The most despicable U.S. politician ever: Mitch McConnell

PROGRESSIVE STREET...Where Liberals Walk

And no less a U.S. Senator. Who would re-elect this sleazebag repeatedly? Could only be the same morons who vote for Donald Trump. Raw Story says, "Gallons of ink have been spilled about how he [Mitch McConnell] is a worse threat to democratic institutions than Trump." This pariah of politics has served as a concrete wall against anything the left has tried to accomplish, dating back to before the Obama administration.

One of my passions is reasonable gun control. In June of 2018, McConnell used his power to prevent legislation to prevent terrorists from buying guns. (It should be noted that he is one of the largest recipients of donations from the National Rifle Assn.) and as The Hill put it...

"provided cover for vulnerable Republicans who wanted to be seen as supporting the effort but did not want to cross the National Rifle Association."

It is all about power and that is what the man demands, no matter its expense to the American public and the country.

In an opinion piece for The Guardian this past April, Robert Reich wrote...

"No person has done more in living memory to undermine the functioning of the US government than the Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell."

The sooner, the better

Now that's a pretty strong statement when you have Donald Trump in the White House in the process of using his corrupt administration to line his and his minions' pockets. "But McConnell is actively and willfully destroying the Senate," Reich says, resulting in the following...

"Last Wednesday he used his Republican majority to cut the time for debating Trump’s court appointees from 30 hours to two – thereby enabling Republicans to ram through even more Trump judges."

There's more from Reich...

"McConnell doesn’t give a fig about the Senate, or about democracy. He cares only about winning. On the eve of the 2010 midterm elections he famously declared that his top priority was for Barack Obama 'to be a one-term president.'”

Mitch McConnell, who was almost a single force in stonewalling anything Obama did in his two terms, is a confirmed racist who hated Barack Obama because he was black, and also since he was a Democrat. McConnell even vowed to make Obama a one-term president. He failed. Mitch McConnell is a complete fraud but as long as he gets things done for the GOP he'll stay head of the Senate. Unless...the people of Kentucky wise up and blow him away in 2020.

Here's an example of McConnell's stupidity, punctuated by racism...

Here's a headline that every Kentuckian should take into consideration before voting in 2020: "Mitch McConnell Will Not Act in Good Faith, Even When the Security of the Country Is at Stake." It refers to McConnell's blaming of Barack Obama for the Russians meddling in the 2016 election, thus prompting the Mueller Report. Although Obama may have been negligent in handling the intelligence, Mueller's Report clearly holds Donald Trump guilty of collusion.

And finally Mitch McConnell's dark side, in my estimation, the only side he has. Politico calls him,  “Cocaine Mitch,” “Nuclear Mitch” or the steward of the “legislative graveyard.” Would anyone question why Congress has such a low rating with the American public with a mad man like this in control of the Senate? I think not, and according to Raw Story, the Democrats should be able to use Mitch McConnell to sweep the 2020 elections. One can only hope!

NO to guns-Madonna's latest video

PROGRESSIVE STREET...Where Liberals Walk

You may ask what does it matter that some celebrity comes out against the massive gun violence in the United States. Well, the answer is that it simply reemphasizes the significance of the issue, since the person has nothing to gain but the satisfaction of having spoken out against something that is killing this country's innocent people. Madonna did it in her new video that is available free, and something everyone should look at.

Madonna

It is graphic! Madonna is actually shot dead in the course of a mass shooting that appears to be taking place in a dance hall where it seems that everyone has been killed by an assault rifle. Madonna has a message: "We need to wake up," with the name of her video "God Control." No matter what you might think of her as a person and as a performer, she should be enshrined for putting her career on line with such a controversial issue. Just watch the video and you'll see...

Donald Trump spawns corruption

PROGRESSIVE STREET...Where liberals Walk

Robert Reich talks about Donald Trump's "deep state," (ie. Steve Bannon) but concludes the Oval Office has now progressed to Trump’s Corrupt State. He adds...

"Not since Warren G. Harding’s sordid administration have as many grifters, crooks and cronies occupied high positions in Washington."

 Just look at the resignations of do many top people in the administration; Scott Pruitt, Ryan Zinke, Tom Price, and Michael Flynn. It was recently reported that "a real estate company partly owned by Trump son-in-law and foreign policy advisor, Jared Kushner, has raked in $90 million from foreign investors since Kushner entered the White House." Thus signifying the fact that Donald Trump bought the presidency for the purpose of establishing a money machine.

The corruption is compounded by the conclusions by the media, private sector, and some in government that, "this is a White House out of control, with a Commander-in-Chief not in charge." Here's a shocking example from CNN’s Alexander Marquardt, a Senior National Correspondent focusing on National Security...

"He makes clear Trump’s not the one calling the shots, and is only making decisions to fend off internal bickering and power plays in his administration."

Bob Cesca of Salon says...

"Worse yet, there are millions of Americans who will do anything to circulate Trumpism until it becomes fact and therefore the basis for governing the country from now on. In the face of all this, too many news outlets refuse to act in accordance with the challenges of this existential crisis."

He points to a recent interview by Chuck Todd of NBC's “Meet the Press” with Donald Trump Cesca termed, "another example of the perpetually nauseating confluence of Trump’s gratuitous lies and a TV news reporter too timid to treat him like the despot he is." Cesca comments that Trump voters simply believe "Trump’s worthless word" and "repeated as truth the following whopper lies told to Todd the other day."

Want a laugh? Watch Chuck Todd, Donald Trump interview...

Typical of Trump's lies in perpetuity, still using former President Barack Obama as his customary whipping post, Trump tells Todd...

"'Congress never approved Obama’s Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, aka the “Iran Deal.' Since it wasn’t a treaty, Congress didn’t have to approve. But Congress passed legislation, signed by Obama, allowing legislators to evaluate the terms of the deal. To his credit, Todd caught that lie."

 What is so pathetic, and also fearful, is that Chuck Todd treated Donald Trump in such a way to legitimize the Oval Office lunatic who is far from earning it. Cesca says...

"Let’s put it this way: When Trump starts to act like a president, then maybe he’ll earn the right to be treated like one."

I think most of us will agree that will never happen.

Democratic debates interrupted

I am watching the Democratic debates streaming live online because my local provider Cox Communications can't seem to correct interference that makes watching the debates almost impossible. I am in Arizona, which is heavily Republican, many radical to the right. I am not saying this is Republican political terrorism nor am I saying it is not.

Now, there is a problem with the microphones at the debate, and they had to take an unexpected break to try and fix it. Very suspicious since Donald Trump had threatened to be vocal on Twitter during the debates. Hmmmmm...

Wealthy New Yorkers' donations fuel anti-vax fire

PROGRESSIVE STREET...Where Liberals Walk

Facebook was used by the anti-vax losers to perpetuate their fraud, those who were responsible for thousands making the decision to vaccinate their children. Here are the results:

152,763 preventable illnesses
9,028 preventable deaths
0 Number of autism diagnosis scientifically linked to vaccines

Well, now these misinformed crackpots have a sugar daddy and mama, "a wealthy New York family who has bankrolled a massive campaign to spread misinformation about vaccinations to the tune of millions of dollars." The Washington Post names them...

"hedge fund manager and philanthropist Bernard Selz and his wife Lisa Selz have donated at least $3 million to organizations that stoke fears about vaccinations causing autism, while also downplaying the threat that measles poses to young children.

These unconscionable lunatics are part responsible for the figures above, and the anguish to be experienced by negligent parents in the future. I have posted a number of times on this issue, all of which you can see here. In my latest, I reported...

"Most of the new cases were in New York City and its suburbs, where hundreds of cases have been reported this year. The area is home to Orthodox Jewish communities where many parents refuse to allow vaccinations for their children. Authorities mandated vaccinations in some ZIP codes."

 Interesting, New York is where the Selz family resides and does its dirty work. In another, Robert Reich warned that Anti-vaxxers should be required to read the history of measles and then decide if they want to go through the pain of having to expunge the disease again. Across the pond comes this declaration...

"The UK's health secretary Matt Hancock said anti-vaccination campaigners were 'morally reprehensible, deeply irresponsible' and had 'blood on their hands.'"

Excellent debunking of the anti-vaxxing movement...

At one point I suggested making anti-vaxxers face isolation, fines and arrests. I even advocated rounding them all up and placing them in a concentration camp where they could spread around their diseases all they want to. Sound fascist? Well, my approach is prompted by the fact there are 1,077 cases of measles in the U.S. as of June 20, 2019, after being completely eradicated resulting from the antics of the anti-vaxxers. I don't want it. Do you?

MANDATE: Gun violence needs the NRA

PROGRESSIVE STREET...Where Liberals Walk

Suicides are up in the United States and over one-half of the victims use a gun to kill themselves. These data in themselves corroborate the current epidemic of gun violence in this country, but there is more. Right here where I live in Arizona, where all it takes to own a gun is a warm body, Phoenix police fired at more people than law-enforcement officers did in any other city in the United States. Every five days an Arizona cop shoots someone.

Police forces throughout the country have been put in a critical position and my theory is that with so many guns on the street 393 million guns in civilian hands), especially in the state of Arizona, cops simply do not know who might have a weapon. They proceed cautiously but the minute there is a suspicious move, there is a reaction, perhaps in some cases over-reaction. But who do we thank for those 393 million guns on the street, the National rifle Assn. (NRA)

There are 40,000 people in the U.S. killed by guns each year, so the NRA's head gun nut, Wayne LaPierre should be proud of himself for fulfilling his promise to gun manufacturers that he will promote the sale of all types of guns until every household in the country has at least one. Currently, some have an arsenal. But wait, America's biggest sellers of guns and ammo are suffering from a lack of "fear-based buying," and that is because of Donald Trump's tenure in office.

The gun nuts think they are safe from any major gun control--even reasonable ones--as long as Republicans control the Senate and White house. And they are right. So, let's say we elect a Democrat for president, and take control of the Senate while maintaining a lead in the house, just how much will that figure of 393 million guns nationwide zoom to. Unless, the Democrats get off their butts and pass the gun regulation that is needed.

Here's a laugh, Trump fighting for gun rights...

So, thanks to Donald Trump the NRA has been exposed as one of the largest con-games in the country in its efforts to convince its membership it is working for them, while their focus is really on helping gun manufacturers sell more guns. And further, attempting to convince the American public that more guns in the hands of the civilian population will make America safer. Not so. Yes, the Trump effect has actually backfired and gun companies are going out of business.

The NRA is experiencing problems today, the like of which they have not had to face for years with banks cutting off their cooperation and companies no longer participating in their programs. Wayne LaPierre is accused of over-spending on expenses, like $51,000 on personal clothes in Beverley Hills. LaPierre just ousted his number two man, Chris Cox, for his attempts to expose his boss. There are numerous problems that just may be insurmountable this time.

One can only hope that the demise of the National Rifle Assn. comes quickly to prevent too many more days of 100 shot dead with a firearm and hundreds more wounded.

The epitome of the disgusting is Donald Trump

Remember Donald Trump's often touted book, "The Art of the Deal," something he hasn't been able to accomplish since being in the White House? Well there's another twist from the book's co-author, Tony Schwartz, who revealed a shocking observation...

“To know Trump is to hate Trump,” said Schwartz. “Meaning everybody who knows him, deep down, hates him completely.”

Not really shocking is it? Actuall,y that isn't the real shocker; This is even closer to home, that his oldest daughter, Ivanka, "despises him," can't stand him anymore. Of course it's hard to tell with all of the "sweetness" we see between her, Jared Kushner and Daddy Warbucks. Schwartz's reasoning...

“When you’re around a person who devalues you, humiliates you, ignores you, shames you, what possible other reaction could you have other than to despise him?”

Trump was in Orlando last week to kick off his 2020 presidential campaign--many say that he's never stopped campaigning since 2016--but is it significant that Orlando is a city completely enclosed by swampland? This is certainly appropriate considering the Oval Office lunatic's promise entering office was to drain the Washington swamp. He didn't and what we ended up with was an even bigger quagmire of corruption led by none other than the professed liberator.

Joe Biden on Donald Trump

But it is even more laughable that just hours before Trump's campaign kickoff in Orlando, the Orlando Sentinel announced that it would endorse anyone but Donald Trump. The newspaper commented...

"After 2½ years we’ve seen enough. Enough of the chaos, the division, the schoolyard insults, the self-aggrandizement, the corruption, and especially the lies. So many lies — from white lies to whoppers — told out of ignorance, laziness, recklessness, expediency or opportunity."

Wow! That's a statement that perfectly clarifies the maniac that had been inhabiting the White House now for around two-and-one-half-years, posing as a head of state for the most powerful nation in the world. Or at least it was until T-rump took office. But the Democrats don't get an official nod out of this from a paper that has a history of endorsing Republicans, rather, it's more a mandate that Donald Trump must go.

And finally, Trump has lost the support of one of his largest 2016 supporters, the wealthy Mercer family. Here's the loss...

"The Mercers supported Trump aggressively in 2016, donating at least $15.5 million to pro-Trump organizations..."

According to sources, the Mercers have become disillusioned with Trump for a variety of reasons. One, they favored Steve Bannon; Trump fired him. There were others but supporting Steve Bannon tells you enough about this family to place them in a category of the radical right of the Republican Party. Donald Trump can't afford to lose too many of this brand since it is the thrust of the GOP in all elections. One can only hope that the entire Trump campaign fails...soon.