The 2018 Midterms Arrive Following Violence and Division (Where Do We Go From Here?)

Donald J. Trump has been a major player on the political scene for over three years. Therefore, the world has known Trump, the politician, for some time.

In the light of the recent racially, culturally and politically inspired criminal attacks against targeted persons and institutions, it is foolhardy for us to imagine that Donald Trump will lead the nation in rebuking such actions, except for his usual staff-inspired robotic teleprompter denunciations. Trump limps through these “robotic” readings because he does not feel the sentiments he states in his heart. Most of us realize that Trump is about Trump- period! He has shown that time-and-time again. He is not a president who represents all of the people, and that is all there is to it! Some have said that Trump is not capable of sympathizing or empathizing with others. I don’t even know if he ever “cries” like the rest of us.

Following the Cesar Sayoc bomb threats directed at former President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former President Barack Obama, former Attorney General, Eric Holder, former Vice President Joe Biden, and others, there have been no personal calls made to them by President Trump to convey to them the nation’s concern, and to inform them how the Trump Administration intended to handle the situation.

The recent mass shootings by Robert Bowers (killing eleven worshippers) at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, reminded me of Nicholas Kristof’s statement in a recent New York Times online article. It read: “More Americans have died from guns in the United States since 1968 than on battlefields of all the wars in American history”. This statement is startling, and you may read more about it in my article entitled “Gun Violence: In America and Our Schools”. Yes, we have had gun violence in the USA for many generations. However, compounding the current problem are the assertions by many citizens that President Trump continually “stokes the flames” of violence-especially at his rallies.

Last week in Jeffersontown, Kentucky, a white man named Gregory Bush tried to enter a predominantly Black church- but the doors were locked, and he couldn’t get in. He then went to a nearby Kroger store where he shot and killed a Black man and a Black woman. He bypassed a White person saying “Whites don’t kill Whites”.

It is fruitless to decry the lack of etiquette and decorum related to this president.  Folks say, “Let Trump be Trump”. By saying that, they are giving Trump an “etiquette/decorum pass” that most of American leaders have not gotten. To be frank about it, we have a crass person in our highest office that lacks the ability to care; and he demonstrates that on a daily basis. His staff has to hold his hand and walk him through various sensitive situations in order to keep him “civil” and “in line”. This sounds more like the handling of an ornery pre-teen schoolboy, than the leader of the free world.

Trump is well-known for his tendency to continually prevaricate. His “word” is never his “bond”. God help us if there are international crises of major proportions when the trustworthiness of all allies is paramount. Can we expect our allies to trust in him and have faith in him in such instances? Many have answered- not likely! Again, America has a history of citizen-on-citizen violence.  However, as a concerned citizen, I have no doubt that Trump’s divisive and incendiary rhetoric may well have added  the “fuel to the fire” that resulted in the recent uncivil acts mentioned in this article.

With the midterms upon us, given today’s tribal political environment, who will win the day? President Trump has been rigorously campaigning on the behalf of his party for many days now. Back-to-back campaign stops has been the recent “order of the day” for Trump, who has predicted a victory for his Party on Tuesday. He was not more specific as to what “victory” meant to him. Did he mean a “red” wave? Did he mean several Republican wins? I don’t know.

Many pundits predict that the Democrats will win the House and the Republicans will maintain control of the Senate. However, no one has a crystal ball powerful enough to predict the actual outcome of the midterms. The most positive thing that voters can do is to make sure they vote.

Like many, I see Trump as a divider of Americans, not a unifier of Americans. This is very bad for America because we cannot survive as a country by imploding upon ourselves; in other words, self destructing. That is why past presidents have endeavored, in earnest, to bring all Americans together after their election victories.  A unified America is essential to a strong and successful America. Trump is not so blind or uninformed that he cannot see the benefits of unifying all Americans. Therefore, Trump’s attempts to do otherwise make his motives suspicious at best. Does he really have America’s best interests at heart? Why has he not divested himself of his business interests? Why has he not revealed his tax returns as past presidential contenders have done?  Furthermore, does Trumpian politics reflect our age-old American values that have stood the “test of time”, or does Trumpian politics reflect a new era of personal benefit politics that may well result in a more tenuous future for most Americans?  If there is even a sliver of doubt about Trump’s purpose, his values, or motives, the reasonable person’s vote should reflect such doubt by voting against Trumpian candidates. A vote against Trumpian candidates will signal to the world that Trumpian values do not reflect who we are, and we are not going to further empower him by selecting his slate of Trumpian puppets that will fearfully cater to his every wish.

Well, I voted on the first day of early voting. If you haven’t voted, you must get out and vote as if your future depends on it; because, to a large extent, it does.  Trump is not on the ballot, but a rebuke of Trumpian candidates is an initial step to eventually “Dump Trump”. Be well, and join me in my hope for a better tomorrow for all Americans.

Trump: Unadorned

He is a dictator wanabe posing as a conservative republican. He is assertive, loud, and combative.  His critics have called him misogynistic, divisive, and racist. However his supporters view him as caring and charismatic. Though his supporters are in the minority in terms of their numbers, they carry a lot of critical political weight-and he knows it. He capitalizes on this. His supporters (along with possibly, Putin, Comey, and Wikileaks) catapulted him into office. He is Donald J. Trump, the one-of-a-kind president of the United States of America. He single-handedly changed the landscape of American politics in record time by commandeering the Republican Party from entrenched career politicians-but at what cost?

Upon taking office, Mr. Trump’s administration quickly became characterized by chaos and instability, largely brought on by his accompanying personal legal accusations and in-progress legal issues. Plus, Trump demonstrated that he had the tendency to create a bunch of avoidable problems for himself.

The most serious of the legal issues facing Mr. Trump has been the ongoing Mueller investigation into his possible collusion with Russia in the 2016 presidential election. The special counsel also has the power to look into any other infractions that may be uncovered during his investigation, so it is possible that several legal issues may be found. It has been said that Mr. Mueller might be looking into possible obstruction of justice issues, money laundering issues, and more.

The Mueller investigation has already indicted various members of the Trump campaign or administration; notably, his former national security adviser, Michael Flynn, his former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, and his personal lawyer, Michael Cohen. It is noteworthy that these key Trump associates, along with other staff people, like Rick Gates, co-campaign chair, George Papadopoulos, foreign policy advisor, and others, have had dealings with Russia.  Many citizens have commented that it is unusual for an administration to have so many associates with ties to our most prominent long-term enemy. In view of the allegations of Russian meddling in our 2016 election, as well as possible “collusion” or “conspiracy”, these several Russian associations are very suspicious at best.

To many American citizens, Trump doesn’t represent the best of what America has to offer. They feel that Trump never had our best interests at heart and they often comment that all he cares about and, “caters to”, is his base. In addition, they feel that he does not care about the ideals of truth or justice; all he cares about is “winning” and trying to get Mueller off of his back, no matter what institution, or who he has to throw “under the bus” in the process.

Lots of Americans think that Trump is never held “accountable” for the negative things he says and does. They feel that congressional republicans need to do their jobs and rein him in when necessary, and stop cringing in his presence. However, these republicans are afraid to confront Trump when necessary because they fear for their positions.  If they would dare challenge Trump (with his approval rating in the 90 percent range among republicans) they might pay for it at the polls.

Despite Trump’s high numbers among republicans, he faces a general “trust issue” among “all” voters, as he has a history of lying to the public and continually misrepresenting or exaggerating facts to boost his positions. Most of us can see that he is lying, but his so-called base doesn’t seem to care. Thus, Trump’s democratic opponents have to determine how to creatively combat a Republican Party that has lost its respect for truth (and honest justice too) due to their fear of Donald Trump. In the Trump world, truth and justice mean nothing unless they work in his favor. In the name of truth and in the name of justice, he was willing to misuse; I mean use, his power to muscle Kavanaugh through the confirmation process.

It is well-known that Mr. Trump has successfully compromised the Republican Party, and they have apparently conspired with him to prioritize party over principle and party over country. Under Trump, the majority republicans seem to have cast aside their traditional American values in hopes of maintaining their seats in Congress by kissing the hand of their beloved.

Trump continually longs for what he perceives as personal wins, no matter the cost. Damn principle, damn the intelligence community, damn country. Damn it all! He will throw any person or revered institution under the bus to achieve a personal win or save his hide. He sees many challenges as personal affronts against him; he never wants to lose, and he never wants to be termed a “loser”. Though he is the president of the greatest nation on earth, he constantly exhibits a juvenile “school-boy” loser mentality on many issues.

Trump has a long-term issue with the media. He often denigrates the press and calls the press an “enemy of the people” (a term used more by dictators and totalitarians, than heads of democratic governments) yet he daily exploits their mediums to get his oftentimes “untrue” messages out to the public. I fear that democrats are going to lose the media battle if they don’t refute Trump’s myriad of lies regularly. Mr. Trump employs a savvy media strategy. He routinely “uses” the press to his benefit. He also uses rallies and press conferences to get his tailored messages to the public. Why don’t the democrats do the same? Trump enhances his political position through his dominance of the media. You can see that in plain sight. The democrats should use similar tactics; they should never lose out on any opportunity to state their truth and challenge the untruths and misrepresentations of the Trump administration.

With the help of Chairman Devin Nunes, Trump literally hijacked the House Intelligence Committee; effectively silencing the Committee’s democrats by not acknowledging their positive input or granting their wishes for certain witnesses to be interviewed. This resulted in the majority republican’s finding of “no evidence” of Russian collusion with reference to Mr. Trump. It appears that now Trump has also gained formidable control over the Republican Congress and the Supreme Court by forcing through Bret Kavanaugh’s nomination. Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the Supreme Court by the republicans, despite his politically biased, untruthful, and unhinged performance before the Senate Judiciary Committee, purged our country into a new Trump-inspired low, and again proved that Trump doesn’t care about truth or justice; all he cares about is “winning”. As said before, he just never wants to be seen as a “loser”.

A segment of the American population seems to be mesmerized by Trump. They like him. But, as mentioned before, Trump needs to be reined in by his party every now and then. However, Trumpian history tells us that this is not going to happen; plus, there appear to be “hints” that many in the country may be more pro-Trump than we originally thought. We know that Trump’s rallies are regularly jam-packed with his supporters who are willing to support him come “hell or high water”. He knows this. Therefore, he constantly plays to their sentiments. Without the help of Comey, WikiLeaks, and Putin, no one knows how many votes the republicans will generate at the polls come November, 2018, and beyond. Therefore, in order to increase their chances of winning, the democrats must show up in record numbers!

With reference to Trump’s truth deficit-for several months, many citizens, the news media, and pundits have shied away from definitively stating that Donald Trump was an outright liar, but, over time, they started to blatantly call him a liar. Neither the public nor the media have adequately emphasized the racial bias undertones of Trump’s administration. Yet this is the very underpinning of the Trump platform. This is sad, but true! I have said in prior essays that Trump is the Dean of racial and cultural division in America. Several months ago I first tweeted that “Trump encouraged violence on the campaign trail, used negative ‘code words’ and ‘dog whistles’ to cater to the worst interests of many. Several Republicans are running now using same ‘playbook’. Not good!”

In my article entitled “Donald J. Trump: Dean of Division”, I said:  “Some of the most blatant attempts of division along racial lines became apparent at many of Trump’s campaign rallies where he encouraged supporters to literally assault dissenters, and promised that he’ll pay their legal bills!. He said it wasn’t like this in ‘the old days’-a semi veiled attempt to have supporters recall the abominable ‘brighter days’ of long ago when white privilege reigned supreme. Again, this constant rhetoric of division must stop”.

Conservative writer and historian, Max Boot, recently said: “As I look back with the clarity of hindsight, I am convinced that coded racial appeals had at least as much, if not more, to do with the electoral process of the modern GOP than all of the policy proposals crafted by well-intentioned analysts like me”. After the election of Donald Trump, Max Boot left the Republican Party because he was “viscerally and instantly opposed to Donald Trump”.

Early in his presidential campaign, Trump started his racist rants against Hispanics, calling them rapists, among other negative things. We all recall when he disrespected a goal star Muslim family, NFL players protesting peacefully, a Hispanic Judge, and President Obama-saying that Mr. Obama had committed terrible acts against people just like Vladimir Putin has. We can well remember when he pledged support for DACA-then reneged, and when he equated the deeds of peaceful protestors for social justice, to violent neo-Nazi types shouting “Jews will not replace us!” In the Access Hollywood Billy Bush tapes, he talked about his abuse of women and laughed and joked about it. There are currently numerous accusations and pending lawsuits against Trump involving his alleged sexual indiscretions. These are just a few of the issues many Americans have cited with reference to Mr. Trump. This is Trump-unadorned!

Mr. Trump’s presidency comes at a great cost to Americans. The cost involves a lack of respect and trust in our government. In times of crisis, will our allies trust President Trump who is known to lie and misrepresent facts routinely? Will they feel secure in sharing their important national secrets and concerns with him? Will they conclude that he is too close to Putin? Who knows? However, the one thing we do know is that the 2018 midterm elections and the presidential election of 2020 are the most important elections in decades. We need to vote wisely and purposefully in order to turn the tide and reclaim our country and its traditional values that have made us who we are.  I’ll see you at the polls. 

Should Bret Kavanaugh Be Confirmed to the United States Supreme Court?

Bret Kavanaugh borrowed a page from the Trump playbook when he politicized his run for the Supreme Court at the recent Christine Blasey Ford/Bret Kavanaugh Hearing in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee. By using the Trump playbook, he joined the ranks of the Roy Moore’s and Brian Kemp’s of the nation.

Republican conservatives Moore and Kemp, brandished hand guns and long guns, respectively, while campaigning in an apparent effort to highlight their conservative support for the Second Amendment, and possibly to show allegiance to their southern, “down-home” gun bearing roots.

Well, Roy Moore, of Alabama, lost his bid for the Senate to a more traditional opponent- a democrat named Doug Jones. Jones was largely “put over the top” by an energetic and committed group of black women. Right now, in the traditionally red state of Georgia, Brian Kemp, a 54 year old Republican graduate of the University of Georgia, is running neck-in-neck with a 43 year old black female lawyer and entrepreneur who did her undergraduate work at Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia.

The times have been changing at a rapid pace. We are told that census-wise, those citizens now in the “minority” in the United States will become the new “majority” in about mid-century. Aware politicians and other current majority persons are digging their trenches now in preparation for a potential minority surge, now and into the future, as the traditionally overlooked minorities are seeking not only major political offices, but their piece of the American pie as well. People, like Donald Trump and his ilk, are well aware of this demographic trend and are therefore “battening down the hatches” in an effort to secure and maintain their positions in anticipation of a more demographically equal future.

Early into his presidency, Donald Trump was successful in seating Neil Gorsuch on the Supreme Court. We didn’t hear too much rumbling about this choice, and both democrats and republicans seem to be ok with it. However, the nomination of Bret Kavanaugh came with much opposition from the left, as well as from women who felt alienated and not highly regarded within the current political system which is generally run by older Caucasian men set in their ways.

It has been said that Bret Kavanaugh has created somewhat of a “checkered past” for himself. This is due to allegations of underage alcohol use (and abuse) and the sexual abuse of women. Christine Blasey-Ford accused Mr. Kavanaugh of sexual abuse against her when she and Kavanaugh were in high school over thirty years ago.  This resulted in the Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing of September 27^th.

At the hearing, Ms Ford was admittedly nervous and scared but felt that it was her civic duty to give her testimony under oath regarding her alleged abuse by Mr. Kavanaugh.  Many have commented that they thought her even-tempered testimony was believable, heartfelt, and that all questions directed to her were fully answered.  However, they thought that Mr. Kavanaugh was too pugnacious and overly aggressive for a man who professed innocence of all allegations. At many times, he was evasive and inaccurate in his responses. It appeared as if he was desperately trying to have us believe him, but many onlookers felt his testimony was contrived and disingenuous.  

When Kavanaugh made the following statement, several viewers felt that it was a self-delivered “kiss of death” in a presentation that was already “not going his way”. Here is the statement:

“This whole two-week effort has been a calculated and orchestrated political hit fueled with apparent pent-up anger about President Trump and the 2016 election, fear that has been unfairly stoked about my judicial record, revenge on behalf of the Clintons, and millions of dollars in money from outside left-wing opposition groups. This is a circus”.

Here, Kavanaugh took a risky political step.  It was his desperate attempt to use the Trump playbook to apparently appeal to the Trump base. This is the only group that such a tirade would appeal to; and, it appeared to work, because many Trump people have said that they liked it. However, to others, this appeared to be an amateurish, unhinged, and juvenile effort to wrestle victory from the jaws of inevitable defeat. In the history of the public vetting of a Supreme Court nominee, there has never been such a repulsive performance –a boisterous performance lacking in both candor and professionalism. You would logically expect more from someone who is currently seated on the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals.  However, Kavanaugh acted more like a flustered school boy nervously trying to complete a high school presentation, than a seasoned jurist currently seated on what has been called the second highest court in the land. To many, Kavanaugh failed his “in-person” interview for the highest court in the land. I agree.

In a United States courtroom, the temperament of the judge is paramount. During his “public interview” in the courtroom of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Kavanaugh’s courtroom temperament and general demeanor left much to be desired.  When this is coupled with his political statement above, it makes one wonder if he is capable at all of being an even-tempered and “non-partisan” Supreme Court justice.  

At this point, the die has been cast by Kavanaugh himself; he has not earned his way onto the Supreme Court of the United States of America. With his demonstrated uncontrolled vitriol, admitted political biases, and lack of candor, it is questionable whether Kavanaugh should be seated on any major court at this time. Should the FBI uncover, and/or verify any legal infractions or serious character issues related to Mr. Kavanaugh, that would further confirm his unsuitability for a judge’s seat on any major court in the USA. 

It is in the interest of the United States that the nomination of Mr. Kavanaugh be withdrawn, either by Mr. Trump, or by Mr. Kavanaugh himself.

The Trump Dilemma: Where do we go from here

           

He hit the campaign trail campaigning for himself and Vladimir Putin. “Wouldn’t it be nice if we got along with Russia?”  As time moved on, Trump continued to extol the virtues of Putin and Russia. He hired Paul Manafort, a person that he said he didn’t know prior to bringing him on board as his campaign chairman on the suggestion of other parties. At the time of his hiring, Manafort is reported to have been broke, yet he came on board to work for free.

Once installed as campaign chairman, Manafort is reported to have modified Trump’s platform in favor of Russia.  Upon winning the presidency Trump fired Salley Yates, Preet Bharara, and James Comey, all who were in a unique position to bring him to justice on a number of possible infractions.

Trump continued to campaign for Putin, and was slow to institute congressionally mandated sanctions against Russia. After procrastinating for a long time, Trump instituted some sanctions against Russia; however, many on Capitol Hill felt that it was too little too late as they thought that the sanctions should have been applied more quickly and more severely.

Throughout his presidency, Mr. Trump has continually praised Putin and disrespected our allies, including May of England, Trudeau of Canada, and Merkle of Germany.  He also dispatched his cronies like Nunes, Sanders, and Hannity to spread his propaganda against such revered institutions as the FBI and Department of Justice, headed by his one-time supporter and hand-picked Attorney General, Jeff Sessions of Tennessee. After Sessions correctly recused himself from anything concerning the Russian investigation, Trump soured on him and has since constantly demeaned Sessions to the extent that a lesser person would have “stepped down” from his position by now.

I have said before that Trump has brought “lies to a new high and America to a new low”. Indeed he has done that, but more seriously is the fact that his fellow-Republicans have continually walked “lock step” with him come “hell or high water” in order to maintain his allegiance to them and hopefully maintain their congressional seats. They have sold their souls to the devil for the selfish purpose of maintaining their seats by aligning with a president with a Republican approval rating of over 80%.

When the Founding Fathers formed this government and created its constitution, they did not foresee that we would have an amoral self-absorbed president with multiple legal actions against him who would sacrifice the government and its institutions to save himself no matter what. However, we now have such a person and his presidential victory is still questionable given Comey’s anti-Hillary disclosures, Russian election meddling, and WikiLeaks. But I digress, the important thing is, he is the president despite losing the “popular” vote to Clinton by some three million votes.

We find ourselves now in a political situation in which the nation is governed by an arrogant and impulsive man who some have said is the “least prepared” president in American history, who ascended to his office under questionable circumstances. As, I said earlier, he embraces our long-term enemies while denigrating our long- term friends. His economic policies, inclusive of tariffs, have made some Americans wonder whether he is trying to save America or bury it.

Donald J. Trump’s ducking and dodging and trying to throw shade on the Russian Investigation and all entities associated with it, does more to highlight his probable guilt than dispel it. Common sense tells us that if he is innocent, as he professes, he would simply sit down with Mueller, state his case, and thus prove his innocence. It would be that simple! Yet, Trump continues to “toy” with the idea of a “sit-down” with Mueller- shedding more doubt on his sincerity and veracity. Many people in the media and other pundits are now calling Trump an outright liar after dancing around this term for some time.

When Trump is called a liar in any forum or in print, there is no basis for a legal suit for slander or libel because the proofs of his lies are so abundant.  If folks at home or abroad can’t believe him, or believe in him, it diminishes our nation’s ability to negotiate “anything” at home or abroad due to our “shattered” believability caused by our president. One way to shatter a country is to have no one believe it, or believe in it, anymore.  (Some have said, “As Putin hurts the country from without, Trump hurts the country from within).

Would a rational democratic leader with good intentions denigrate our friends and embrace our enemies, disrespect a gold star Muslim family, insist on the guilt of a group of minority boys when DNA and acquittal proves otherwise, create a bogus “knee issue” regarding minority NFL players for political purposes, impugn the integrity of the FBI and DOJ in order to throw shade on them to save his hide, disrespect the human rights and dignity of women for his selfish pleasure,  and lie continually in the face of irrefutable proof to the contrary-among other things?

Sooner or later, we will be forced to come to grips with the fact that at the head of our government is an impulsive and irrational man who would throw anyone under the bus to save himself- a man who knows no empathy and shows no believable sympathy for most people. His chief accomplishment is his uncanny ability to mesmerize a certain group of people and keep them loyally on his side. He has routine rallies to insure that he doesn’t lose his base, as well as to re-energize his own batteries. His purpose was never to rally or unite all Americans.  He sought and obtained a group of “like thinking” Americans who at the “drop of a hat” would be willing to come to his defense if he told them he was wronged. This Trumpian strategy further divides Americans along cultural and racial lines.

So, where do we go from here? Logic dictates that the dysfunctional reign of Trump will end either through the Mueller findings, the findings of the courts, the dictates of the ballot box, or some combination of these things. In the meantime, we must keep the faith and stay the course. I believe that at the end of the day, true justice will prevail. When that happens, we will finally be Trumpless!

I’ll see you at the Ballot box.

Dysfunction in the White House: Where Do We Go From Here?

An anonymous high level White House staffer, or staffers, felt it was their patriotic duty to expose various issues that reflected the dysfunction in today’s White House.  The instability related to the dysfunction is not surprising to many because Trump has always enjoyed working in a divisive and chaotic environment, and this goes back to his days as a private businessman. However, the White House’s dysfunction and instability is different than Trump’s former businesses chaotic environment, because now it potentially impacts the welfare and lives of over 325 million Americans. Adding more fuel to the current dysfunction and chaos is the fact that the president is being looked at as a “subject” or “target” in the Mueller Investigation.

Today Trump (who has been described as an erratic and impulsive narcissist) is “hell-bent” on derailing the Mueller Investigation in order to selfishly protect himself.  At this time, Trump’s White House is operating in a perpetual defense mode as staffers scurry around trying to guard the president against all incoming problems related to the legal issues that have already implicated Trump’s former National Security Advisor, General Michael Flynn, his former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, his deputy campaign chairman, Rick Gates, his former personal attorney, Michael Cohen, and others.

With reference to the Trump presidency, folks often say that we “knew what we were getting when we voted Trump into office”. That’s true to some extent, but I believe that many people would have had second thoughts about voting for him if they knew exactly what type of president he would actually become. Yes, they knew that he would try to “shake-up” the existing bureaucracy and make changes in the staffing of the government, but many of these voters didn’t foresee the daily instability and extreme partisanship in government that Mr. Trump has created and routinely oversees.  Besides the Trump led extreme partisanship, there appears to be a new Trump-related, or Trump-caused crisis every week-sometimes every day, on Capitol Hill.

Another problem surfaces when we consider just how Trump actually won the presidency. There were the critical Comey allegations about Hillary Clinton, the constant anti-Democrat/anti-Clinton email leaks by WikiLeaks, and the indisputable interference of Putin and Russia. Due to these occurrences, there remains a question as to how much influence these factors had on the election.  Of course, no one knows. However, we can deduce that they had to have a negative effect on Clinton’s campaign, while having a positive effect on Trump’s campaign.

In the New York Times anonymous op-ed, the author(s) referred to the dysfunctional environment in the White House and stated that they were exposing this dysfunction because they felt it was necessary in order to protect Americans against the impulsive and erratic behavior of President Trump.  Trump’s psychological state and rationality have been in question for some time now. It is no revelation that the anonymous White House Op-ed writer(s) have attributed the current serious White House dysfunction directly to President Trump. However, they say that they want to avoid “impeachment” proceedings because of the possible destabilizing effect it might have on the government.

Many have stated that wherever Trump goes, chaos follows,  and they believe it is past time to take an in-depth and serious look into Trump’s psychological state of mind in order to determine his mental state’s possible detrimental effect on the country.

Trump has committed serious foreign relations mistakes pertaining to our allies, as he has continually alienated our long-term friends like Merkle of Germany, May of England, Macron of France, and Trudeau of Canada, while he has sidled up to and embraced known dictators like Putin of Russia, Kim Jung Un of North Korea, and Duterte of the Phillipines.  Many Americans feel that his behavior with reference to our allies was not only disrespectful to our allies, but un-American!

Can we continue to support a man who occupies the highest political office in the nation when he has shown that he has such an evil lack of respect for others?  Not only has he continually denigrated our allies but he has denigrated his own staff- many that he chose himself. In one instance, he is reported to have cruelly mocked one of his key cabinet level people in the person’s absence. On the campaign trail he referred to “Little Marco”, Lying Ted”, “Crooked Hillary”, etc.  This type of behavior, repeated over-and-over, regardless of venue, is more reminiscent of an offensive child on the playground, than the president of the free world.

Many pundits and media personnel seem to purposely avoid commenting on Trump’s marriage. That’s fine.  However, Trump’s history with women outside of his marriages is well known. Thus, it is conceivable that his current marriage may be functioning on an “optics only level”, that is, for “public relations” or “public consumption” purposes only. Could this be adding to his oftentimes bizarre behavior?

Over the past several months, the serious dysfunction in the White House has been reported in books and other writings, but their content was always rejected by the White House as false and/or inaccurate. Such books as Fire and Fury by Michael Wolff, A Higher Loyalty by James Comey, Fear by Bob Woodward, The Truth about Trump (and other Trump books) by Michael D’Antonio, Unhinged by Omerosa Manigualt Newman, and this month’s Anonymous NY Times Op-Ed publication have not cast Trump or his White House in a flattering light. Though dismissed by the White House as inaccurate or untrue, it is highly unlikely that all of the above published works are inaccurate or false.  Many of them have reported the same serious problems related to the White House and Trump.

The bottom line with reference to Trump and the White House is that the allegations in the above writings must be further investigated and dealt with because they suggest that the President and the White House are in so much turmoil that it is unlikely that the White House is functioning anyway near maximum effectiveness. If that is true, then all Americans are in constant jeopardy.

We can’t continue to dance around the issue; the President is a pathological liar who lives in a self-created alternate universe.  He doesn’t believe in facts or truth unless they are “pro-Trump” facts or truths. If they are not pro-Trump, he dismisses them as “fake”.  

I don’t think that we can risk four full years of a Trump presidency in its present state, and, based on Trump’s history to date, I don’t expect him to change his behavior now or in the future.

America cannot continue to support a president in whom it can’t believe, or believe in.  Also, we cannot expect our allies to have confidence in an American President who is a demonstrated liar on issues large and small.

America is at a point in which it must decide what its next legal and/or political move(s) will be with reference to Mr. Trump.  For the well-being of America, and Americans, we need a change! For most of us, we will first demonstrate our commitment to this change at the ballot box come November.  After that, we’ll see what happens!  However, I am confident that we will do the right thing for America. I’ll see you at the ballot box.

Senator John Sidney McCain III: Man of Integrity

An accomplished man does not have to constantly boast about his accomplishments. His accomplishments will speak for themselves. A learned man does not have to boast about his “ivy league” education; his education will be largely reflected in how he articulates and presents himself. A genuine great businessman would not have to brag about how great a businessman he is. A two minute internet review quickly proves, or disproves, such claims. Multiple business bankruptcies do not qualify one as a great businessman.  Finally, claiming “innocence” of various infractions while declining interview opportunities to prove it does not suggest one’s innocence; it suggests the opposite. Yes, I’ve been talking about Donald J. Trump, the current President of the USA.

Right now in America, both parties are still focused on furthering their own party interests as they have done in the past.  However, the majority Republican Party’s agenda in the Trump era appears to be harsher.  Their agenda is characterized by personal attacks, insults, and extreme partisanship.  The Trump playbook puts “party” above “principle” and “country”. Trumpians have cast aside our traditional American values in order to adhere to their new Republican party ideology created by, and orchestrated by Mr. Trump, a leader of questionable values and motives who is enabled by party members who walk “lock step” with him because they are immobilized by their fear of him. They also fear the possible loss of their positions at election time if they dare not “fall in line” with the new Republican Party which has essentially been hijacked by Donald J. Trump.

In today’s political environment, we rarely encounter independently thinking Republican leaders of integrity who routinely adhere to our long-held American values. However, a notable exception is the recently deceased senator from Arizona, John Sidney McCain III.

Senator McCain never boasted of his accomplishments or his education at the prestigious Naval Academy at Annapolis. He never complained about his battle wounds which plagued him from their onset to his death.  He always demonstrated a healthy respect for all people. His life was exemplified by a sincere devotion to duty, honor, country, family, and religion. He consistently lived his values and that demonstrated who he was.

Before serving our country in Congress, McCain honorably served our country as a Navy officer and fighter pilot. When his plane was shot down in action, he was captured and imprisoned for 5 and ½ years at the North Vietnamese prison called the Hanoi Hilton. The stories of his heroism while imprisoned abound.  Most notably, when offered an early release from prison (due to his father’s high military rank and position) he refused  because he didn’t feel it was right for him to be released, “out of order”-that is, before others who had been imprisoned longer than he had been.  After his refusal to be released, the enemy continued to savagely torture him.  Donald Trump declined to acknowledge McCain’s heroism stating that he preferred military personnel that were not captured.

McCain’s father and his grandfather both earned the rank of Admiral in the Navy, so John had a hard task ahead of him if he desired to equal or “best’ his forebears. However, John decided to continue his public service in the Congress of the United States and he served there with the utmost distinction, serving over thirty as a Senator and 4 years as a Representative.  It looks like his accomplishments rivaled the accomplishments of his forbears.

According to Wikipedia, in 2015, McCain became Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee and in 2016 did not back the nomination of Donald J. Trump for the presidency. In 2017 he reduced his active role in the Senate in order to obtain treatment for his newly diagnosed brain cancer.  Wikipedia described McCain as a practicing Republican conservative who broke with the party on matters he disagreed with.  He therefore became known as a “maverick” because he continually chose “principle” and “country” over party.  In the Trump administration, where “party over principle” became the norm, Mr. McCain continued to put principle and country before party. Particularly noteworthy was his “thumbs down” vote which effectively “killed” the repeal of The Affordable Care Act (Obama Care) in 2017. Donald Trump never forgave McCain for that!

Senator McCain’s adherence to the principles of duty, honor, and country, as well as his tendency to “tell it like it is”,  gained him the respect and admiration of many American citizens who felt that these virtues had been rapidly and steadily declining in the Trump Administration.

Unfortunately, John Sidney McCain III died on August 25, 2018, just four days prior to his birthday of August 29^th. He was four days away from reaching age 82. He left behind his wife of 38 years, Cindy McCain, seven children, and a host of other relatives.

Among those eulogizing McCain at memorials or at the funeral were former Vice President Joe Biden, former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, and his daughter, Meghan McCain. Though the eulogies effectively spoke of McCain’s life and accomplishments, they also cited the divisive climate on Capitol Hill today and spoke of the need to return to civil discourse as well as the need to return to the more “bipartisan” congressional relationships that characterized other administrations.  As the eulogies progressed, Donald Trump’s name was never specifically mentioned. However, it became clear (as they delivered their messages) that each of the above eulogists blamed Trump for the divisive and partisan climate that exists on Capitol Hill today.

Senator John McCain exemplified independence, integrity, and love of family, country, and peace. He always displayed America’s great virtues and values at home and abroad. He was a unifier of Americans, and he understood our important role in the world. He has “earned” his rest. He has earned his peace.

In 2 Timothy 4:7, Paul said: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” So too has John Sidney McCain III.

Senator McCain, an appreciative America salutes you.  Rest in Peace.

The American Presidency: Indictment or Impeachment?

If we fail to indict a sitting president In the face of irrefutable evidence of serious unlawful conduct, we fail to live up to the ideal that “no one is above the law”!  By not indicting a sitting president, are we implying that the president is too important to be inconvenienced by the laws that the rest of us must abide by, or else?  Are we also implying that the indictment of a sitting president would disturb the efficient flow of the government’s business? Do we not indict a sitting president because the government (represented by the President) cannot indict itself, as many law professionals tell us?

It is my opinion, in our democratic republic, all citizens that break the law, regardless of position, should be lawfully pursued and brought to justice. To give a sitting president a pass, decisively proves that “everyone is not equal under the law”.

The Constitution does not definitively address the question of whether we can, or cannot, indict a sitting president: it is a matter of constitutional interpretation.  No American authority, including the Supreme Court, has conclusively decided this issue, and law professionals have voiced different opinions about the issue.

Fox News.com reports that “Alan Dershowitz said that the Justice Department made it very clear that sitting presidents cannot be ‘indicted, prosecuted, or tried while serving in office.’ The Harvard law professor reminded everyone that the president must first be impeached and removed from office before he can be charged with a crime.” The Department of Justice’s position aligns with the Dershowitz position. The existing DOJ policy is that it does not indict sitting presidents. As a matter of procedure, following impeachment, the burden of deciding the fate of a sitting president resides with the Congress of the United States.

Some citizens feel that indicting a sitting president hampers the smooth running of the nation’s business and that may be true.  However, others argue that the constant veil of doubt surrounding possible presidential infractions has the same effect.  While citizens ponder whether the President is guilty or innocent, the daily presidential operations are slowed down as the administration scurries around trying to defend itself against the onslaught of serious accusations.

In lieu of indictment, the President can be impeached. However, impeachment makes the procedure political (in which the President will be judged by Congress), rather than legal (in which the President will be judged by the courts).

Recently, in a New York City courtroom, former Trump personal attorney, Michael Cohen, pled guilty to eight charges; among them were Trump’s illegal “hush money” payments to Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal. Most pundits that I’ve heard believe that the Cohen admissions are true. Actually, the Karen McDougal part has already been corroborated by Trump’s friend, David Pecker, who heads up the company that owns The National Enquirer.   If Cohen’s testimony is corroborated by the court, it means that President Trump is guilty of a felony with reference to the 130 thousand dollar payment to Stormy Daniels and the 150 thousand dollar payment to Karen McDougal. According to Mr. Cohen, these payments were made while Trump was still campaigning, and Trump authorized and ordered these payments to be made using campaign money. 

The Daniels/McDougal “hush money” was designed to keep the knowledge of their affairs with Trump from the public so that this information would not negatively impact his run for the presidency. Though public knowledge of the affairs would not have precluded Trump from running for office, he would have encountered a formidable “uphill battle” when faced with the scrutiny of the voters and the RNC as he sought the presidency.

Given the undisputable evidence of Trump’s guilt of campaign finance infractions; would it be best for Congress, or the Courts, to adjudicate his fate? I’ll give you my opinion later.

As I see it, we made a considerable mistake by choosing the interpretation of the Constitution that suggests that you can’t indict a sitting president. Why not? Did the Founding Fathers think that indicting a sitting president would disrupt the government?  Probably not: because even if a president dies, for example, we replace them, and the government keeps on ticking.  Did they believe that the President is too important to be hampered by an indictment? I doubt it. The Founding Fathers may well have thought that impeaching a sitting president and having his fate decided by his peers in Congress was the best way to go.

Over the years we have been blessed to have honorable and stalwart men and women representing us in Congress.  They were hell-bent on doing the honest and right thing. They put country before party!  However, right now there is a red wall of silence on Capitol Hill, and the majority Republican Party has been providing unjustified “cover” for the sitting president’s misdeeds at every turn.  Their failure to “push back” on the President when deemed prudent and necessary shows that they are still immobilized by their fear of the President!

Here is my key question: If there is an impeachment proceeding against the sitting president, will his fate be determined by “principle” or “party”?  Will Republicans again be manipulated, compromised, and silenced by their impulsive and combative leader?  At such a pivotal time in our history, they may not choose principles over party. That, as I see it, is the classic flaw in the concept of “impeachment” versus “indictment”, because legitimate impeachment proceedings can be skewed in the direction of an unscrupulous majority party. The “hijacking” of The House Intelligence Committee by the Republican Majority is a case-in-point. Consider the following from my article entitled “Rejecting the Trump-era Normal”:

“Trump’s crony Devin Nunes hijacked the House Intelligence Committee’s Russia Investigation and came out with findings (really bogus findings) favorable to Trump. After silencing the Democrat minority, the Committee found ‘no evidence’ of Trump collusion with Russia. The Democrats claim that the ‘majority Republicans’ did not allow them to present certain witnesses and did not fully question witnesses in a real truth-seeking effort.  It appears that the Nunes-led Committee wanted to force a conclusion favorable to Trump. They were never interested in ‘uncovering the truth’. This is America. Such things should not be allowed. This is not normal for us. However, yes, it is the Trump-era normal.”

Need I say more?  Hopefully, in the future, there will be a choice as to whether we want to either “indict” or “impeach” a sitting president (depending on the particular circumstances at the time). Due to the current circumstances, I prefer indictment over impeachment because there is too much of an incentive for the Majority Party to place party over principles (and unscrupulously “tip the scale”) in the case of impeachment.

Remember the midterms. Please vote your conscience.

Donald J. Trump: Unfit for Office

It is a shame that Donald Trump could not put country above vindictiveness in an important situation. He recently revoked the security clearance of John Brennan, former head of the CIA, further signaling what has been obvious to the majority of Americans for a long time; Mr. Trump is unfit for office and will never rise to the high expectations of the American presidency.  He will never reach the level of knowledge and sophistication of a John F. Kennedy, Barack Obama, or Franklin D. Roosevelt because he has no moral compass and resides in a bizarre Trump-created universe that only he understands.

Donald J. Trump has a history of putting his “personal political agenda” before all else, no matter whom it hurts. He used the NFL”knee” issue as a personal crusade. His intent was to take a peaceful protest and recast it as his opportunity to spotlight and throw shade on predominantly Black football players. His desire was to falsely create the image that these highly paid football players were routinely disrespecting their flag, country, and military. If you bought into this false narrative, you would likely see these football players as “ungrateful” successful black persons with no love or respect for our country, its military or its values.  In other words, they might begin to think “what more do these people want?” “They are at the top of their professions, making a lot of money and they are denigrating the very country that gave them these great opportunities”.  Trump, as the “master manipulator”, that he is known to be, was again sowing the seeds of division, as usual. Actually, you can’t protest police violence against minorities more peacefully than “silently taking a knee”. Trump should leave these athletes alone.

Trump continually takes facts (or groups of facts) and manipulates them to accomplish his own selfish ends. To Trump, facts don’t exist unless they’re pro Trump. If facts are anti-Trump, he dismisses them as “erroneous” or “fake”. Thus, you hear him constantly talking about fake investigations, fake news, etc.

In my opinion, Donald J. Trump is not the right person to lead America and promote its values. He has shown a lack of concern about the questionable actions he has already taken.  For example, he fired three key government officials (all in a position to bring him to justice). He invoked widespread tariffs (that are hurting some of our industries). He revoked the security clearance of John Brennan and is targeting several other former key officials for the same revocation. If you don’t “go along” to “get along” with Trump, he wants you to know that he will get you!  He governs through the strategy of “fear”, and to a large degree, it is working. Most Congressional Republicans won’t challenge him on any action or issue. They appear immobilized by fear!

Trump is dedicated to not offending Vladimir Putin-yet he very adept at offending many of our long-term friends at the drop of a hat, and for no valid reason. This jeopardizes our alliances abroad and leaves our allies wondering if America can be counted on in the event of an international crisis.

Under the Trump presidency, we seem to be on a crooked road to self destruction as we have a president demonstrably attuned to accelerating the fortunes of himself, Russia, and Putin-even if it’s at the detriment of America. That’s exactly what it looks like!

Over, the last several months, Trump threatened to rescind the press credentials of many in the media, but it never happened. He threatened to revoke the security clearances of several past high level government officials, and he made good on the threat by first revoking the clearance of John Brennan, an outspoken Trump critic.  There are more on his pending “hit list”. This is not good for a nation that may need to call on the talents of these former officials in the future. In such a case it would be best if their clearances were still in effect.

Many thinking Americans believe that the following two things have been apparent with reference to Trump’s campaign and his presidency-first, he constantly promotes Putin and Russia, and secondly, he ducks and dodges on any issue involving Mueller and the Russia Investigation.  He is still “playing around” with the idea of interviewing with Mueller, rather than “manning-up” and facing the interview “head-on”.

With the myriad of legal issues facing Mr. Trump, we will soon see if “everyone is equal under the law”. Not too many people can negotiate what questions you want to be asked at the “bar of justice”.

The vindictive and irrational revocation of Brennan’s clearance (with possibly more to come) may be just the beginning of many other similar acts to follow, as Mueller’s noose closes in on the Trump Kingdom and he becomes more paranoid and afraid. Sometimes it is difficult for many to put certain feelings into words, but Admiral McRaven did that for many concerned citizens in the Washington Post Online on August 16, 2018, when he appropriately criticized Mr. Trump:

(William H. McRaven, a retired Navy admiral, was commander of the U.S. Joint Special Operations Command from 2011 to 2014. He oversaw the 2011 Navy SEAL raid in Pakistan that killed al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden).

Dear Mr. President:

Former CIA director John Brennan, whose security clearance you revoked on Wednesday, is one of the finest public servants I have ever known. Few Americans have done more to protect this country than John. He is a man of unparalleled integrity, whose honesty and character have never been in question, except by those who don’t know him.

Therefore, I would consider it an honor if you would revoke my security clearance as well, so I can add my name to the list of men and women who have spoken up against your presidency.

Like most Americans, I had hoped that when you became president, you would rise to the occasion and become the leader this great nation needs.

A good leader tries to embody the best qualities of his or her organization. A good leader sets the example for others to follow. A good leader always puts the welfare of others before himself or herself.

Your leadership, however, has shown little of these qualities. Through your actions, you have embarrassed us in the eyes of our children, humiliated us on the world stage and, worst of all, divided us as a nation.

If you think for a moment that your McCarthy-era tactics will suppress the voices of criticism, you are sadly mistaken. The criticism will continue until you become the leader we prayed you would be.

Thank you Admiral for so eloquently echoing the sentiments of many-myself included!

Again, I believe that President Donald J. Trump has shown throughout his presidency that he is unfit for office. Much of this is captured on videotapes from his inauguration through the present day. He lies incessantly, has embraced our enemies and alienated our friends. He has no respect for the rule of law. He corrupts and compromises the integrity of many of those who dare work for him. He has no moral boundaries and oftentimes doesn’t exhibit the proper decorum. He lacks a sufficient working understanding of domestic and international issues and refuses to become a “student” of national and international affairs. He constantly disrespects others, including our friends and allies abroad.

Many have characterized Mr. Trump as being divisive, misogynistic, and racist. When you consider Charlottesville, the Central Park Five, Trump’s reneging on DACA, his inciting followers to violence at his rallies, his denunciation of Hispanic Judge Curiel, the Matt Lauer interview (in which he likened the horrible atrocities of Putin to those of Obama), and the infamous Billy Bush Tape, you have a few prime examples of his divisive, misogynistic, and racist nature, which help to highlight his unfitness for office.

Again, Trump is unfit for office! He does not embody the best of America or its age-old values, which have historically been respected, tested, and trusted around the world!  We need to register our disapproval of Trump and his platform at the ballot box come November, 2018, and beyond. I’ll see you there!

Some Reasons Why Many Americans Do Not Support Donald J. Trump

He is a demonstrated liar.

He divides Americans against each other.

He disrespects people, including our allies.

He does not adhere to the traditional protocols of the Office of the President.

He falsely calls the media “the enemy of the people”.

He creates and lives in an “alternate reality”, where “facts” don’t exist unless they’re “pro-Trump”.

He pretends to care for his base but he cares primarily for himself.

He “plays” his supporters and all Americans.

He admires totalitarians and dictators.

He oftentimes “exaggerates” achievements, etc. , in lieu of his usual outright lies.

He treats women as objects for his selfish sensual pleasure.

He doesn’t honestly respect women and oftentimes demeans them.

He creates political and social fights specifically designed to gain media attention and earn “political points” from his base.

He claims to be patriotic but he is not. Patriots try to unite Americans, not divide them.

He embarrasses America at home and abroad with his impulsive actions and crass attitude.

He embraces and promotes Russia and Putin for some reason(s) we don’t understand.

He alienates our allies.

He caters to his base, and to hell with the rest of Americans.

He has a history as a womanizer and adulterer.

He has been accused of sexual and physical abuse.

He is labeled a possible draft dodger based on his supposed history of “bone spurs”.

He has exhibited such behavior that he has been termed a braggart, a narcissist, and a racist.

Comments:

Trump has a mesmerizing effect on some segments of the population, and at his “rallies” he exploits this to the hilt. He loves to hear them chant “Trump, Trump, Trump” as he whips them into a frenzy. However, sadly, Trump could care less about these people. They are just “puppets and props”-a means to an end for him.

Trump started out with many friends and associates.  He heaped praise on them at every turn. Many of these friends and associates have dropped off, one-by-one.

Jeff Sessions was among the first of the well-known Congresspersons to publicly support Trump at the onset of his campaign. He helped Trump win the election and became Trump’s Attorney General. 

After honorably recusing himself from the Mueller Investigation due to perceived “conflicts of interest”, Mr. Sessions has been routinely and publicly humiliated by Trump, who was not satisfied with his recusal.

It is known that Trump wanted Sessions to stay active in the Mueller Investigation to basically “protect” him from Mueller. After his recusal, Trump continually tried to humiliate Sessions into “quitting” as AG, but Sessions, rightfully, didn’t quit.

Trump courted Tennessee Senator, Bob Corker as a possible candidate for a job in his Administration. Now Corker is one of his worse enemies.

Michael Cohen was Trump’s trusted “fixer” and “personal” attorney who once said he “would take a bullet” for Trump. Now they don’t even talk to each other nor refer to each other in the “glowing” terms of the past. With Trump, one day you’re a friend and confidante, the next day you’re the worse person on earth.

Donald Trump uses you, sometimes abuses you-then he dumps you. That’s the Trump way. He apparently feels that the only entity that he has to show any allegiance to is his so-called “base”. He understands that it is his “base” that makes him “viable” and keeps him in the political game as a leader with political “clout”.

Trump rules as it he has a mandate from the people. However, it should be remembered that Trump never earned a “mandate” from the people. Hillary Clinton garnered about 3 million more popular votes than he did.  Had it not been for the outdated Electoral College, Ms. Clinton would have been our president. However, even with the Electoral College in play, other factors, like Comey, WikiLeaks, and Russia, may well have tipped the scale in Trump’s direction. We can never quantify what influence these factors had on the election, but given the questionable nature of his win, Trump should be “walking on eggshells” right now so he doesn’t offend the people who did not vote for him-the majority of Americans!  However, Trump doesn’t care about that. He is determined to play this presidency thing, the Trump way, for all it’s worth.

As a master manipulator and showman of excellence, Trump will pull any lever he can to reach his own selfish ends. He has convinced his base that they have been historically wronged and he is their “once-in-a-lifetime” benevolent savior. They are committed to following him wherever he leads them.

Many Trump followers can’t articulate his foreign or domestic agenda, but they will tell you that he has a plan and a strategy, and when he initiates them, the world will understand their faith in him. They trust in him, and no outsider can change that. However, for others, no tax break, or agenda, or any other Trump perk, is worth giving up their traditional American values for.  We’re beginning to see that at the ballot boxes across the nation where citizens appear to be pushing back on the Trump platform.  There are many indications that that will continue. Let’s hope so! See you at the ballot box!

Trump: Liar-in-Chief

Lies, lies, and more lies; large lies, small lies. This is a problem that America unfortunately is faced with under the leadership of Mr. Trump. The ability to trust an ally has to be a major concern of allies who, in times of crises, form partnerships in order to accomplish their mutual interests.

If there were to be a crisis, how could our allies trust what Trump promises or says? At the recent Helsinki Summit, in answer to a journalist’s question regarding the culpable party in the election attack, Trump said, “I don’t see any reason why it would be Russia”. The next day, he said that what he meant to say was, “I don’t see any reason why it wouldn’t be Russia.” Despite having several staffers with him (who were in the position to correct any erroneous statements immediately after the speech, or on AF One) the “misstatement” was not corrected until about 24 hours later. The response was made due the furor in the USA and abroad over the peculiar statement. When partnering with allies on an international concern, you can’t say: “I commit 50,000 troops to this important initiative”, only to “walk it back” at the time of delivery saying, “Well I meant to say 5,000, not 50,000.” That doesn’t work. When leaders speak publicly, especially on the world stage, their words must well thought-out and precise. Furthermore, important speeches should be reviewed before delivery, and after, in order to insure that it was delivered exactly as intended. Many believe it is possible that the Trump speech was delivered as intended, but conveniently “corrected” after the public uproar.

The majority of American citizens know that Trump is a pathological liar and the poster boy for extreme narcissism. These are not the preferable traits for an American president.

Some eighteen months into the Trump Administration, we have been lucky because there hasn’t been a major crisis requiring our teaming up with allies to confront the issue.

Besides his history of lying at every turn, Mr. Trump has shown a cruel disrespect for some of our key allies, like Angela Merkle, Justin Trudeau, and Elizabeth May, representing Germany, Canada, and England, respectively. Further complicating the Trump issue is the fact that Trump is a subject and perhaps a target in the Mueller Investigation. Given the current news-of-the-day, the possibility that the Trump Campaign, the Trump Administration, or Mr. Trump himself,  colluded or conspired with Russia with respect to our last Presidential Election appears more-and-more probable as each day passes.

In addition to the truth issues regarding Trump, there are several lawsuits pending against him and it is possible that more will follow. Therefore, Trump and his presidency are in a precarious condition at best.

Trump’s lies go a long way to divide America, especially along racial lines. He also alienates the press with such false statements as “the press is the enemy of the people”. He says that you can’t trust the intelligence community, and other government entities, but you can trust him. He sounds more and more like some totalitarian dictator rallying the citizenry, than the head of the most successful democracy on earth. His words are very dangerous and divisive, and I am not exaggerating!

Trump’s demonstrated allegiance to Mr. Putin is hard for many to understand, especially in the aftermath of Russia’s 2016 election crimes perpetrated against the USA. Yet, Trump continues to embrace Putin and denigrate our traditional allies. Many are asking, “What gives”?  

Trump’s strange deference to Mr. Putin was dramatically demonstrated at the Helsinki Debacle in July. The Helsinki Debacle show cased Trump kowtowing to Putin on the world stage. Trump suggests that he wants to get along with Russia because together, the US and Russia holds 90% of the world’s nuclear capability. Without definitively saying so, Trump seems to be trying to conjure up the image that an association with Russia cushions us against a possible nuclear catastrophe.

Trump likes to say that America is the “laughing stock of the world”, but fails to recognize that this is because of him. Trump has brought pathological lying to a new high, and America to a new low.

We can go on forever talking about Trump’s lies and misdeeds, but suffice it to say that Trump must be replaced by a capable person of vision, who possesses high morals and unquestionable honesty.  We don’t need another “Liar-in-Chief” with dictatorial tendencies. See you at the ballot box!