Adviser John Bolton previously said...
"the administration’s aggressive efforts aim to squeeze Iran 'until its leaders decide to change their destructive behavior, respect the rights of the Iranian people, and return to the negotiating table.' But the policy doesn’t appear to have put leaders there in a mood to make concessions."
The World Report gives a good documentation of human rights in Iran, and that is part of what the Trump administration is pissed off about. That and nuclear proliferation. The question is the correlation in Iran's aggressiveness and that of the United States. A British general said of Iran, “there’s been no increased threat from Iranian-backed forces” in the region. Expounding further...
“We monitor them along with a whole range of others because that’s the environment we’re in,” said Maj. Gen. Chris Ghika, speaking via video from Baghdad. “If the threat level seems to go up then we’ll raise our force protection measures accordingly.”
 The U.S. Central Command issued a statement just hours later disputing Ghika’s comments repeating...
"John Bolton’s unsubstantiated claim that American intelligence has 'identified credible threats' from 'Iranian-backed forces' in Iraq and Syria."
Folks, I call your attention to the key word in the above, "unsubstantiated."

LATE BREAKING: Trump walks out on Pelosi/Schumer meeting


Trump walks out of Pelosi/Schumer meeting
Speaker Nancy Pelosi called it "very, very, very strange," adding, "sad" referring to a meeting at the White House with Donald Trump, which included Sen.Chuck Schumer. Pelosi described Trump's walking out of the meeting as "an orchestrated — almost to a 'poor baby' point of view" situation."

Here is Trump's tweet retort...
"So sad that Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer will never be able to see or understand the great promise of our Country."
 In another, he warns, "You can’t investigate and legislate simultaneously - it just doesn’t work that way."
Later trump heard Pelosi accused him of "engaging in a cover up," and apparently he went postal. One of his minions said...
"Bottom line: if Nancy Pelosi had not come out this morning and said what she said about "cover up," they would still be in there right now meeting on infrastructure." 
According to CNN, What Pelosi said: Pelosi on Monday night said the committees were on course to be successful and Democrats' message must be "No one is above the law," and that they are witnessing "the cover-up." The California Democrat also said they all agreed they needed to get to the truth, but that the public believes kitchen table issues must also be dealt with.


What's going on in left field


LIBERALS ARE BEAUTIFUL
You can deprogram Trump supporters? Let's do it now...Mike Pence bombs at commencement speech...What is rape if not rape?...Trump tells McGhan to be tardy for House...Ex-congressman calls Trump "dishonest tyrant," blasts "pathetic"Republicans...How long do they let Facebook getaway with this?...

Will Deutsche Bank be Trump's nemesis?


The culprit
It is pathetic that a bank would have an "anti-money laundering" department but in my naive moment there is the realization that these are the times and all we can do is cope with it. Deutsche Bank employees in that section reportedly...
"recommended turning over information about transactions by entities owned by President Trump and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, to a government watchdog in 2016 and 2017, but the bank's executives apparently declined to do so."
It had to do with transactions connected to the now-dissolved Trump Foundation, discovered by the bank's computer system, designed to reveal illegal activity. Five current and former employees were involved, which led to a later report they thought should be sent to the Treasury Department for investigation. It wasn't. The transactions weren't spelled out...
"some of them involved money going between the entities and foreign companies or individuals."
The NYT says it ain't necessarily true because "sometimes complete large cash transactions that can cause a review to be triggered without any actual wrongdoing." Thus, the reason for no report. Apparently Deutsche Bank treads lightly on this kind of issue according to Tammy McFadden, a former Deutsche Bank employee who looked into some of the transactions. She continued, “It’s the D.B. way. They are prone to discounting everything.”

The Hill reported...
"McFadden told the Times that she was fired after she questioned the bank's practices and has since filed complaints to regulators about what she sees as its lack of enforcement."
Well now, that doesn't seem kosher, and is it just another example of the shady deals of the Trump family? The Hill also says...
"Deutsche Bank has loaned billions of dollars to the Trump and Kushner companies. Federal and state authorities are currently reviewing the bank's relationship with President Trump."
The NYT also revealed the...
"staff of Deutsche Bank were hired especially for their expertise of money-laundering."
Now doesn't that beat all. Trump biographer David Cay Johnston said...
“We know for a fact that Donald Trump has been involved in money laundering in the past, fined for it. We know that Deutsche Bank is fined over $600 million just for laundering money for Russian oligarchs and are nondenial denials. The Trump Organization said we never heard of this. Why would you? It was locked up in the bank. The bank said we didn’t stop anyone. The story makes it clear.”
Finally, from the Times...
“So, in addition, The Times has a pregnant line in it. It says that is there are other, ‘politically connected people’ who also were swept up,” Johnston said. 'It’s clear that David Enrich, a very good reporter at The New York Times has seen these documents and other people whose money laundering suspicion of money laundering activities were also apparently quashed by the people at the private banking unit of Deutsche Bank in New York. This is for Donald Trump a really serious problem.'”
We can only hope that David Cay Johnston's assessment is correct.

Tuesday, May 21, 2019

In private, Republicans want Trump impeached


Impeachment is in the air all around Washington with Speaker Nancy Pelosi saying that Donald Trump is just "goading" the House to impeach him. I did a recent blog post, "American public should be itching for Donald Trump impeachment?" that had high viewer appeal and has been typical of this issue all along. Now this...
"Appearing on CNN's "New Day," Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) confided to host Alisyn Camerota that multiple Republican senators agree with Rep. Justin Amash (R-MI) that Donald Trump has committed impeachable offenses, but are afraid to go public at the moment."
This has been classic GOP reaction to pretty much everything Trump has done, working not for the American people, but only for the Republican Party protecting this idiot. AlterNet reported Coons saying...
“Those who have read the Mueller report cannot avoid the conclusion that the president and some of his advisers engaged in profoundly disappointing, reprehensible conduct that would rise to the level of obstruction of justice.“
As this same conclusion reverberates around Washington, Congress sits on its fat asses doing nothing. In another post, "Two valid reasons for Donald Trump's impeachment," the most crucial was the letter that 450 ex-prosecutors had signed to prosecute Trump for obstruction of justice. That number has now surpassed 800. But none of this seems to sway the Oval Office lunatic since he has recently blocked around 20 requests from the Democratic House for information.

Camerota asked, “You don’t think Republicans are thinking that privately, do you?” The conversation continued...
“Yes,” the Democratic senator replied without hesitation.“
What makes you say that?” the CNN host asked.
“Conversations,” the now hesitant Coons replied.

“So it’s not so private,” Camerota continued, before adding, “You have spoken to Republicans who think it is impeachable?”

“There is a difference between thinking the Mueller report reveals conduct that is deeply disappointing, inappropriate, borderline or actually illegal and saying they would vote to remove the president,” Coons admitted. “Many revealed concerns privately about the Mueller report in part because of the gap between what Attorney General [Bill] Barr characterized as being in the report and what was actually in the Mueller report for those who have taken the time to read through it.”
Okay, there is general consensus that Donald Trump obstructed justice. It apparently exists across both aisles, non-partisan, so what are the ramifications of this charge. First, obstruction of justice is a felony. Second, it is punishable by up to five years in prison.  Third, there is no statute of limitations. I'm good with all three but let's not wait, the maniac is constantly at work.

Washington Merry-go-Round political wrap-up


POLITICAL MAYHEM TAKES A LEFT TURN
This idiot likes robocalls...Bernie Sanders and AOC want lower interest on loans...Nobody wants to work at Facebook...Is Trump believable on Iran?...Trump staffers ignore boss on outrageous demands,until he forgets them...SCOTUS pick Kavanaugh confirmed with dark money...GOP 
Rep. Justin Amash says Donald Trump "has engaged in impeachable conduct"

Biden depends on unity to beat Trump's "divider in chief"


Joe Biden-Unity in 2020
It's not enough that Democrats are angry with Donald Trump's election and the direction he has taken the country in. There also has to be an influx of Republicans who have made a left turn and feel the same way. In a former blog I quoted a reliable source that said 20% of Trump's 2016 voters have soured on him. I closed the post saying, 'Hold that thought.' Joe Biden avoids the anger for Trump approach with an appeal for unity in America. Will it win in 2020?

Joe Biden doesn't believe anger will win in 2020, even when T-rump used " it to win over the Republican base in 2016, saying he gladly carries the 'mantle of anger.'" He's been mad ever since and just look at what shape he has put the country in. A good economy does not excuse the Oval Office lunatic's white nationalism, bigotry, blatant racism and women's abuse, to name only a few. I did a post yesterday that explains it: "Less than half of Trump supporters like him."

Rebecca Traister, author of the book "Good and Mad: The Revolutionary Power of Women's Anger," retorted, "Biden is 'deeply wrong' that 'Anger at injustice has catalyzed transformative change; 'unity' has not.'" Another voice...this a writer from Rolling Stone, Jamil Smith added, "Women, people of color, and other Democratic constituencies aren't angry like Trump and his followers. They've been pissed off in a whole different way. "She doesn't explain how.

Biden also mentions reaching across the aisle as an approach to unifying Congress, something that many Democrats have criticized. With people like Senate head, Mitch McConnell, sitting on the other side of the aisle, I can understand the reluctance of the Dems. And then there's Barack Obama, to back or not to back. To begin with, the former president hasn't offered and second is whether this would help or hurt Biden.

Lee Drutman of Vox speaks of the Joe Biden “epiphany” theory "that Republicans will have an epiphany about the power of bipartisanship once Trump is gone and start working with Democrats again." Drutman says no way, and I wholeheartedly agree, at least as long as the ogre of the Senate is still around. Drutman argues...
"The problem with Biden’s theory is that Republicans’ hostility to Democrats did not begin with Donald Trump (see, the Obama administration). 
Today, as in 2012, the partisan hostility is highly transferable. It is based neither in opposition to one president nor loyalty to another. It is based in the underlying zero-sum electoral logic that defines the American two-party system and the winner-take-all elections that make the two-party system possible."
Not said, but certainly not forgotten, is racist Mitch McConnell's hatred of President Barack Obama, with his vow that he would make Obama a one-term president if it was the last thing he ever did. He didn't, which shows what a lowlife this jerk is, and the fact that he may not be as powerful as he thinks he is, perhaps just a fat blowhard. Biden talks about Trump's divisiveness while we regularly see the maniac's favorability improve, still holding on to his loyalists.

In one case in Pennsylvania, Joe Biden jumps back and forth between his unity issue and the put-down of Donald Trump. This state is important to Biden in 2020, where Trump barely won in 2016; part of the "blue wall" of Democratic industrial states. The former V.P. is headquartered in Philadelphia and in rallies continued to call Trump the 'divider in chief.' Biden spent time on the issues, including climate change and health care, making comparisons with Obama.

If there is anything this country needs it is unity, something we haven't seen for years, back through many presidents. We need it on the local level, between states, and most of all in Washington. The U.S. Congress is in a complete state of diversity, inconsistency, division, discord, strife, disarray, hostility, almost all-out warfare. There aren't enough antonyms of unity to show the disunion of that body of outright incompetent morons. Maybe Joe has the right idea.
 

Monday, May 20, 2019

Wrap-up from weekend left field politics


POLITICS ON THE RUN


GOP says Jared Kushner clueless...Nobody wants to work for Trump...4 ways Trump really screwing rural voters...Trump wants "patriotic" sacrifices from farmers in trade war...Trump says unwed LGBT couples' kids aren't citizens...James Carroll of The Atlantic says, "abolish the Priesthood"...Former Regulatory Nuclear Commission member says nuclear power industry should be banned

How old is too old for U.S. president?


The question is, does age matter?
Art Cullen in the Guardian says that age-70 may be too old for being President of the United States, referring to Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, the latter turning seventy before inauguration. Considering who will be running in 2020, Trump will be 72, Biden 76, Sanders 78 and Warren 69. He cites Ronald Reagan in his 70s while in the White House, and Nancy Reagan and Al Haig actually running things as the Gipper passed into neverland.

Here's how Cullen describes the situation...
"Trump is batty and losing it more each day. Bernie impresses as a grumpy and impatient Trotskyite, Biden as a familiar Irish pol who wants to hug you up and keep you warm, hearkening to days when unions had teeth and Scranton had steel. They confront a candidate written by Rod Serling for the Twilight Zone."
 "Warren seems a pup in their presence. Young of mind, she is a fan of Game of Thrones. She is full of vim and vigor and maybe is no more likely to die of a stroke than Pete Buttigieg, 37. She could beat me in a foot race any day of any distance. But if she wins she will be 75 at the end of her first term – slightly older than Reagan at the end."
You'll note here that he spends twice as much space on Warren as any of the other three. After this Cullen draws comparisons between Einstein, Mark Twain, Eisenhower and the Kennedys, alluding to their accomplishments at various ages. He says, "War would be rarer if women ran the world." then adds, "But we are talking, in the main, about three old white men. At least the national cable media are. Biden nearly has the nomination cinched, to hear it told."

That doesn't bode well for Democrats with the rest of the field relatively weak, except, perhaps, for Kamala Harris. Sorry, but I still have a warm spot for the Bern, and as a Democratic Socialist myself, believe that most of his issues could fly. My concern is Medicare for All-Single payer plan, and just how feasible that is. Here's a definition...
"Single-payer is a more general term used to describe a government system, typically backed by taxes, in which everyone gets health care from one insurer, run by the government. Think of Medicare for all as a brand-name single-payer plan. Some advocates also like the term 'national health insurance.'”
Consider the possibility of not doing away with insurance companies, which would be an almost impossible sell. Have the government use insurance companies, allocating coverage out to the lowest bidder, with obvious restrictions on the quality of coverage. I solidly believe Bernie deserves a shot at the presidency with his honesty and integrity.  And I have no problem with his age...I am 86.

John Bolton,war monger, is in Trump's head


John Bolton the warmonger
Here's how AlterNet put it: "The most dangerous man in the world is at Trump’s right hand." That's heavy since we have so many opportunities for conflict with Trump in the White House, Iran and No. Korea to name a couple. Just recently Bolton warned the Tehran government that...
“any attack on United States interests or on those of our allies will be met with unrelenting force.”
Trump followed with talk about negotiations commenting... “I’m sure that Iran will want to talk soon.” This sort of rhetoric makes both of these dufuses sound like the idiots they are, but one is the leader of the most powerful country in the world and that is purely pathetic. In the Venezuelan situation, Trump said "his national security adviser was trying to pull him “into a war.” This is when...
John Bolton demanded military plans to oust the government of Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela. Trump said no.

Bolton demanded “regime change” in Iran and the Pentagon produced a plan to put 120,000 troops into the region, Trump said no. Sounds like John Bolton just can't catch any luck with his warped ideas, and rightfully so. The Guardian said...
"Donald Trump’s national security adviser [John Bolton] is stoking tensions with North Korea, Iran and Venezuela, in line with decades of taking the most hawkish position on any given issuer"
The Guardian puts John Bolton in the "driving seat" on all three of the uprisings, No. Korea, Iran and Venezuela, also described by the publication as "one of the most fervent believers in American military power ever to work in the White House." The hawk who sits right next to the Oval Office. Bolton would like to go to war with...well, just about anyone. It seems that climbing to the pinnacle of warmongering is John Bolton's goal.

And linking to the past through NBC News...
"Former national security adviser Michael Flynn told investigators that people linked to the Trump administration and Congress reached out to him in an effort to interfere in the Russia probe, according to newly unredacted court papers filed Thursday."
Bolton's predecessor has just rocked Donald Trump's boat again with this new revelation...
"The court filing from special counsel Robert Mueller is believed to mark the first public acknowledgement that a person connected to Capitol Hill was suspected of engaging in an attempt to impede the investigation into Russian election interference."
After checking Twitter, nothing from Donald Trump at this writing, but you can bet there will be.

Please give me your comments

Sunday, May 19, 2019

Under 50% of Trump supporters like him


I really am loyal but I don't like the jerk. Those are my words, but it is actually a fact that less "than half of Trump supporters ascribed any positive traits to their chosen candidate, according to a June-July 2016 Pew survey." The survey also found...
"Very few consider him well-informed or admirable. Only a minority expected that he would be willing to work with those he disagrees with, that he could unite the country, and that he is honest."
And there's more...
"They did, however, feel that he has deeply held beliefs and that he is extreme."
Wow! I knew that Donald Trump supporters were double-digit maniacs, but this kind of information leads me to believe that they are complete morons. There are more interesting demographics...
Trump draws more men than women; And the voters are older, 40+,the 18 to 29-year-ages don't care for him; his followers are uneducated; they are in a lower income group; his flock is mostly white, only 7% black, around 25% Hispanic; and he attracts evangelicals, which is a huge surprise based on his blatant immorality; Finally there is a racial diversity with his anti-Muslim and immigrant policies.
The study by Pew Research, one of the highest rated and respected in the field, illustrates just what the typical Trump supporter looks like...
"They are primarily white, older men with low levels of education and income. They believe that immigrants and free trade deals have harmed their earning power (and they're right about the free trade deals), and they prefer an America in which white people are the majority. Trump's worldview and platform ​seem to resonate with them."
But, looking toward the future, Pew also claims that 20% of Trump's voters have soured on him. Please hold that thought until 2020.

Please let me have your comments.

Did Trump predict his war with Iran?


CURRENT WRAP-UP ON TRUMP'S IRAN WAR
Trump and man who would start ANY war-John Bolton
In 2011, Trump warned "a desperate president" would attack Iran to win re-election...Trump plans air strikes and ground invasions against Iran...No de-escalation plan for Iran threat...Bernie Sanders says, war with Iran would be "many times worse than the Iraq War"...John Bolton most likely responsible for Iran aggressiveness...Heavily armed US carrier strike group headed for Iran

Saturday, May 18, 2019

Is Trump's White House another version of "The Godfather?"


Just call me Donald Corleone
Just yesterday there were new discoveries about Michael Flynn that shows he was approached by individuals allied with Trump who wanted to influence his dealings with Mueller and perhaps buy his silence.” Does that sound like Marlon Brando telling one of his made-guys to take care of a situation? This is brand new from the Mueller Report and "confirms the feeling a lot of folks have had, that we might just be living in the midst of a mob movie, "according to CNBC.

Here's more from MSNBC...
"Rachel Maddow had a similar reaction, calling the news a 'mafia-esque' move' from the president’s goon squad.”
As we know, Flynn lasted only 24 days on the job, and T-rump had been warned repeatedly not to hire him. There's more...
"He pleaded guilty back in December of ‘17, lying to the FBI about his contacts with the Russian Ambassador, and he’s been cooperating with the special counsel’s investigation ever since.”
And here's something even more startling and disturbing...
"A newly unredacted court filing made public late today says Flynn told Mueller’s team that people connected to Congress as well as individuals tied to the Trump Administration tried to influence his cooperation with the Russia investigation."
Both Congressional staff and people from the Trump administration tried to influence Michael Flynn. At this point, how could there be any doubt over Donald Trump's obstruction of justice?

More reading on Donald Trump's obstruction:

"Trump would be in jail if he wasn't president?"

"Trump even worse than Nixon says John Dean"
Please give me your comments on this issue 

A plethora of must see news from the left


MAKE A LEFT TURN FOR THE NEWS

Locking up guns can save kids' lives...Duh!...No one wants to rent in Trump's Tower...People think identity theft can't happen to them...NRA is imploding after head gun nut Wayne LaPierre shops in Beverly Hills...Why Donald Trump worried about Michael Flynn...In 2011 Trump warned "a president" would attack Iran to get re-elected...

Friday, May 17, 2019

Joe Biden's left turn could pick up Bernie followers


Time to fish or cut bait
The headline says that Joe Biden is breaking with some of Obama's policies, even when he craves the former president's endorsement. Biden thinks it's “'an obligation' to provide health insurance for undocumented immigrants," according to The Hill. Joe wants a$15.00 minimum wage; Obama wanted $10.10. Biden has endorsed a public option on health care, creating a government insurer to compete with private firms . Obama said no to this.

What we have to consider is that Obama may have changed his mind on several of his policies when in office and updated his thinking to 2019. Biden is running on his own but still wants to be remembered as Barack Obama's Vice President. Amie Parnes of the Hill says...
"Biden also needs to move to the left, though not too far, and in all three cases the breaks with Obama-era policies allowed Biden to shift to a more liberal position."
"This is important for a candidate who is battling a number of rivals who have embraced more progressive policies."
Okay, I am a Progressive that strongly backed Bernie Sanders in 2016. I have not yet made a decision for 2020, but with Joe Biden holding such a huge lead, with the likelihood today that he will be the nominee, I still want to see more lean to the left, like a stronger stance on Gun Control. We could also use more emphasis on the racial problems that continue to plague this country. Biden thinks so, and there seems to be a consensus of opinion, he is best Democrat to beat Trump.

If Joe Biden does support a “middle of the road” strategy on climate control as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez expounded at a Howard University event with Bernie Sanders, he'll not only lose my vote but also a number of votes from other Progressives that value the ecology of this country and the world. Democratic strategist Basil Smikle comments...
"Biden has the potential to win over younger voters, who according to polls have not particularly gravitated to his campaign, and older Democrats — who the polls show are embracing him."
A recent poll shows that younger voters are deserting Bernie Sanders, and his average donation has dropped under $27.00. I truly hate to see this but it could be caused by the fact that Bernie has not expanded his platform enough, particularly regarding gun control and the racial situation. But Biden is weak in both areas as far as I am concerned. It's only May of 2019 and anything could happen between now and the Democratic Primaries.

Please let me have your comments.

The ceaselessness of Donald Trump obstruction


The FBI recently "opened a public corruption investigation into whether Florida massage parlor owner and Republican donor Li “Cindy” Yang illegally funneled money from China to President Donald Trump’s re-election effort," according to Salon. Seems Yang funneled $5,400 through one of her employees and the FBI wants to know more. Here is the scenario...
"Yang, a naturalized U.S. citizen and a member of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort, is accused of selling access to Trump and his family to Chinese businessmen. The FBI is investigating whether foreign money was then used to buy tickets to political events, which would constitute illegal foreign donations. It is also illegal to reimburse someone for a political contribution without disclosing the original source of the money."
It seems "that nine of Yang’s family members, including Peranio, all made maximum $5,400 donations to Trump’s re-election committee prior to her photo with the president." You might remember Yang's massage parlor as the one where New England Patriots owner Bob Kraft was arrested for soliciting prostitution. The question...is there some kind of influence from China in the recent trade negotiations the Trump administration has been conducting?

Philip Hackney, tax professor and former attorney at the Internal Revenue Service, says, "the IRS must turn over Trump’s returns to the House Ways and Means Committee. "Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin retorts...
"a resounding no – at least when it comes to the request submitted by Democratic Congressman Richard Neal on April 3. Mnuchin said it 'lacks a legitimate legislative purpose.'”
We've listened to Donald Trump and his minions long enough to know you cannot believe anything they say. The use of the words "not anything," meaning how much you can believe in describing one's truthfulness, is pretty pathetic when you are talking about the President of the United states and his Cabinet and staff. But then Hackney alludes to the fact that on the one side you have the law, and then there is political reality. They'll never get the records, he quips.

The Congress is not a law enforcement body and "does not have a legitimate purpose to investigate the questions it is pursuing." This is the statement of White House counsel Pat Cipollone to Chairman, House Judiciary Committee, Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.). The Trump administration doesn't want anymore poking around the Mueller Report, which...
"constitutes a sweeping rejection — not just of Nadler’s request for White House records but of Congress’s standing to investigate Trump for possible obstruction of justice."
And the beat goes on. There's more from Cipollone...
“Congressional investigations are intended to obtain information to aid in evaluating potential legislation, not to harass political opponents or to pursue an unauthorized ‘do-over’ of exhaustive law enforcement investigations conducted by the Department of Justice,”
Nadler called this preposterous, actually just another ludicrous Donald Trump tactic to con the American public.

Please give me your comments.

Conservatives are a fraud? We knew that


Max Boot, formerly of the Republican Party, comes down hard on the conservative movement. Here's the gist of what he had to say...
"The whole ideology has become a 'racket,' he argues in a new op-ed for the Washington Post, a development he dates to 1996 when Fox News was launched. The latest revelations about the NRA, from the vice president Wayne LaPierre’s profligate spending to the various self-dealing projects spearheaded by the organization’s top executives, only hammer the point home."
I like the part where he brings in the NRA and its head gun nut, Wayne LaPierre. It would have been even more interesting if Boot had expounded on the cowards in Congress who suck up to the NRA for regular handouts. The ex-conservative continues...
"Of course, the most obvious sign of the hollowness of conservatism is its figurehead, President Donald Trump. His supposed business success has been exposed as a sham, a sham on which he built a presidential campaign that had no other justification. His supposed religiosity is an obvious hoax. And his policies, supposedly designed to help the 'forgotten man,' have only helped the rich get richer. He has no problem letting countless supporters “fall victim to his trade wars,” as Boot puts it, for the sake of nationalist crusade."
There is no doubt in my mind that Mitch McConnell runs a close second as the lowlife of conservatives. And Boot feels...
"Trump couldn’t survive as the con artist that he is without the unshaken devotion of Fox News, which feeds his supporters a steady diet of propaganda necessary to keep presidential approval above a 36 percent floor." 
He adds that Fox is, of course, the "quintessential con." You have to love this kind of insight into the Oval Office lunatic, especially coming from an ex-conservative. Boot counts multiple irregularities at Fox with sexual harassment, right from the top, Sean Hannity's elitism compared to his $36 million annual salary, and Tucker Carlson's self-described "man of the people," in itself a con. All in all, the conservative movement and its cronies is a "total scam."

Finally, Boot concludes...
"How did this all happen? It’s a complicated story, but the simple version is this: American conservative leaders knew their policy preferences would never be popular on the merits, so they figured out that they needed to trick voters into supporting them. And they’ve been wildly successful."
Isn't it pathetic that the Grand Old Party, the GOP, has to rely on trickery in order to further its agenda?

Donald Trump Says He Will Be Indicted On Tuesday

  THAT'S TODAY... Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has brought the case to this point, now looking at a possible indictment. Trum...