Donald Trump as Julius Caesar

July 21, 2019: WEEKEND NEWS BYTES  

Donald Trump-Fascist in the White House

Could Donald Trump play Shakespeare?

Jim Hightower of Creators Syndicate relates back to the classics and wonders if Shakespeare "could do literary justice to the tortured madness of Donald Trump." Having participated in a little of the Bard's work in college, I say the playwright would have been totally disgusted with the subject. That would be unfortunate since one of his specialties was "tragedies" and we certainly have all of the material for that in the White House today. Hightower says...

"His brags are especially weird because they usually involve achievements he hasn’t made. It’s as though his saying something makes it true — even though everyone except his most naive devotees can clearly see that he’s either hallucinating or lying."

And finally the Oval Office lunatic recently declared "it’s intolerable to have such homelessness in our rich country, but not because so many poor people are suffering..."

"but because business people and shoppers face the indignity of having to walk past the homeless to get to their offices, banks, cafes, etc."

This is so, so pathetic!

Donald Trump/Julius Caesar NY production gets standing ovation...

The cult of "totalitarianism" that supports Donald Trump's lies

Matthew Chapman of AlterNet makes a statement that is so frightening it would make any contra-Trump person cringe with non-belief. He says...

"Trump’s base is a ‘cult’ that may never be deprogrammed."

Do you realize what that means? These poor uninformed, double-digit souls will walk around this earth until they die, spewing the same old crap about how wonderful this moron is. I know one and here are a couple of his comments on Facebook to my criticisms of T-rump...

"Trump does not have a spiteful bone in his body." 

"Why do [you] say that? I feel he [Donald Trump] is the most real person ever elected. He has done, or at least made an all out attempt to do everything he said he was going to do. And he calls things for what they really are."

In an analysis of Donald Trump’s base by The Daily Beast’s Kelly Weill, she says experts label them as totalitarians, based on recent behavior, adding this comment...

“Trump has long stoked bigoted grievances among his followers, but the Greenville rally saw him act as a more overt radicalizer than ever before. And with a portion of Trump’s fanbase now openly clamoring for the physical removal of several prominent Democrats of color, experts are questioning whether the country can repair the damage — even if Trump loses in 2020.”

If the curse of Donald Trump is destined to live on, the moon's population could explode by 2021.

NRA's Wayne LaPierre on the way out

July 20, 2019: BULLETIN News Bytes 

Wayne LaPierre

Former NRA Ad Agy. Ackerman McQueen says Wayne LaPierre lies

Wayne LaPierre, head gun nut at the National Rifle Assn. (NRA), is almost as astute at lying as Donald Trump. Almost, but not quite. He has twisted facts and spewed propaganda over gun rights and for years and is responsible for the current apathy of the American public over gun violence. But he may now be caught up in a deception he can't get out of...

"At issue is multi-million-dollar litigation between the NRA and its ex-ad firm. In court filings of its own, the NRA has alleged that Oliver North, the groups's former president, was ousted in part because he withheld information from the NRA about payments he took from Ackerman McQueen, which had served as the gun rights group’s primary ad contractor until just months ago. The NRA claims North kept the nature of his deal with Ackerman McQueen a secret from LaPierre and the gun group’s leadership."

The Young Turks put the NRA in its place...

In The Daily Beast, "Ackerman McQueen alleges that LaPierre himself helped negotiate the deal between their firm and North. And they hint that they have documentation to prove it." The NRA, of course, denied everything, but, then, we know how much Wayne LaPierre lies.

TRUMP DOWN: A dictator's coming out

July 20, 2019: WEEKEND NEWS BYTES   

All news is bad news

It is hard to know where to start these days if you are trying to report on the political scene, especially in the U.S. Here are a few of the headlines from a Raw Story email...

• Trump catapulted a baseless smear about Omar’s marriage from the online fringes into the political mainstream
• Trump Twitter-rages over media’s coverage of the racist ‘send her back’ chant he incited​​​​​​​
• ‘What the hell, Pete!’ Geraldo blows up on Fox & Friends host for saying ‘send her back’ chants weren’t racist​​​​​​​
• New revelation in Trump’s involvement in Stormy Daniels hush money payoff is an impeachable offense: CNN panel​​​​​​​
• Trump snaps at NYT columnist who called him a racist: ‘Really Nasty to me in his average I.Q. Columns’​​​​​​​
• Trump official melts down on MSNBC after refusing to admit Trump lied to America
• Bill Barr may have killed probe of Trump’s payoff to Stormy Daniels: Florida prosecutor​​​​​​​

To begin with, it is near-impossible to comprehend how this country has stooped so low that headlines like the above could be written. Yet, it is easy to explain in only five words: Donald Trump and his supporters. Do you realize that without either, we would not have to suffer those headings, above, nor would this country be the laughingstock of the world? One man and his double-digit followers have created the mass chaos we live in today.

And what is worse is the fact that today we have no idea just how long we will have to tolerate the despot in the White House. Any ideas???

Republicans want to banish people of color from U.S.

Time magazine's Carol Anderson says that, "Republicans Want a White Republic. They'll Destroy America to Get It." That's both heavy and tragic, but considering Donald Trump's latest Twitter rants and his performance at last Wednesday's rally, they have definitely set the course for 2020 from the top down. With the GOP's 90% white membership, they obviously don't favor a "rights-based, religious, racial and ideologically diverse America."

And then Anderson gives us a 2012 quote from the currently mentally troubled Lindsey Graham...

“We’re not generating enough angry white guys to stay in business for the long term."

If Carol Anderson is correct, we can expect a welcome return of the Ku Klux Klan in the near future - that is assuming Donald Trump stays in the White House, the GOP holds on to the Senate and retakes the House. I can't imagine what people of color are thinking today. Is T-rump's next move to repeal the Civil Rights Act with an executive order? Will schools be segregated once more, a special room in restaurants for non-whites, and separate water fountains again for white and colored?

This is not what I signed on for, and I do believe most Americans would agree.

No one wants to work for Donald Trump

July 20, 2019: WEEKEND News Bytes 

Donald Trump's revolving door

AG Wm. Barr the dolting pawn of Donald Trump

Paul Rosenberg of Salon says Republican lies and hypocrisy have hit an all-time high, and uses Attorney General William Barr’s perpetual suck-up to Donald Trump to illustrate his point. "Barr is Trump’s enabler in undermining the rule of law — first in the census case, then in the challenge to the Affordable Care Act." From University of Michigan law professor Nicholas Bagley...

“In both, Barr directed his lawyers to make bad-faith arguments, just because Trump said so. That’s a blow to the integrity of the Justice Department and a threat to the rule of law.” 

Nothing new for Trump, and Republicans have been playing this game for years dating back to the Supreme Court decision re. Al Gore/Geo. W. Bush 2,000 election, and the "the long history of lying during Supreme Court confirmations, with Brett Kavanaugh’s example only the most recent." Donald Trump didn't start it, he simply perpetuated the GOP way with his inherent swindling talents.

Read more...

Donald Trump created biggest White House revolving door ever

"President Trump’s 'A Team' turnover is 74% as of July 15, 2019," reports Brookings Institute. That doesn't include the Cabinet, which is also high in dropouts. Any foreign power would look at this and say, with that kind of governing, the U.S. is a great target. They haven't, and they won't because there are enough level headed people in Washington--mostly Democrats--to prevent this. Let me urge you to look at this fascinating Brookings study.

And Fortune magazine asks, "Who’s Next to Go?" in speculation over the Trump administration's soaring turnover. The author of this article, Kathryn Dunn Tenpas says, “The pace is record-setting. It’s off the charts.” I doubt seriously if even T-rump's misinformed loyalists can keep up with the turnaround. Many of the exits are due to pressure, as was the Eric Acosta incident. Some of those who have left include...

"Health and Human Services secretary Tom Price, secretary of state Rex Tillerson, secretary of Veteran Affairs David Shulkin, attorney general Jeff Sessions, secretary of defense Jim Mattis, and secretary of the interior Ryan Zinke."

 There are also the acting Cabinet members, which Trump favors because he doesn't have get Congress' approval. Dunn Tenpas says this all has caused a lot of instability in Donald Trump's administration, which is certainly obvious to the world and the people of the United States who care about their country.

Donald Trump likes racism for 2020 campaign

July 19, 2019: TODAY'S NEWS BYTES

Donald Trump fears politics of 4 congresswomen 

Donald Trump is a racist

"Donald Trump is scared," says the Guardian, in an article that analyzes the Oval Office lunatic's psyche, concluding this is why he has viciously attacked these women with racist tweets. Continuing, "it appears he knows he is unpopular," and the firing of five of his pollsters who told him so adds to the unknown. Something which T-rump cannot tolerate. The problem...

"The Republicans know this, too. But they also have no substantive policy agenda to present to the American people, only white rage and resentment, racism and xenophobia, all of which have culminated in the Trump administration’s spectacle of wanton cruelty along the southern border."

The Guardian claims the Republicans...

"intend to foment hatred of “the other” among their predominantly white base, to weaponize false accusations of antisemitism against progressive politicians, to pour kerosene on the fires of the culture wars and fight – against women’s rights, LGBT rights, reproductive rights – with renewed vigor."

And the Democrats aren't ready for this, nor are they preparing for it.

Read more...

Independent voters see Trump racist attacks as negative

There is data, according to CNN polling analyst Harry Enten...

"showing that Trump’s racist attacks on the four women are seen negatively by the independent voters whom he needs if he wants to win reelection in 2020."

Independent voters account for 28% of those registered to go to the polls, and political pundits say attention will shift to this group as we head for the 2020 elections. The key here will be for Democrats to focus on issues they favor, one of which is immigration. This would also correlate with their distaste for Trump's racist actions.

Read more... 

Donald Trump sees racism as a winner for 2020

Following the impact of Trump's racist attacks on the four congresswomen, the psychopath has actually decided to build his 2020 campaign strategy around his barrage of bigotry. At the same time, there has been a GOP backlash of select Republicans like...

"The chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) blasted the controversial 'send her back' chant that took place at President Donald Trump’s campaign rally on Wednesday."

CNN says that "Trump views his attacks on the four congresswomen of color as an unbridled political success people familiar with his thinking say, and plans to continue his efforts as he moves into a period of politicking." Is Karl Rove lurking around the White House somewhere? Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois had this to say about Donald Trump's Wednesday rally...

"when the crowd yelled 'send her back' as the President targeted Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota -- 'ugly' and 'wrong' and said it 'would send chills down the spines of our Founding Fathers.'"

Trump is a racist coward, according to Rex Huppke of the Chicago Tribune with his article headline, "There’s no difference between supporting a racist and being one." He was aghast, as most of us were, at the Wednesday rally chants, "Send her back! Send her back! Send her back!” Huppke said...

"It was chilling. An angry mob wanting an American citizen whose views they disagree with run out of the country. It’s the kind of thing that gets out of hand. It’s the kind of thing that gets people killed."

Then he added:  "Trump lit the racist fire that led to those chants." Pathetic!

Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens: Repeal 2nd Amendment

July 19, 2029: TODAY'S NEWS BYTES  

Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens: Repeal 2nd Amendment

Although deceased former Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens made it his job to keep a check on American presidents (God, we need him now), he also made a push recently to repeal the 2nd Amendment, Following the Parkland, Florida shooting massacre...

"In 2008, the Supreme Court overturned Chief Justice Burger’s and others’ long-settled understanding of the Second Amendment’s limited reach by ruling, in District of Columbia v. Heller, that there was an individual right to bear arms. I was among the four dissenters. That decision — which I remain convinced was wrong and certainly was debatable — has provided the N.R.A. with a propaganda weapon of immense power. Overturning that decision via a constitutional amendment to get rid of the Second Amendment would be simple and would do more to weaken the N.R.A.’s ability to stymie legislative debate and block constructive gun control legislation than any other available option."

Of course, no one listened to him then but with the current demise of the National Rifle Assn. (NRA), perhaps the gun cowards in Congress, and there are many, will begin to take note.

Read more...

Others think it is time to repeal 2nd Amendment

"Why not try to amend the Second Amendment? "That's from Washington Post columnist, Henry Olsen,  I like the term "try" and completely understand its use in connection with a U. S. Congress loaded with gun nuts scared to death of Wayne LaPierre's NRA. Olsen apparently feels that the complete takeaway of all guns is a mistake, but also bemoans the possibility of Trump adding another conservative justice to SCOTUS, which would take at least ten years to undo.

The writer proposes the following...

"A revised Second Amendment could spell out the relationship between public safety and private rights in more detail. It could give clear safeguards for people with no history of legal trouble or mental instability to continue to own guns while giving more authority to the government to guarantee that only people unlikely to misuse guns would have them."

I might even be able to live with that as long as the right to carry weapons outside the home is banned, along with all assault rifles. At the same time, we would close the gun show loophole, add mandatory background checks and forbid straw purchases. Now that is definitely a neat package.

Read more...

Gun control saves childrens' lives

Stricter gun laws associated with lower death rates in children. Here's a fact from the new study...

"In states where laws requiring universal background checks for gun purchases had been in effect for at least five years, rates of fatal shootings involving young victims were 35% lower than in states without background checks."

 “Approximately seven U.S. children die from firearm-related injuries every day,” said Dr. Monika Goyal, lead author of the study and a researcher at Children’s National Health System and George Washington University in Washington, D.C. About 62% of the 21,241 deaths analyzed were assault-related, and nearly 69% occurred among 18- to 21-year-olds. About 87% of the deaths were in males.

The study warns, parents should think twice about bring guns into the home, and always inquire whether there are guns in the homes where their children go to play. “Take the risk that you may offend someone, rather than putting your child at risk of fatal or irreversible injury,” said Dr. Judy Schaechter, coauthor of an editorial accompanying the study and a professor of pediatrics at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

Read more...

Are congressional Republicans racist?

July 18, 2019: BULLETIN News Bytes

What American apartheid will look like

Do we have a racist Republican Congress?

Rolling Stones reports, "Only 4 Out of 197 House Republicans Voted to Condemn Trump’s Racist Tweets." The House of Representatives voted on Tuesday to condemn Donald Trump for his racist attacks on four congresswomen, with Republicans virtually deserting them with a reaction of classic bigotry. That is to basically support T-rump's American version of apartheid. Only four GOP joined the unanimous Democrats. Pathetic!

Read more...