After a busy week of travel, I was unsure what I should write this week. Then something arrived in the mail that caught my attention - a letter and a certificate sent to my wife from the Circuit Court in which she served an entire week as a juror.  While thanking her for her service to the community, the certificate included a quote at the bottom that all Americans should seriously ponder when evaluating how our president is treating the rule of law.  You see, Mr. Trump was found by Robert Mueller to have engaged in repeated efforts to wrongfully obstruct justice.  With the controversies surrounding Mr. Trump and his misguided directives to prohibit anyone from testifying to Congress stretches the bounds of legitimacy - especially his invocation of a "Blanket Immunity" to shield his former advisor Hope Hicks and others from testifying (except no such "blanket immunity" exists in law or in the Constitution).  
        Shouldn't we all wonder why it is so important to lock up asylum seekers as potential threats to America and the rule of law when our own president and his entire administration seem to think themselves unaccountable to anyone - especially Congress?  If the president does not believe himself to be subject to law, then why should we demand anyone else should?  The answer is easy.  Without adherence to the rule of law, we are no different than any other authoritative regime.  Without the rule of law, we no longer are the democratic-republic we have prided ourselves with being for over two centuries.  We know our collective values are being tested when separating children from their parents and treating them like criminals for simply seeking a better life here, but when the president thinks himself above-the law, we run a serious risk to our freedoms as a liberty loving people.
       What could possibly be written on the certificate that would spur on this notion of holding law with esteem and reverence instead of disdain?  The simple statement on the very bottom that says; "No free government can survive that is not based upon the supremacy of law."  Nothing further need be said as it speaks for itself.  Have a great week!

       Now that the president has admitted he would welcome foreign assistance in interfering with our elections (as long as it helped him personally), one has to wonder why he didn't say this two years ago before the Mueller Team investigated his campaign's ties with the Russians.  Amazingly, Mr. Mueller's team outlines dozens and dozens of shady meetings between Russian agents and the Trump inner circle - including Donald Trump, Jr. and Jared Kushner.  Despite all of this overwhelming evidence, Mr. Mueller refrained from recommending further criminal indictments against them because he could not ascertain their motive for violating the law.  Except for the fact that now the president has admitted that he'd take a look at "Opposition Research" if offered.  All good, except they knew or should have known doing so was a direct violation of Federal law.  Mueller's conclusion?  They didn't know the law well enough to know their actions were illegal.  Except with Trump's admission, it becomes more and more obvious they did know.  After all, the President sure seems to surround and wrap himself in the army of  personal lawyers.  One in particular that knew working with the Russians was unlawful?  Rudy Giuliani of course.  He knew and he knew it all along.  Why else has his story changed so many times along with the lies from Trump?
      Many that pay attention to matters know that Trump's incessant claims of being victimized by "Fake News" when it reported his campaign's ties with the Russians, appreciate that Mueller did prove that all of the news reported by the New York Times and Washington Post detailing contacts actually were accurate.  They were never "Fake News" as claimed by Trump.
        So whenever a Trump supporter says Trump was proven "innocent", remember to ask them by whom, because Mueller certainly did not come to that conclusion.  In fact, anyone that has a third grade reading literacy level can see the clear message from the Mueller Team - Trump and his campaign were acting outside the law.  Also remind them that "Individual One" on the criminal indictment for violating campaign finance laws happens to be Donald Trump himself (See: www.washingtonpost.com/politics/individual-1-trump-emerges-as-a-central-subject-of-mueller-probe/2018/11/29/e3968994-f3f7-11e8-80d0-f7e1948d55f4_story.html?utm_term=.d637f348650c).   Now that the Supreme Court has ruled that State and Federal crimes are mutually exclusive and double jeopardy does not apply (See: www.msnbc.com/hallie-jackson/watch/supreme-court-declines-to-change-double-jeopardy-rule-62087237597), Trump and his followers should take note - that the High Court is not required to stand with the President.  They are a co-equal branch of government adhering to the principals that no man is above the law.  One day (hopefully soon), Trump, his inner circle and his cult-like supporters will learn that they too, must answer to the law.  After all - haven't he and his crowd perfected the chant "Lock Her Up"?  Don't be to surprised after the election when the chant becomes "Lock HIM up" along with his corrupt advisors and sycophantic family of conmen, grifters and co-conspirators. 
        As President John F Kennedy once said; " A Nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth or falsehood in an open market is a Nation that is afraid of its people."  Answer the damn subpoenas! Stop covering up.  Stop lying.  For the rest of us, start preparing to defeat Mr. Trump and Trumpism for centuries to come.  America needs us now, more than ever! Have a great week. 
  

       Sorry this is late but I was traveling, and it is always difficult to post a new blog while away. We have a lot to discuss since President Trump admitted accepting "Opposition Research" from a foreign adversary is okay by him.  Guess he really doesn't care about collusion - as he continues to lie about it and well, just about everything else.  I have decided to save that for next week's blog and update all on the recognition being received for our new book, Boomers to Millennials, Moving America Forward. 
        As of this writing, Boomers to Millennials, Moving America Forward has been awarded:
           
            GOLD MEDAL - Independent Book Publishing Professionals Group/Next Generation INDIE Awards 

            GOLD MEDAL - American Book Fest/International Book Awards

             ????    MEDAL - Florida Authors and Publishers Association President's Book Awards (Medal ceremony
                                             is 8/3/19 in Orlando where we will learn which Medal has been awarded).

             SILVER MEDAL (Finalist) Independent Book Excellence Award.   
​ 
         Authors don't write books for awards, or for that manner, an expectation of making a ton of money from sales.  However, in the Non-Fiction realm, Peer Review is always welcomed and considered crucial for validation.  These awards represent Peer Review that all Non-Fiction authors crave.  Nathan and I are thrilled to be recognized for Boomers to Millennials, Moving America Forward! www.amazon.com/Boomers-Millennials-Moving-America-Forward/dp/1938842413/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Daniel+r+rubin&qid=1560435524&s=gateway&sr=8-1.
           Have a great week!

     Now that President Trump is outside the United States and is insulting our British allies, it might be a good idea to remind ourselves that his administration has continued to slow walk its way towards the very "coup" Trump himself claims was attempted.  But this coup is real, it is not fake like Trump.  The coup I am referring to?  The slow, constant and incremental erosion of liberty and democracy currently on full display by the GOP both in Washington and across the nation.  Although it may have really started under Ronald Reagan's demand for "Smaller, Limited Government", the rhetoric has continued to this day with the universal design to shift our Constitutionally based government into a unitary dictatorial one.  How so?  
     When Reagan was president, one of his pet statements, repeated by his followers was; "The most terrifying words in the English language are; I'm from the government and I'm here to help."    Of course, history has shown us time and time again, that the GOP took the reigns of hypocrisy from Reagan and exploded it into a national sport.  Want to talk about coups?  How about the GOP's embracing of Citizens United, which allows unlimited dark money to influence our elections (See Koch Brothers, US Chamber of Commerce channeling  Billions of dollars in secret campaign spending).  How about a GOP Senate Majority Leader refusing to allow a Supreme Court nominee from even getting a confirmation hearing, all under the guise that the election was too close to grant the sitting president a choice on who should be confirmed for a seat on the High Court - only to have that same Senate Majority Leader state emphatically in 2019 that if a Republican president makes a nomination to the High Court during an election year, he would have no problem confirming that nominee?  A slow, creeping erosion of our political norms has been hiding in plain sight and we the People, seem to have become blinded to its reality.  (See: www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/not-obama-ok-trump-mcconnell-now-says-he-d-confirm-n1011166). 
         This real coup has been taking shape lately under Trump's watch. He rides roughshod over our laws on Obstruction of Justice as well as empowering the United States Attorney General to act not as the highest law enforcement officer of the nation, but as his personal attorney dedicated to protecting his lawlessness.  How else could one describe William Barr's disingenuous description of the Mueller Report Conclusions?  How else could one explain why the Department of Justice now is defying a Federal Judge's orders to reveal the transcripts relating to conversations between former Trump National Security Advisor and the Russians during an election and then during the post-election transition?  How else can you describe members of the GOP in Congress demanding that all investigations into Donald Trump end immediately because Mueller found no "collusion" - when they readily admit they did not even bother to read the Mueller Report? (See: www.politico.com/story/2019/05/07/mcconnell-mueller-report-case-closed-1307390). 
         And now we have sweeping efforts by the GOP nationwide to turn legal abortion into a crime punishable with life in prison?  When polling shows an overwhelming majority of Americans favor the Rule of Law, rights of women to choose and the need for equality in the workplace, efforts by the GOP to ignore the will of said people and to legislate from a "Big Government" position while claiming interest in small government is the height of their hypocrisy.  What does it say about the Americans that support the GOP?  It says nothing very nice.
         With "Conservative Judges" using the courts to impose their religious beliefs, regardless of the existence of the Separation of Church and States, it is obvious that the CONservatives are only  really interested in Constitutional government, as long as it suits them.  And this is enough to make THINKING Americans shudder!
(See: www.washingtonpost.com/news/education/wp/2016/07/14/gop-platform-encourages-teaching-about-the-bible-in-public-schools/?utm_term=.d396d59b4942). 
       On my way home today, I sat behind a car with a bumper sticker that read; "We The People, Trumped!"  Huh?  Just as I started pulling away from that car, I saw two Mormon Missionaries on their bicycles with big signs along the sides of the rear wheels that read; "Abortion is NOT a Right!"  Where are the bumper stickers attacking the GOP for their hypocrisy?  Where are the Americans needed to make it loud and clear that CONservative values are not values at all - they are only concentrated efforts to control our way of lives, our thinking and our patriotism.  It's now more important than ever that Americans wake up and realize that the slow-walking efforts to change America against the will of the people, is the actual coup engineered and implemented by the GOP and their right-wing supporters.  And when CONs want to quickly point out they "ARE NOT RACISTS", ask them why they support a man that has adopted policies that favor White Nationalism and an effort to politically limit minorities form having equal representation in our government? (See: www.huffpost.com/entry/thomas-hofeller-census-citizenship-question_n_5cefd3ece4b00cfa1967135e). 
        Now that the Media has proclaimed most Americans oppose any impeachment of Donald Trump, they seem to have lost track that more Americans every day are realizing the President did obstruct the Russian investigation AND the GOP aided in that obstruction.  Do we really have to wait until the 2020 election to decide what to do with Donald Trump or are we willing to risk further erosion of our political norms and the Rule of Law in the interim? (See: www.yahoo.com/entertainment/poll-support-impeaching-president-trump-163639045.html).
        America is reaching a turning point in our democracy.  Do we sit idly by while the Trump Administration acts wholly outside the rule of law or do we demand accountability? Seems the GOP has no use for a Congress having oversight authority (as long as "their guy" is in the White House).  Perhaps America needs new political parties?  Perhaps we need a renewed will to preserve our democratic-republic?  We definitely need a new President and hopefully a new Congress in 2020 that respects the rule of Law and its role under Article I of the Constitution.  As Benjamin Franklin once wrote; "​Being ignorant is not so much a shame, as being unwilling to learn."  We've got a lot of work to do to make up for the comfortable ignorance our nation now seems to enjoy.  Democracy and Liberty demand our people wake up and realize that no one is above the law and that without Separation of Powers, Church and State and individual freedom to all, we are indeed, at significant risk of losing our moral compass and our democracy.  Have a great week!