Transparency or None of Your F-ing Business!

Transparency in government was what #45s campaign promised while cleaning up the swamp in Washington… but what are we getting?

Everything was supposed to be open and above board but #45 has secluded himself behind a wall of secrecy trying to block the special council from digging into his affairs that have to do with the meddling of Russia into our elections. Everyone in the oval office has lawyered up and the lawyers have sought out other council. He’s even investigating Robert Mueller who he has threatened to fire. His irrational game of hide and seek is taking on alarming proportions. If he has nothing to hide then why cloak everything in a veil of secrecy? And why is he checking to see if he can legally pardon his aides, family and even himself if everything is on the up and up? Looks to me like he’s trying to set up a get out of jail card for himself and his family of cohorts.

If the government of the GOP is so transparent why are they designing a new health-care plan behind locked doors, barring the Dems from having a say? They can’t even get enough votes among themselves to bring it to the floor for debate. If the plan is so good why have they exempted themselves from having to use it? Every State of the Union address by Obama had asked the GOP to join with him and ask them if they had a better idea to say so. No one took him up on it so no action was taken. #45 has stated that they should just let the ACA fail and put millions in jeopardy without health insurance then construct a new plan. This tells you how much #45 really gives a damn about the voters who elected him.

That’s my opinion and you’re stuck with it.

Bullying at the G20 or Self-imposed Isolation

This is how isolation feels so #45 needs to get used to it!

Blaming world leaders for the U.S. trade deficit and angrily demanding trade policies more fair to the U.S. This is how a toddler makes deals by simply demanding his way. A true statesman isn’t so caustic.

The assembled leaders warned #45 there would be serious repercussions if he adopted policies that would interfere with global trade. #45 nearly provoked a trade war that would wreck havoc on us.

He may be president (who knows how long) but he can’t just dictate his way around negotiations. His answer has always been to throw money at his lawyers until his opponent has to give in. I doubt he’ll ever learn that those tactics won’t work on the world stage. He is an embarrassment to himself and around the world, and he is an embarrassment to this country. His actions can only make international relations unravel at an alarming rate and plunge America into deeper isolation from our allies and embolden our enemies. The world will only look elsewhere for leadership, not here. But then there are uneducated dimbulbs who think that’s a good thing.

He’s so disinterested in how diplomacy works that he chose to nod off in front of world leaders making him look more like a clown than ever. #45 was so disinterested he didn’t even bother to attend the “Partnership With Africa, Migration and Health” discussion; and sent elected-by-no-one, Ivanka in his place. She once said she preferred to “stay out” of politics, but there she sat. #45 must have forgotten that Africa is not just populated by black people. Then there’s the fact that his attention span is so lacking he might have fallen asleep again.

And the CIA, FBI and NSA don’t have a clue about anything but he takes Putin at his word. I’d laugh if it wasn’t so tragic.

That’s my opinion and you’re stuck with it.

Violence and #45

Trump is his own worst enemy and he endangers the entire GOP with the chaos he spreads and their leaders continue to defend the indefensible.

#45’s latest tweet of him doing a take down of someone bearing the logo of CNN is just another incidence of how infantile and ignorant he is. The Whitehouse staff is denying that #45 is promoting any sort of violence and that no one could ever see it as a threat. How naive can they get or more to the point, irresponsible?

They know damn right well that some nutcase or redneck is going to take it as their cue to go out and commit violence because #45 has shown them that it is permitted to resolve disputes that way; and what of the asshole who decides to do it with a gun. Wrestling is only for entertainment and the winner is preordained but we all know that there are dumbasses who think it is real. And what of the adolescent who sees #45 as a role model and becomes a bully because of it. It could happen and you know it.

The First Lady’s cause has been to recognize and prevent cyber-bullying but her husband shows kids it’s okay as far as he’s concerned. He even throws his wife under the bus.

The GOP leadership is under great pressure to carry out #45’s agenda but he has ignored his own agenda and replaced it with chaos and indifference to how it affects people. A heart attack or stroke could be waiting in the wings to claim Senator McConnell if he can’t release the pressure aimed at him from all sides. He knows how to do it but the lust for power is a narcotic the clouds common sense.

That’s my opinion and you’re stuck with it.  

Protests!

Methinks Thou Doth Protest Too Much

Paraphrased from William Shakespeare

Given the multitude of Tweets from #45 he has a pathological need to respond to anyone who does not agree with him or who gets under his thin skin or who touches on the real truth. All of us have had our feathers ruffled at one time or another, but most of us usually just ignore it. #45 cannot hold his tongue, or tweets as it were and usually retaliates with a caustic diatribe. He sows chaos and expects to reap great rewards in the process but what he reaps is only more chaos. The tactic may have worked in the corporate world but rarely does in Congress. The one thing #45 is incapable of doing is keeping his mouth shut; to let the bad publicity roll off his back as if it were never there. He continues to demean and degrade the high office he now holds and does not care who he throws under the bus.

He has stated that he wants to be unpredictable while being anything but. Piss him off enough (which seems easy to do) and you know he will turn to Twitter because the Media is incapable and he has to get his side of the story out. Which usually means it’s someone else’s fault or a trusted friend or ally. He spouts all these fabricated accusations believing it will deflect criticism from him and keep the ones who voted for him happy; but that only fosters more criticism aimed at him.

The chaos he sows keeps the GOP busy trying to defend him by making up endless excuses for a man who is inexcusable instead of working on the betterment of the country. The appointees to positions in government seems more concerned with keeping their job rather than telling #45 he’s wrong; and we know how quick he is to fire people who disagree with him. The swamp he promised to drain just seems to get murkier by the day. Every speaking engagement seems to be only a place to complain how harsh the Media is treating him rather than coming up with a plan to force Congress to come together and offer some true hope for the future. Instead he just whines about it. Is that really Presidential? You’ll have to come up with that answer yourself.

That’s my opinion and you’re stuck with it.

SHOOTING!

In a previous post I had stated that I did not advocate the assassination of #45 nor did I want to see him have a stroke or heart attack. In that same vein I am appalled at any attempt to kill anyone in government office. It is a senseless act and government will go on in spite of it. I am more interested in shooting them down at the ballot box. They should live to see that they are no longer wanted in that position for whatever good reason. 

I am against the career politician and would rather see term limits as were imposed on the Presidency. At least Congress was smart enough to do that. #45 likely won’t see a second term should he manage to complete the current one; I shudder to think of #45 going on like Stalin until he croaks. We do need senior advisers, a Congress of mostly rookies would slow the process while they came up to speed. But voters should not blindly vote for anyone just because he or she has had a decent record in their home state; voters have to see the big picture because these members of Congress pass laws that affect the entire country. Incumbents need to be voted out from time to time before they learn how to circumvent our laws for their own benefit. Remember this: No one, not even the President is above the law, and he can not simply fire anyone who is assigned to investigate him. This is America not Russia!

Trump Says Qatar Funds Terror:

It was disturbing to see that #45 would say this, not because it is untrue but because he steadfastly agrees without question the leaders of countries that are not so squeaky clean about their actions toward terrorists. This made me wonder if there was not something else behind his position.

In 2010 as markets were reeling from the 2008 financial crisis, Trump went to Qatar to meet with the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) to acquire funds for one of his real estate deals. He was turned down because he had no good record in real estate. Being aware that Trump does not like being told “no” did he then use the office of the President to get back at the country of Qatar because of a childish need for revenge. Of course he did.

You can read the entire story at Huffington Post.

That’s my opinion and you’re stuck with it.

Bridge on the River Kwai

Why come up with this title? I was reminded of the movie and would like to strike some parallels.

I see #45 as the Japanese Col, Saito; the despot of an officer who is used to being obeyed immediately without question. The supreme leader if you will. The Japanese soldiers make up the House and Senate of the U.S. Some like him and defend him while other dislike and are maybe afraid of him. He can’t fire them; only the voters can do that.

The English Col, Nicholson I liken to the entire Democratic Party; the steadfast soldiers under his command are the American Public. And they are coming bearing torches like an angry crowd in an old horror movie.

Trump like Saito is learning a harsh lesson, slowly and stubbornly; that you can’t just snap your fingers or make threats without paying the consequences; he lies to himself that he is in charge. Like Col Saito, Trumps demands are met with stern defiance. Saito had to capitulate in time to meet his agenda. #45 will be more difficult to convince of the hopelessness of his agenda… Saito only had to build a bridge - #45 has to face his narcissism and come to grips with his monumental ego. Saito got the bridge built, Trump has to look himself in the mirror and admit he is clueless which is an impossible task.

Another Thrown Under the Bus:

Just this week, Rex Tillerson took the podium and suggested that the sanctions brought against Qatar for their supposed haven for terrorists and their activities should be eased. Less than two hours later #45 took the podium out on the lawn and praised the leaders of the Arab states for building the blockade against Qatar. It would seem that #45 has no clue that the U.S. has one of the largest military bases in Qatar and that about 25,000 Americans live and work there.

Maybe Qatar should have let Trump build a hotel there.

The paradox is that while Trump sucks up to the Saudis (who were a haven for many terrorist groups) and the other Arab states, he keeps pushing for his Muslim Travel Ban that would submit anyone that looked like a Middle-easterner to unnecessary scrutiny and denial of travel to America.

How much longer are members of the GOP like Ryan and McConnell going to keep defending the liar-in-charge? Is the lust for power so great in these people that they are willingly going to toss the entire nation under the bus? There are growing chinks in that wall among the rank and file who are turning to the voters needs instead of the Party. The cascade effect that is coming is going to bury a number of them who will likely cop-a-plea rather than go down with the ship.

That’s my opinion and you’re stuck with it.

Isolationism

If the path #45 has chosen to take and if the GOP can’t restore some reason, the U.S. is headed down the path to being isolated from the rest of the world.

Angela Merkel. The Chancellor of Germany has already said that they can no longer rely on America. She has a lot of influence in Europe and may entice the EU to find a better way. She has already set up deals with India and China and who knows how far Germany might go. Trump’s lunacy could influence the EU in ways he never could foresee and make it even stronger. Germany and other countries still must remain allies with the U.S. because of financial ties but in time that could lessen and who knows what jobs will be lost in America.

Trump’s backing out of the Paris Accords may have a backlash effect that could run over him like a steamroller. States like California and New York have already said they will not alter the climate reforms they already have. Texas, that voted for Trump, leads the country in wind-power and other renewable energy sources. Other states that are sitting on the fence may be emboldened to join the rest. He’s left the door open to rejoin the accords if a better deal can be arranged which may lead to nothing, but in his narcissistic mind he will be the winner.

Trump’s weakening of the EPA was to allow his wealthy cronies to back away from having to comply with cleaning up their act. His promise to the coal industry to create jobs may never be fulfilled. Much of the production of coal is carried out by automation and with coal only supplying 18% of the country’s needs it may not create many jobs. Workers who had lost jobs are being trained to use their same skills in the renewable energy field. Now in a cleaner good paying job I doubt any would want to return to the mines. It makes me wonder if Trump has stock in the coal industry just as he had in the Dakota Pipeline.

This morning Elon Musk and Disney’s CEO announced they were leaving the President’s Advisory Council; who knows who else may abandon ship. It’s become even harder to find anyone who wants to work for Trump in any capacity. I assume they have more integrity and don’t want to drown in the Swamp.

As time goes by the world may learn to do with less of America’s influence and the United States as a world leader will fall into second place behind China who has agreed they will remain with the Paris accords. Trump’s promise to keep America first may only be in his mind. He keeps promising that he will create more jobs but how can he fulfill that when companies like Carrier have said they are moving jobs to Mexico because the labor is cheaper and like Nabisco before them who now make Oreos in Mexico.

He denies climate change, backed up by his GOP puppets like Paul Ryan while states like Florida are losing coastline due to rising ocean levels from melting ice caps. Trump’s own Mar-A-Lago estate is in danger of being flooded in the next decade. But it’s all a hoax dreamed up by China.

This course set by #45 can only lead to an isolated United States by our allies and can only embolden our enemies who will be waiting for just the right time to begin their terror attacks in U.S. cities. You can count on it and our Toddler-in-Chief will be looking for the launch codes to retaliate.

That’s my opinion and you’re stuck with it.