Have you ever been introduced to someone and immediately forgotten their name?  If so, welcome to my world!  Sometimes no matter how hard I try, I find myself quickly forgetting the name of someone I have just been introduced to.   It's not like they didn't clearly give me their name. It's just that I am too distracted by life to be paying close enough attention to their name being given, lack the capacity to remember or I simply don't care.  I suspect it may be a combination of the three.  When I consider thinking of a parallel or similar situation, I think of the millions of Americans that were once taught American History but somehow now fail to recall much of it.  The same thinking goes for their knowledge of the Constitution and how our government was designed to function.   
           Even though Boomers were taught our history and governing principles, many seem to only remember we are victorious at war, that the First Amendment allows us to do just about anything we please and that is backed up by the Second Amendment's permission to possess instruments of massive destruction.  Can there be any wonder why our nation is so divided, with so many blindly following and supporting (in my opinion) the worst president our country has ever elected (Buchanan and Harding no longer share that honor)?
         Let's add Civics Education to the top of our "To-Do List" once we have real leadership in our White House. As Benjamin Franklin once said; "​We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid."  In 2020, let's all vote Trump and Trumpism to the trash heap of American History.

     I know it's been awhile since I last posted a blog, but I have been traveling again (no surprise).  This time though I was with my wife in Ohio to greet our fifth grandchild, Ella Jean!  While away, I was able to follow the "news" but what caught my attention the most are the incessant emails I have been receiving daily from Right Wing groups that support of Donald Trump.  Now I understand the need to pump up the base and gin up support for what is otherwise a failing presidency, but anyone with a brain cell can recognize that the Right is in a tail spin of denial.  How?  Just take a look at their emails themselves. They are fuel of lies and distortions following inflammatory headlines. I've saved some for this blog. 
     Received today from TeaParty.org.  "HUGE: Trump launching New Plan to Secure 2020. DEMS in a panic!"  Although there is really nothing else mentioned about this headline in the body of the email, the following is:
       "President Trump is already engaged in a bareknuckles (sic) fight with the Democrats..."  "The Democrats' lead candidate, Joe Biden is in the middle of yet another huge gaffe controversy!" "...you and I know full well that Biden is one big problem; he's a liar!"
         Another email received yesterday from TeaParty272 has the headline; 
     "In Wake of Mueller Witch hunt, Why is no one Paying Any Attention to Hillary Clinton and Ukraingate?"   If that was not enough, they add: "The Sick Disguise Antifa Has Planned to Terrorize MAGA Patriots in Portland."   Seems wearing all black upsets the Tea Party folks, who call themselves along with the Proud Boys "Patriots".   But it gets better! Another email from these folks yesterday has the headline; "Obama Deep State Spy Lies About General Flynn Gets Dues - You Won't Believe his Defense!" It goes on to say' "Leftist Organizations have raised nearly a half a Billion!"  And Soros's groups are setting aside millions more!"   Why is it the Right can't seem to be straight with their followers?  Why is it that they so desperately want to conflate the Trump nightmare with Hillary Clinton and a "Deep State" that was made up and now is the argument the Right clings too to discredit Mueller or anyone else that seeks to protect our Nation from foreign interference in our democracy? But it gets better!
      From TEAPARTYPAC, I received the following; "BOMBSHELL - Top Dems Panic at Trump's Poll Numbers!  Are you in?"  There isn't a single reputable poll that shows Trump is not underwater in major electoral states.  Not a single one.  The only one they cite has Trump even with any Democratic Candidate - and that poll involved less than 500 voters with a margin or error as wide as the Grand Canyon.  It is obvious Trump likes to boast and sell nonsense like the con-man he has always been - now the Right cant tell when they are being gaslit anymore - because the President has lied over 12,000 times since taking office.  These organizations know it, so they can't help themselves when they promote lies to rile up their base - because when the economy starts to tank, there will be nothing left to support Trump.  Huge deficits.  A losing Tariff War.  A country not divided like this since the 1850's and a president underwater in job approval!  Yet another from TeaParty242 "Take a Look At Who Appointed The judges in the Epstein Cases..."  This wouldn't be so bad except for the fact that the Right constantly has engaged in rhetoric blaming the Far Left of politicizing the judiciary- yet they do it on a daily basis and think nothing of it.  Hypocrisy rules the day for the Far Right - and unfortunately, for most Trump supporters. 
     Now we have Trump saying publicly that the tariff war is hurting China more than the US because people are losing their jobs in China - except China employs virtually slave labor.  Does anyone really believe that job loss is a real concern for China?  At least Judicial Watch is more careful.  When they make an outrageous claim, they couch it with "may be" or "might be" which gives them cover.  Something like a trial  lawyer telling the jury "I could say the defendant is a liar, cheat and a rapist, but I won't"-  while the sentiment has been effectively passed to the jury anyway.   
     There are many former presidents I wish were alive today to blast the current GOP and Trump for their failure to appreciate our Constitution and the way the Presidency is supposed to work - but none more right now that Harry S. Truman, who famously said "It's plain hokum. If you can't convince 'em, confuse 'em. It's an old political trick. But this time it won't work." We can only hope thinking Americans have had enough with Trump, Trumpism and the GOP that supports his lies, racism and failed economic, environmental and social policies.  Have a great week!