Steve Bannon will only add to more chaos

The new Bobbsey twins

The lack of decision-making skills on the part of Donald John is almost as laughable as his lack of knowledge about what he is doing as the new President of the United States. The Chicago Tribune said during the 2016 campaign, "It is almost impossible to underestimate his knowledge about issues, including the ones he talks most about in his campaign." It has gotten no better, only worse. So what does the new inept President do? He selects a Cabinet that knows almost as little as he does.  But the height of his stupid decision-making process is his choice of Steve Bannon, who appears to be against everything but himself. What's worse, "... the president decided to give a permanent seat at the National Security Council table to his chief strategist and senior counselor, Stephen Bannon."

Read more here...

Trump lack of judgment frightening

A man without a plan, only bullshit

In his first week in office, Donald John has shown no organizational skills in the government-wide decision-making process. That, in itself, is scary enough, but this assessment is even more alarming.

"...since the election, there is reason to believe that his White House is going to be a place of unusual uncertainty, perhaps even chaos, as a president who has no idea what he is doing is served by people who have no idea what their boss wants."

Donald John has elected to almost ignore the "Presidential Daily Brief, the intelligence report the president gets every day to apprise him of threats to the United States." Such a comforting thought, this maniac sitting in the Oval Office quietly planning his next business move while missiles fly from God knows what country. Read more...

Trump favors his business interests in travel ban

Psst, can I get in on the deal?

He might call it coincidence but I call it strategic planning for Donald John's investments in Turkey. The country was left out of the travel bans even after it has "...faced several terrorist attacks in recent months. On Wednesday, the State Department updated a travel warning for Americans visiting Turkey." And why would he exclude Turkey? Because of the two luxury towers he has licensed his name to in Istanbul, plus the fact a Turkish company "...manufactures a line of Trump-branded home furnishings."

Con artist of the century strikes again. Read more...

Canada shows up Trump's lack of compassion

Canada PM Justin Trudeau

Canada's Trudeau has just announced that his country will welcome rejected U.S. refugees. Since more than 75% of Canada's exports go to the U.S., Trudeau doesn't want to upset Donald John, but he is making it clear that his country will not take the bigoted attitude as his neighbors to the south.

"Trudeau tweeted Saturday 'To those fleeing persecution, terror & war, Canadians will welcome you, regardless of your faith. Diversity is our strength #WelcomeToCanada.'”

If you want an hour-by-hour illustration of how Donald John has screwed up the transportation industry, go here.

And this is just one country. 

Donald Trump destroys Brits confidence in U.S.

Just prior to Prime Minister Theresa May's trip to meet Donald John in the White House, British lawmakers accused the PM of "groveling" before the U.S. President. It's all a part of the people of Great Britain rethinking their affections for Americans. As an example:

A Pew Research Center poll from early 2016 found that 85 percent of Britons had no confidence in Trump doing the right thing in global relations, while 12 percent said they had confidence.

A Gallup International poll conducted in September found that if British citizens could vote in the U.S. election, 64 percent would have chosen Trump's rival, Hillary Clinton. 15 percent said they would have voted for Trump.

Another poll conducted for the Independent, this time by BMG Research, shortly after the election, 58 percent of Britons said that America's global reputation would suffer after Trump's win.

 There's more and you shouldn't miss it at The Washington Post.

Can America afford Donald Trump's ego

Contrary to belief, Sigmund Freud did not employ the use of the term ego (a person's sense of self-esteem or self-importance) or id (the part of the mind in which innate instinctive impulses and primary processes are manifest). He had other references, unimportant to this post. They both seem to date back to the time of Nietzsche but the reason for bringing any of this up is to point out the fact that Donald John's ego is completely out of control and his id is that of a lunatic. Just take a look at the following from Ashley Parker of the Washington Post:

"Even with British Prime Minister Theresa May standing at the lectern just to his right Friday, the new president used his first joint news conference with a world leader to underscore that while his campaign message may have been 'America first,' his actual guiding philosophy is more 'Trump first.'”

When was the last ego maniac to run this country? 

Donald Trump's war with truthful media

They say truth hurts but in Donald John's case it is a wound that is festering to the extent that he can't attend to the business of this country...the reason for which he was apparently elected. The comparison of his much smaller Inauguration crowd size compared to Barack Obama's in 2009 is just the latest. It's all staged by Steve Bannon who, along with Kellyanne Conway, have now given us "alternative facts." But the media just isn't buying it.

Obama: Tied for 1st place in role of modern presidents

President Barack Obama is in a tie with former President Ronald Reagan now but will eventually surpass him in the role of greatest American Presidents. Obama has surged in the past few years, as Reagan has lost five points. This compared to Obama's nemesis, Mitch McConnell, who has been voted most unpopular U.S. Senator, plainly illustrating the lack of class in the latter. 

Palin exit way too overdue

If only to get rid of that screeching voice, her departure is a blessing. But there's more. Imagine her PAC donors are pissed that only 12% of contributions went to party candidates, the express purpose of the PAC. In the 2016 election cycle, Palin's Sarah PAC spent $830,000 on consultants and just $82,500 in donations to other candidates. Also, the PAC spent $168,000 on travel and lodging expenses during the 2016 election — double what it donated to candidates. Palin's self-aggrandizement at its best.

Thanks to Thanks to Chris Cillizza of the Washington Post.

We all knew Donald John was clueless with the maturity of a child

Leaks from the White House...

"Time and again, the image of Trump pushed by his “aides” is one of a clueless child — someone who acts on impulse, disregarding the better advice of people who know better. We know he needs to be managed or else he will say and do stupid things, the message seems to be. We're working on it."

Thanks to Chris Cillizza of the Washington Post. 

Donald John has flipped his lid

The new emotionally unstable President personally ordered acting National Park Service director Michael T. Reynolds to produce pics of the 2017 Inauguration day crowd to help this troubled child to prove his was bigger than former President Obama's. It still wasn't. Can't you just imagine right now Obama and Michelle, plus the kids too, howling over the antics of this lunatic?

Guns, guns and more guns

Two teenagers' plans for a gun massacre at a Florida school thwarted by student whistle-blowers that probably saved many lives. Yes, they each had a house full of firearms, including an AR-15 assault rifle. Considering current White House and Congress, we can expect much more of this, the next time with deaths.

Donald Trump takes credit for Obama economy

What is even more bizarre than the fact that he won the presidency is that Donald Trump just claimed it is he who should take credit for the improved economy. Here's his tweet...

"The U.S. Consumer Confidence Index for December surged nearly four points to 113.7, THE HIGHEST LEVEL IN MORE THAN 15 YEARS! Thanks Donald!"

In fact it is President Barack Obama who has slowly but carefully returned the economy to prosperity after the devastation of the George W. Bush administration. Trump, hopefully won't be responsible for another GWB debacle, the possibility of which could be many times that of Bush's. Anyone who has to feed their ego with this kind of bullshit must have an enormous inferiority complex. Can you imagine this man sitting in the Oval Office when Russia's Putin says something to piss him off, and off go the missiles starting world war III.

CNN Money says "... consumer confidence was making a comeback for years before Trump even began his campaign." Right after George W. Bush put the economy in the toilet, and just as Barack Obama was entering the White House...

"...in the depths of the Great Recession, the index hit a low of 25.3. Before Trump was elected, it had climbed all the way back to 100.8 in October."

All thanks to President Obama, of course. Now what will Donald Trump do with what he is being given?

T-rump stupid things

'I'd bring back a hell of a lot worse than waterboarding'

The full quote...

"In the Middle East, we have people chopping the heads off Christians, we have people chopping the heads off many other people. We have things that we have never seen before -- as a group, we have never seen before, what's happening right now. The medieval times -- I mean, we studied medieval times -- not since medieval times have people seen what's going on. I would bring back waterboarding and I'd bring back a hell of a lot worse than waterboarding."

Thanks to Newsday.

The wealthy have taken away the American Dream

In the past, the American Dream provided that 90% of children could expect to earn more than their parents. In the last 50 years that has dropped to 50%. And that's not all, "...the bottom 50% of the American population earned an average of $16,000 in pre-tax income in 1980. That hasn't changed in over three decades." By comparison, the wealthy earned on average $428,000 in 1980, but today average $1.3 million a year. That's close to a 300% increase, where the have-nots remain stagnant. In other words, what Bernie Sanders was saying during his Presidential campaign was all true.

I have several friends who are Republicans, not necessarily have-nots, but certainly not even close to the top 1%, who don't seem to worry about this inequality. Some have commented that the rich should be rewarded because they worked for it but that brings up the question of how many were given their wealth...like Donald J. Trump. And then there's the suppression of those of us working stiffs by the corporations supported by the conservative GOP. Pew Research says from 1971 to 2015...

"...the nation’s aggregate household income has substantially shifted from middle-income to upper-income households, driven by the growing size of the upper-income tier and more rapid gains in income at the top."

There's more...

Fully 49% of U.S. aggregate income went to upper income households in 2014, up from 29% in 1970. The share accruing to middle-income households was 43% in 2014, down substantially from 62% in 1970.

CNN Money says that wages aren't going up for the bottom 50%, that inequality has grown and is on track to widen further. And the government, who is supposed to be the friend of the poor, isn't helping...

"The U.S. tax system is supposed to help the poor. Yet even after-tax income shows that the bottom 50% averaged just $25,000 a person in 2014, according to the latest data. That's just a touch above the $20,000 someone in the bottom half earned way back in 1974 (after adjusting for inflation)."

What makes all this worse is the fact that those in the top 1% not only laud their wealth over the lower echelons, but also use it to screw them further by buying elections. I'm talking about the Koch brothers. 

Trump foreign policy ludicrous and threatening

Donald Trump on Defense

The incoming president's transition debacle has come up with another plan to make America a third world country, and this time it involves the defense of the nation. The Trump minions have decided that the top priority for our defense should be to "develop a strategy to defeat/destroy ISIS." CNN likens ISIS as "...ultimately no more than a nuisance for the United States."

"As a point of comparison, ISIS and ISIS-inspired attacks have killed fewer Americans than gun violence by a factor of more than 1,000 to 1."

The balance of the priorities includes...

"...build a strong defense", "develop a comprehensive USG cyber strategy" and "find greater efficiencies."

 Where's Russia? Where's Iran? Where's China? And where is the head of the country whose head displays the same erratic behavior as this country's president-elect, Kim Jong Un, President of North Korea? Donald Trump may have a personal relationship with Vladimir Putin of Russia he thinks will assure a peaceful alliance, but that would just show how ignorant and naive the man is. And there is no way Trump can cuddle up with the other three countries. Jonathan Cristol of CNN says...

"The only entity on Earth that has the capability to destroy the United States is Russia, and it is notable, if unsurprising, that Russia is not on Trump's list. Russia has over 1,700 deployed nuclear warheads and can strike the East Coast of the United States within 20 minutes."

Cristol wonders further if Donald Trump plans to follow through on his campaign promise to "... withdraw the United States from the world." Here's what The Hill says...

"...Trump often belittles our allies, minimizing threats posed by adversaries. He lambastes assumptions upon which U.S. foreign policy is predicated, but his disjointed, incoherent proposals provide no discernible substitute, especially for existing alliances."

One would hope that beneath all this loud mouth bluster there might be something of substance. So far there is absolutely no evidence of that.

T-Rump stupid things

"(Obama) doesn't have a birth certificate. He may have one, but there's something on that, maybe religion, maybe it says he's a Muslim. I don't know. Maybe he doesn't want that."

Donald Trump revives racism in South

The United States is a racist and sexist country, has been, is, and, perhaps, always will be. Bigotry has lain almost hidden for several years, starting in the late 1960s, after civil rights laws were passed. Before that I lived in the South and it was rampant, right out in the open for all to see. And it was accepted. Tragically by both whites and blacks. I grew up in it but never accepted it, thus, leaving that part of the country for more tolerant places. They exist on the outside, but deep down there is always that feeling, at least for some, that you are better than someone else.

We saw racism rear its ugly head here in Arizona with the state's immigration bill, SB1070, which was eventually stripped of its major parts and no longer has any influence. Arizona former disgraced Sheriff, Joe Arpaio, tried his best to continue the harassment of Mexican illegals but was finally stopped by the Federal government, was then voted out of office, and is the focus of several lawsuits. The "N" word is less prevalent than it used to be, but a recent comment on my blog proves it is still in use. It was in response to a post of how Trump's election might hurt the country...

What a joke, the market is breaking records every day since we elected a real President, your buckwheat nigger "president" was and is the biggest failure of all time

I also did another post earlier on how North Carolina has maintained a steady parade of racist laws:
"North Carolina continues its racist mandate." The state seems hell-bent on proving that racism is not dead, but is thriving in that state. Immediately following Donald Trump's election the Ku Klux Klan was displaying its robes for all to see, crying out its support for Trump. Confederate flags were being flown everywhere, an accepted symbol today for racism. Former KKK leader, David Duke told Time magazine, "He and Donald Trump have the same message." CNN has this observation...

"At first glance, comparing some Trump supporters to ex-Confederates may seem absurd, even insulting. But historians say both groups developed an uncanny ability to obscure the role race played in transformative events and to persuade millions of Americans to go along with the charade."

More...

"Trump's victory may mark the resurgence of the Old South in another more sinister way: The return of 'racial amnesia.'"

And all it took was a raving maniac. 

Minimum wage increases to depend on local governments

Twenty-one states and twenty-two cities are increasing the minimum wage while Donald Trump's selected Secretary of Labor, Andrew Puzder, is a longtime critic of the concept. He's the guy who heads up fast food chains, Hardee's and Carl's Jr., so those of you out there who are minimum wage increase advocates might want to avoid these eateries. Try McDonalds or Burger King. In the case of one state, Arizona, where I live, they are fighting the minimum wage bill that passed in November, blaming it on the harm it will do to the state's health care system, which is pure bullshit.

The Arizona Republic claims that is only a smoke screen to cover the fact that businesses just don't want the minimum wage increased. I have lived in Arizona for over 20 years and this state has always been the backward state of the Union, all because it is and has been under Republican control for years. But that may be changing. In the state increases, some are piddly, like five or ten cents an hour, with others higher. Arizona voted $10 and hour, the biggest of all at 24%. In my judgment, that is a reaction by Progressives, finally coming out of the woodwork, to the long GOP control here.

CNN Money says...

"In the absence of action from Congress in terms of raising the federal minimum wage, which has remained at $7.25 since 2009, states and localities have taken matters into their own hands."

The restaurant industry is also a critic of raising the minimum wage, which is allowed to pay a minimum of $2.13 an hour, if the salary combined with tips equals the federal minimum wage of $7.25. Anyone who doesn't think that is poverty wage--and apparently Andrew Puzder doesn't and if he does, he simply doesn't care--is completely without compassion. But then, that would describe the majority of the Republican Party, particularly its new leader, Donald Trump. My guess is, though, some of these unfortunates even voted for Trump with hope that will never be realized. 

T-rump stupid things

"How stupid are the people of Iowa?"
This is in reference to a doubt Donald Trump had about the fact that Ben Carson tried to stab someone in his youth. Apparently it was partially right as Trump came in second in Iowa in the Primaries.

Donald Trump video getting completely idiotic over Iowa stupidity...

OK 2017 is almost here-What do we do with it?

As a passionate Progressive, I would still welcome a loophole in the Donald Trump presidency, but until that happens, the left must look ahead to what we have to work with. Right now the Democrats are in something of a shambles, with Hillary Clinton no longer able to lead the Party and a new leader not yet even emerging. My choice, of course, is Bernie Sanders, and also the choice of most other Progressives, but the legions of politicians has grown quiet, until we are able to swallow the inauguration of Donald John Trump. That will be hard to do for many.

For the new DC chairman, the early choice, Keith Ellison, Minnesota congressman and ally of Bernie Sanders, has run into trouble. Politico reports...

"On the heels of Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz’s troubled tenure as DNC chief, the issue of whether Ellison will commit full-time to the job poses a threat to his candidacy..."

My guess is that Wasserman-Schultz had the time but she just wasn't competent enough for the job. CNN says that, "...2017 will be a year for the history books." We knew that the day the Electoral College met and made its grim decision. That quiet you hear out there across the country are those voters of sound mind who didn't vote for Trump, and who are holding their breath in fear of the future. Most individuals are capable of handling most challenges sent their way, but the worst thing to confront is the unknown. Donald Trump is the epitome of the unknown.

Celebrities shun Donald Trump like the plague video...

With GOP control of both Houses of Congress, and a Republican in the White House, the outlook is fairly dim for the left, particularly for Progressives. Democrats have steadily moved to the center, which is one goo reason the Party is losing so many elections. Republicans have staunchly maintained their conservative positions on issues, establishing an identity that supporters can follow. The Dems are fractured with no single ideology to look up to, nor any individual to carry the torch. Until they find that, there could be even more Donald Trumps. God forbid.

Newt Gingrich: Just another has-been running off at the mouth

Newt Gingrich with his skeletons

Here is a recent quote from Newt Gingrich, a politician that should have been relegated to just cutting the yard a long time ago, re. Barack Obama's legacy...

"His legacy is like one of those dolls that, as the air comes out of it, shrinks and shrinks and shrinks. He's in this desperate frenzy."

Politico describes Gingrich's personal life as, "...a hot mess." As an example, "In April 1980, Newt filed for divorce while his wife, Jackie, was in the hospital fighting uterine cancer. "As far as politics goes, Politico says he is, "...The man who poisoned Washington." Further...

"More than anyone else in the modern history of Congress, it’s Gingrich who observers credit for bringing the hyperpartisan, obstructionist approach to Washington that we associate with the capital to this day."

And all this time we blamed Karl Rove. But enough about Newt Gingrich who should put out to pasture like Arizona Senator, John McCain, both of which outlived their usefulness--if it was ever there to begin with--years ago. But Gingrich has the nerve to question President Obama's legacy when his own will read like an empty book. Apparently, the outdated Gingrich forgot....

• President Obama rescued an economy trashed by former President Geo. W. Bush
• He gave health insurance to millions who did not have it
• Obama has led the global push for climate change to save the environment
• Struck the landmark nuclear deal with Iran, slowing down the nuclear race
• President Obama passed the legalization of same-sex marriage

There's more but you get the idea...this is a man with a legacy. And what I don't really understand is why the media continues to give voice to completely outmoded politicians like Gingrich and McCain. But I guess we'd rather see another blast about the two of them than anything else from T-rump.

T-rump stupid things

Disarm Clinton's bodyguards

Donald Trump said this when disparaging Hillary Clinton over her stand on gun control. Here is Trump's actual brainless comment...

"I think that her bodyguards should drop all weapons. They should disarm. Take their guns away, she doesn't want guns. Take them, let's see what happens to her. Take their guns away, OK. It will be very dangerous."

Thanks to amNewYork.

Media video on Trump statement...

This is the incoming president that will have his finger on the button. God help us!

God forbid I might agree with Trump

I am all for creating jobs, something Progressives make a major priority in their ideology. Donald Trump spewed how he would help the working man during his 2016 campaign then picked Andrew Puzder as his Labor Secretary. Puzder is against sick leave, expanding overtime pay, wants to repeal Obamacare and most of all, is reluctant over raising the minimum wage. But that's not what this post is all about. If Lockheed is screwing the U.S. government in the building of the F-35, and it would appear they agree to a change, I am for correcting this, even if it means the loss of some jobs.

146,000 jobs, both within Lockheed and its suppliers, is what the company estimates are the number that depend on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program. The incoming U.S. president says, "...due to the "tremendous cost and cost overruns of the Lockheed Martin F-35 I have asked Boeing to price-out a comparable" fighter jet to possibly replace the F-35." Here's how Marilyn Hewson, CEO of Lockheed responded...

She had a "..."very good conversation" with Trump Friday, the day after he tweeted that he was considering replacing the costly F-35 Joint Strike Fighter with a modified version of a cheaper jet. I've heard his message loud and clear about reducing the cost of the F-35. I gave him my personal commitment to drive the cost down aggressively. We're ready to deliver."

So, what does that mean in terms of the new aircraft she had in mind in relation to the F-35? Did Lockheed overprice the F-35 to begin with? Were the overruns just for the purpose of jacking up the price? Was the F-35 allowed to continue overpriced and with overruns just to bring revenue to states like Texas and California? Or, is this all just a continuation of the cooperative efforts between big business and Congress to bring pork to the states to get representatives and Senators re-elected and fill the greedy coffers of corporations? You be the judge. Check out this YouTube video...

But what will a cheaper version of the F-35 mean to the men flying it? Will it be as effective, have the same armor plate protection, run on the latest technology, and there are even more questions? And yet another question arises, why didn't they build the less expensive version in the first place? Did Lockheed propose the over-priced model and Congress approved it because of the political donations from Lockheed? Bingo! $2.6 million dollars to be sure. The majority spread around Republicans can have an amazing effect on people's decisions.

So, back to having to agree with a psychopathic lunatic. Yes, if a cheaper F-15 is just as effective, just as well armored with the latest technology, I am in favor of building that and getting rid of the other version. Sorry for the jobs but this is probably a major reason for the size of the U.S. budget.

However, why do I keep feeling there is something here that will end up in Donald Trump's pocket?

T-rump stupid things

Donald Trump gets his military advice from news shows.

CHUCK TODD: "Who do you talk to for military advice right now?"
TRUMP: "Well, I watch the shows. I mean, I really see a lot of great — you know, when you watch your show and all of the other shows.

To do it is stupid. To admit it is even stupider.

Thanks to The Washington Post.