The New York Times says, "Suburbs rebel against Trump," in the Virginia and New Jersey elections. Real Clear Politics shows Democrat Ralph Northam with a solid 8.9-point lead over Republican Ed Gillespie in the Virginia race for Governor. Former Trump supporters have finally turned their backs on Trump, with Northam winning big with women and younger voters in Virginia, and Democrat Phil Murphy winning over Republican Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno, by 14 points. This all happened because of grass roots efforts, something Bernie Sanders perfected in the 2016 Dem Primary and has continued recently in local races. With this new momentum, the left moves closer to taking back the House in 2018.
I know you, the American public, don't give a damn about guns killing the innocent, but yesterday, November 7, 13 people were killed by gun violence, 38 injured.
This concept goes back to the play, R.U.R. by Karel Čapek in 1921, about robots sickened by human behavior, deciding to kill all that are on earth. And then there was Demon Seed where too much power is ceded to AI and robots begin to impregnate human beings for half-breeds. I worked closely with AI when in the junk mail industry and found the potential scary. And now physicist Stephen Hawking has warned that artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to destroy civilization, with other experts saying there is a 50 percent chance that AI will be able to perform all human tasks better than humans in 45 years. And Ray Kurzweil, chief engineer for Google and famous futurist, says, although risky, it could be very good for mankind. Think I am way too old to worry.
Don't think so and Republican gerrymandering (manipulating the boundaries of an electoral constituency so as to favor one party or class) will do exactly that. The GOP is expert at this illegal tactic, snowing Dems for years. Now, a Michigan grassroots group, opposed by Republicans, is petitioning for an independent commission to redraw political maps. NBC News believes it is adisgraceful national tradition with major effects on communities of color. But, the Dems and the GOP both do it, with humans drawing the lines, which basically removes all subjectivity.
These are the results of a recent ABC-Wash. Post poll, reporting Democratic candidates are favored at 51%, Republicans 40% in the House 2018 election. These figures compare with 2006, when the Dems won back both the House and Senate. However, FiveThirtyEight points out that even though Donald Trump lost the popular vote, he won the presidency. Here's a fact to consider...when the sitting President's rating is below 50% (Trump is 37.7 according to 538) the Party loses more than two-dozen seats in the House. Some think the Democrats have recovered from the 2016 disaster and, “There’s a storm that’s going to hit Republicans in 2018.” The question, who will lead the party?
Remember the days when Montgomery Ward was one of the retail stores you depended on for cheap prices, along with Sears? MW retail operations went out of business long ago and their rival, Sears, appears to be having trouble. They are closing 63 Sears and Kmart stores, along with J.C. Penney 138 stores, Macy's shuttering 68 stores, Radio Shack 1,000 stores. The brick and mortar closings are a result of the American public's decision to shop online. First it was junk mail in your mailbox but all this quickly switched to online shopping with Amazon breaking out as the leader. It's only a matter of time before many of these retail locations are history...just like Montgomery Ward.
Donald Trump said "the average American family would get a $4,000 raise, which is an outright lie. Speaker Paul Ryan hedged by saying it would save his group $1,182, using median household income ($59,000) when, in fact, the more realistic figure is median family income at $73,000. And there are added caveats like the savings are only good for the first year. Ryan also says thinking of repealing Obamacare's individual mandate in the tax bill, but with the curbing of the GOP's Obamacare repeal, Dems are planning the same strategy to trash the tax bill. What is so scary is that the opaque Paul Ryan believes all the shit he spews, and Trump doesn't know any better. Pathetic!
Donna Brazile would have replaced Hillary with Joe Biden
Bernie Sanders has his faults, like weak on gun control, soft on black issues, and light when it comes to women's rights. But his popularity soared in 2016, while Donald Trump struggled to maintain his position. Yet, Trump beat Hillary Clinton in the race for President. The Bern's campaign group says they now have proof that the DNC was favoring Clinton, and Donna Brazile said she seriously considered replacing Clinton with V.P. Joe Biden. Sanders says in Rolling Stone Dems should concentrate on bread and butter issues like healthcare and the economy, not Robert Mueller's investigation, but Bloomberg reports the Russia baggage will follow Republicans into 2018. In my earlier blog today, Half of America thinks Trump guilty of criminal acts, 53% convinced of broad wrongdoing in Trump Russia case, and 58% of public thinks Trump investigation is right on.
I know you, the American public, don't give a damn about guns killing the innocent, but 27 people were gunned down in a Texas church and 30 were injured.
I know you, the American public, don't give a damn about guns killing the innocent, but already today, Sunday, there have been two gun homicides with three injured.
Almost half of an ABC News/Washington Post poll believe Donald Trump is guilty of criminal acts during his 2016 Primary and eventual election to the White House. Only 28% think the case is limited to Manafort, Gates and Papadopoulos, 53% convinced there is 'broader wrongdoing." 58% of the public hold that the Trump investigation is the right thing. Both AG Sessions and Trump denied knowing about Russian contacts when records suggest otherwise. Former Trump foreign policy adviser Carter Page testifies he personally told Sessions about Russia trip.
I know you, the American public, don't give a damn about guns killing the innocent, but the rate of gun deaths went up in 2016 for the second straight year, suggesting we might have a problem???
Donna Brazile says she has proof that Hillary Clinton "rigged the race against Bernie Sanders. I blogged in agreement several times in 2016, and Sen. Elizabeth Warren also acknowledges the fact. Brazile promised Sanders she'd get to the bottom of the then mystery after replacing Debbie Wasserman Schultz. Brazile talks about how Hillary compromised the party’s integrity, and "alleges that an unethical agreement was signed between Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign and the DNC to keep the party financially afloat." My question is, with Elizabeth Warren so vocal now, 'Where was she in 2016 when Bernie needed her?' Donna Brazile has proof Hillary Clinton rigged 2016 Primary... Elizabeth Warren acknowledges Hillary Clinton guilt... Donna Brazile goes to work at DNC uncovering scam...
Apparently John Kelly missed the class on war history at the U. of Massachusetts. Kelly blamed the Civil War on “the lack of an ability to compromise, which historians deemed “dangerous” to “kind of depressing.” Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), the sole black Senate Republican said, “There was no compromise to make – only a choice between continuing slavery and ending it." Kelly later espouses the Jim Crow version of the causes of the Civil War. And it didn't end there when Sarah Sanders tried to confirm it claiming certification from left, right, North and South. Kelly is also charged with lying in an Oct. 19, speech about Rep. Frederica Wilson of Fla. re. what Trump said to widow of an American soldier. Has there ever been a White House this screwed up?
This Republican debacle is heavily skewed toward business receiving $1 trillion in cuts, two-thirds of the tax bill, plus a maximum of 39.6% top rate for millionaires. Yet Speaker Paul Ryan boasts the plan's intention is to make middle-class tax cuts. However, many Republicans are balking, seeing portions of the plan that would raise their constituent's taxes, not lower them. The Democrats exclaim that it is an enormous giveaway to the rich and corporations but the GOP claims the plan will unleash spectacular growth that will trickle down to everyone. Shown below is a rundown of just what is in the tax plan.
I know you, the American public, don't give a damn about guns killing the innocent, but 1 person was killed and 2 injured, one a 12-year-ole child at a downtown Chicago Starbucks. Another man was wounded in an earlier shooting.
Ruled by most in the administration and Congress as the worst adviser ever to hit the White House, Jared Kushner may be at the end of his rope. Trump blames him for the James Comey firing. He also thinks he is responsible for Mueller's expanding probe, with the special prosecutor indicating he is ready to move into White House interviews. Sam Nunberg says Trump is f**ked, near paralyzed with fear of impeachment only exhibited to insiders, and his popularity rating is an abysmal 33 percent. Should he decide to fire Mueller, will the house of cards fall? With this Republican Congress, it's questionable.
I know you, the American public, don't give a damn about guns killing the innocent, but three people were killed at a Walmart store in Thornton, Colorado, which is north of Denver.
Brett Ratner, a film producer, is the latest harasser in a long line since Roger Ailes, no doubt before. After hundreds of women have come forward for various offenders, Natasha Henstridge and five others accused Ratner. Now Dustin Hoffman apologized for hitting on an intern in 1985, and Kevin Spacey has a string of accusations by male actors, while coming out as gay. With Bill O'Reilly, well, this arrogant bastard is now blaming it all on God; that's after a recent $32 million sexual harassment settlement. And Harvey Weinstein did his best to grope the Hollywood female population. A'int show business wonderful?
At my age I remember hearing about how we were polluting the atmosphere back in my 50's; that was over thirty years ago. I believed it then and I believe it now. Scientists predicted how climate change will hurt health around the world and it's happened. It's not just here, look at the UK and China, plus over 2,100 cities globally exceeding safe levels. A temperature increase of only 1.5 degrees F threatens the health of hundreds of millions of people worldwide. As a "threat multiplier," climate change hits the most vulnerable and fuels disasters. Yet this administration refuses to acknowledge it.
Neither the wealthy nor large corporations read my blog, so you know who "you and me" are. The poor working slobs that are virtually abandoned in Donald Trump and the GOP's tax plan. As an example, the Koch Bros. would realize a fortune, with the slashing of 401(k)s to pay for it. Trump wants to lower the top income tax rate to 35%, reduce the corporate tax rate from 35 to 20%, with the average American realizing about 1.2%, eventually getting worse. The top 1% would increase after-tax income by 6%, which is five times the 1.2%. Fewer than one-third of the public support the tax plan.
Colin Kaepernic is half black, half white, and his white mother doesn't approve of his kneeling for the National Anthem. He does it because of the oppression of black people and people of color, which has martyred him by NFL head Roger Goodell. Hank Aaron, who faced racial discrimination in 1974 chimed in to say he even received "death threats and hate mail," all because of the color of his skin. Kaepernick, one of the top quarterbacks in the league is still without a job, saying he did this after months of witnessing some of the civil unrest in the U.S. The last shoe hasn't fallen in this issue.
There are people who abuse alcohol, gambling, even shopping, and there will be those who abuse recreational marijuana. They tried to outlaw booze and gambling but lost, of course not shopping. All three can bankrupt you. My point is if there is a demand, a source will be found. Corona Beer just bought a minority stake in a Canadian pot company, while Rhode Island now considers legalization. It is already legal in nine states, with high use California having startup problems. The real question here is if the public can be responsible and that, of course, is questionable. It still will no doubt happen. Corona Beer get into pot...
Robert Mueller proves Russia infiltrated Trump campaign successfully using people like Paul Manafort, George Papadopoulos, (both indicted) Donald Trump Jr., Jared Kushner and others. The Oval Office lunatic and his dufus mouthpiece denied everything, trying to change subject to the Clinton campaign and the "Steele Dossier." Mueller has let all know he is serious about this probe as Trump's lawyers rush to try and stay ahead of the investigation. Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee called it, "a significant and sobering step."
The Center for Injury Research and Prevention reports 4,300 young people ages 10-24 were victims of gun violence in 2014, with accidental firearm deaths among children related to child access to firearms. That same year, 2,549 children (age 0 to 19 years) died by gunshot and an additional 13,576 were injured. A kid in Seattle brought his parent's gun to school in a backpack, dropped it shooting and almost killing another student. Homicide was the third-leading cause of death among youths 10 to 24 years old in 2014. The NRA tries to tell you otherwise but guns do kill...PERIOD! Factual statistics on gun violence... Irresponsible gun owner leaves firearm handy for kids...
Opened my local paper in Phoenix yesterday with its "Public Safety" column screaming gun violence. A woman was found with a gunshot wound in a West Phoenix front yard who later died. A man was found in Chandler, a Phoenix suburb, with a gunshot wound who later died. In a Phoenix home invasion a man was fatally shot with an illegal weapon. And, Tempe, another suburb, is desperate to solve a recent murder in an apartment building parking lot. Arizona is #11 in the country for gun violence with someone killed by a gun almost every day. Wanna move to Arizona?
Sarah Sanders, the poor soul White House mouthpiece laments her squeaky-clean boss couldn't have sexually harassed all those 16 women. The Access Hollywood tape with him bragging about kissing and fondling women without their consent kind of confirms Donald Trump is a sexual pervert. Former Apprentice contestant Summer Zervos claimed Trump kissed and groped her, his ex-wife Ivanka Trump accused him of rape, plus a case in court accuses him of raping a 13-year-old girl in 1994, ending up in billionaire pedophile Jeffrey Epstein's "black book." Yeah, he's innocent okay.
Only 38% of Americans approve of Donald Trump's presidency with 58% disapproving. "That rating is the lowest approval rating of any modern president at this point in his tenure, according to the pollsters." Among those decreasing were Independents and white adults without a college degree, the latter a large part of the Oval Office lunatic's base. In July, Gallup did a Trump approval rating by state going from a low of 26% (Vermont) up to a high of 60% (West Virginia). FiveThirtyEight finds most of the decline in red states with Wyoming at -26%
Arizona's congressman, Jeff Flake, who is fed up with Congress, says the budget is on-track for passage but Tax Reform is not certain. Democrats got their way eliminating Trump's border wall funding adding things like increasing health allocation. Also in question is how GOP will pay for the tax plan and its favoring the wealthy. And Kevin Brady's secrecy isn't helping with lobbyists having a field day. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said that it's difficult "not to give tax cuts to the wealthy," which Flake agreed with. Guess we should be glad he is going.
Justin Haskins says, "Strict gun control will never work in America," and "evidence clearly shows gun-control laws don’t work, and even if they did, they could never realistically be enforced nationwide." NOT TRUE! A study with data from the CDC, the NRA-ILA, and The Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence shows the average gun-related homicide rate per 100,000 people among gun control states (3.31) was lower than those with no regulation of private gun sales (4.28). The recent non-partisan National Bureau of Economic Research found 10 years after the adoption of right-to-carry laws, violent crime is estimated to be 13% 15 % higher than it would have been without the RTC law. As far as enforcement, just need to get rid of Republican control.
That's all they have left...the Republicans, I mean. After failing on the repeal of Obamacare, everything has been downhill. And the tax cuts are a must in order to hold the Party together. Rep. Peter King (R/NY) questions the fairness of the bill, and critics claim it is skewed to the wealthy and corporations with the middle-class and low income screwed. Even Republican constituents don't want it. Reuters reports that just 28% of the public support the tax plan, and USA Today says Donald Trump relies on lies to sell the tax plan, with 31% saying we would be worse off. Typical GOP.
Steve Bannon appears to be on a breakneck path to the White House leaving leaving Republicans in more disarray, wondering what's going on. Trump's former top adviser, a white nationalist, anti-semitist and racist, seems intent on overthrowing the GOP. Who cares about the Republicans but not with this in their place. Mitch McConnell and his gang have declared open warfare on Bannon with a year before the 2018 elections. Right-wing billionaire Robert Mercer is Bannon's banker and the scary part of all this is many of Trump's supporters are also behind Bannon.
Arizona's GOP thinks the Exit of Jeff Flake from the Senate gives them a chance to hold on to the seat. His popularity had dropped to 18% and was expected to lose against contender Kelli Ward in the primary. There are numerous potential candidates (see links below) that may plan to go up against Ward who tried to outlaw enforcement of federal gun laws in Arizona, and is a Tea Party insurgent. Being from Arizona and closely following the politics here, my gut tells me that state Progressives are ready to take up the mantle, elect Kyrsten Sinema and start turning Arizona blue. Republicans struggle to fill Jeff Flake's seat...
Sarah Sanders, clueless mouthpiece of the Oval Office lunatic, made the statement in last Wednesday's press briefing that Donald Trump's first nine months had out performed Barack Obama's entire presidency. The accomplishments she pointed to were mostly ludicrous with the usual distortion of the truth. Like 1.7 million jobs added in that period when the latest data reveals only 1.33 million, projecting that 2017 will end short of prior years. The insecurity of this man is so obvious by always comparing with Obama and taking credit for his accomplishments. Pathetic! The distortion of a sick presidency by Sarah Sanders
Adam Lanza did not just snap in the killing of 20 young children in the 2012 Sandy Hook School gun massacre. He planned it for a year while fascinated with past shootings, having "many similar characteristics and behaviors with other active shooters." He was attracted to young children implying pedophilia, he "was obsessed with firearms, death and mass shootings," and his mother, Nancy Lanza, whom he killed, was concerned about a month before the shootings when he became a shut-in, covering his room windows with black plastic. Good God, what does it take?
Republicans, led by a clueless and maniacal oval office, is determined to eliminate every right to justice the American consumer has. The latest is the Senate killing their right to band together to sue their banks. A class-action suit like this is the only way consumers have of protecting their rights, with banks too powerful for the individual to go up against, and much too costly. This is just another example of the GOP favoring the corporate sector over the average American. I wonder now about those Trump supporters who are middle class and under. Are you blind or just dumb?
Not only is Trump dumber than rocks, confirmed by many of his college professors, but he also displayed his sophomoric side in the back and forth bickering with Sgt. La David Johnson's wife, Myeshia Johnson over whether he knew her husband's name. Johnson is one of the four killed in Niger. She commented how Trump stumbled to recall the name, and that rightfully made her sad. Made worse when the Oval Office lunatic claims he has the best memory in the world. Johnson also completely confirms the statement of Florida Congress woman Frederica Wilson, D-Fla. And a clueless Congress just sits.
What is it about the citizenry of the U.S. that can overlook a gun massacre like the one in Las Vegas and not come rushing to the steps of the Capitol to demand that a clueless Congress do something about it? Screw the NRA! It's a terrible thing to say but maybe these staunch gun nuts should experience a similar event involving them and their families. Then they would see the horror of what they have protected over the years. From Sandy Hook to Las Vegas, none of these gun violence tragedies has done anything to significantly change the public's mind about controlling guns.
I have never thought Jeff Flake contributed to the U.S. Senate, nor to politics at all, even in the House. But today I did some solid research and uncovered this. In 2006, three out of five mayors in his home district opposed his re-election because, according to Flake, he did not "bring pork barrel spending" to the mayors' cities. In his swan song (leaving end of this term) he lambasted Trump's reckless, outrageous, and undignified behavior, joining Tennessee's Bob Corker who is also leaving the senate. However, he did not once use Trump's name.
You can talk about the strides that have been taken since the Civil Rights Act of 1964, but, in a nutshell, they haven't worked. I said in an earlier post that since 1964, radical racism has simply gone underground, with those who practice this vile lifestyle, playing in the shadows, putting on the good-guy front. Until Donald Trump. Until the White House loaded up with racists, white nationalists, and a bigotry that isn't disguised, rather, put right there in the open for all to see. Steve Bannon is proud of his white supremacist label, flaunting it regularly around Washington. And Donald Trump is quick to tell you, Steve Bannon is his man.
Donald Trump afraid to offend white nationalist supporters
After days of not repudiating white nationalists and the Ku Klux Klan after the murder in the Charlottesville demonstration, T-rump finally denounced the KKK and neo-nazis. This was his statement...
"Racism is evil, and those who cause violence in its name are criminals and thugs, including the KKK, neo-Nazis, white supremacists and other hate groups."
The media made me do it
Daily Progress reports that the only reason Trump changed his tone--it is widely known that he does not adhere to political correctness--is that the media made him do it. What a pathetic moment in history when it takes outcry from the media to make the President of the United States do a duty that should have been his top priority the moment that woman was killed by James Alex Fields' car. But that would have insulted Donald Trump's base of double-digit IQ bigots. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said, "From the beginning, President Trump has sheltered and encouraged the forces of bigotry and discrimination." Why would we expect more just because of a death?
Sports personalities criticize Trump
LeBron James, basketball star, said, “Hate has always existed in America. Yes we know that but Donald Trump just made it fashionable again!” Steve Nash, another basketball great said...
“To defend white supremacists and then slang his [crappy] a— grape juice pretty much sums the man up.” Nash was referring to Trump’s remark that he knows “a lot about Charlottesville” because he owns “one of the largest wineries in the United States,” located there.
Seth Meyers on Trump Charlottesville news conference...
Even the Jews were included in Charlottesville protest
Charlottesville "Unite the Right" rally was universal in its appeal with anti-Semitic lines like “Jews will not replace us”? Also heard, “This city is run by Jewish communists and criminal niggers,” one demonstrator told Vice News’ Elspeth Reeve during their march. The Atlantic reported, "As Jews prayed at a local synagogue, Congregation Beth Israel, men dressed in fatigues carrying semi-automatic rifles stood across the street." There was more, "In the minds of white supremacists like David Duke, there is a straight line from anti-blackness to anti-Judaism." I learned from the deep South, when you learn to hate like these people do, there are no bounds.
T-rump again reverts to bad taste
Donald Trump created an analogy between his re-tweet that was eventually pulled, where the Trump train collides with a person from CNN News (logo across face) obviously killing them. He did this just three days after the white nationalist drove into the Charlottesville woman killing her. Trump literally sanctions violence; remember when he wanted to punch the Black Lives Matter protester in the face? He also recently told a group of Long Island police that they shouldn't be too nice with criminal suspects. That drew fire from people all across the country, including police departments. There is no end to the Oval Office lunatic's lunacy.
Why are people still racist? A terrifying answer
The Washington Post recently asked, "Why are people still racist?" They go on to answer using a scientific point of view. The answer...
“In some ways, it’s super simple. People learn to be whatever their society and culture teaches them. We often assume that it takes parents actively teaching their kids, for them to be racist. The truth is that unless parents actively teach kids not to be racists, they will be."
That is scary as hell, especially when you consider the fact that Donald Trump is President of the United States, espousing his rhetoric of bigotry.
James Comey exclaims you can't trust Donald Trump to tell the truth. I watched his testimony and thought Comey looked, well...Presidential. The man was ultimately prepared--don't think he ever had to look at notes--and he handled himself extremely well as the professional he is. He seemed to have the respect of most of this bi-partisan Senate panel, except for Arizona's John McCain who veered off on inane questions re. Hillary Clinton's emails. The outset of the hearing is the fact that it will take the special prosecutor, Robert Mueller, to get to the bottom of all this.
Although Comey would not say if he felt Trump had obstructed justice, he did have the following to say...
“I know I was fired because something about the way I was conducting the Russia investigation was putting pressure on [Trump],’’ Comey said.
James Comey is a former federal prosecutor and knows the way witnesses react to save their butts in statements and testimony and said...
"...that he took detailed notes of his private talks with the president — a departure from his practice with Trump’s predecessor, President Barack Obama. Comey said he did so because he was 'honestly concerned’ that the president might lie about what had been said in their meeting. He said the two spoke in private a total of nine times before Comey was fired, he said."
Folks, this is the President of the United States that Comey is talking about lying. What does this tell the other countries of the world? If a top U.S. government official thinks Donald Trump is a liar, what might Angela Merkel of Germany think of her dealings with Trump? Or the other nations out there. To me, it sounded like Comey made it clear that, although Trump prefaced his comments to the FBI Director with "I hope," Comey took it as pressure to do what was asked of him. This from the President's comments, "I expect loyalty, I need loyalty."
For once, or, at least, not yet. Donald Trump has not used Twitter to vent his unbalanced reactions. He let his attorney do it and the following is interesting...
"The President likewise never pressured Mr. Comey. The President also never told Mr. Comey, 'I need loyalty, I expect loyalty' in form or substance."
Here's the "incoherent" questioning of Comey by Arizona's Republican Senator, John McCain:
The interesting part comes from the fact that James Comey has said he fully welcomes any tapes that might have been recorded of the conversations between the two men, and this isn't likely unless he expects them to prove him right. Trump also says he welcomes the tapes, but then this con man is known for his bluffs to get what he wants. Comey, on the other hand, has proven himself a reputable member of government service who tells it like it is. So, what's missing in all this? As James Comey said in his testimony several times, Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller must now put all the pieces together. And James Comey has no doubt that he can get the job done.