When Nancy Pelosi said, "The President will Self-Impeach" she really knew what she was talking about. Emboldened by his claim of victory over Robert Mueller and his testimony before Congress, Donald Trump doubled-down and then (the next day) solicited the Ukrainian President to assist him with digging up dirt on a potential 2020 political opponent.  Instead of coming right out and admitting he did this, Trump manufactured several lies first, before ultimately admitting he did do just that, but it was "Beautiful" and only a dummy would believe he did anything improper. I guess then actual thinking people are all "dummies" in Trump's mind as opposed to those that believe his daily lies? The ACT of soliciting assistance is the wrongdoing - using a "quid Pro Quo" is secondary and is not a necessary component of wrongdoing here.  In a purely cynical act, Trump had released a Memo outlining one of his many interactions with the Ukrainian President and it reveals he indeed asked for help in providing information that could be used to attack a political rival - for the sole benefit of the president's re-election campaign.  Visions of Richard Nixon are swirling in my head. 
        So to prove he did nothing wrong, Trump released the memo and it reveals he did commit wrongdoing - including offering his Attorney General and personal attorney to intervene on his behalf.  Having Bill Barr involved raises further legitimate questions of impropriety - and at the very least - should force Barr to recuse himself from any further involvement.  As for Rudy Giuliani, he should be subpoenaed to testify before Congress and potentially charged for treasonous actions.  Again, NO quid Pro Quo is required to violate Article II's "Take Care Provision" or the Emoluments clause prohibiting a president from seeking to gain something of value without it being in the nation's primary best interests but in the personal political or financial interest of the president.  
         Should one disagree with my position - see the released memo itself.  How can Trump or the GOP claim  this was okay? Let the chips fall where they may. The die-hard Republicans will back him all the way, but independents and Democrats will see right through Trump's smoke screen (it has gotten easier to see through the subterfuge considering Trump is a creature of habit and his defenses run the same plays over and over).  They will not work this time,  if they do, our Constitutional form of government will be officially buried by the GOP and Trumpism. See for yourself and think for yourself.  See: games-cdn.washingtonpost.com/notes/prod/default/documents/d2311f4f-a767-4ddc-868b-8bc9af8226c5/note/339b784b-719c-464f-9eda-85daede53092.pdf#page=1.
​Try to have a good week! 

        I have to be honest with you all.  It is getting more and more difficult to write about Donald Trump and his repeated efforts to destroy America.  Not because he isn't, but because he actively is and his supporters continue to ignore it.  Why else would over 90 percent of Americans want background checks on weapons being purchased, yet after one conversation with the NRA the initiative to require them dies an instant death.  Why is it that when the House passes a Bill to require background and Red Flag checks, GOP Senate Majority Leader Mitch MoConnell says no action will even be considered unless Trump says it should.  (See: time.com/5667917/mitch-mcconnell-gun-legislation-trump/).   I seem to recall that the U.S. Senate works for the People of the United States, not the president.  In fact, some seem to forget the President works for US and not the other way around.  The amount of scandal, corruption and outright lying by Trump and his government has tarnished America far worse than any other president has in our history.  Think I am wrong?  
         Years go the public ridiculed then Vice-President Dan Quayle for being stupid because he misspelled potato (resulting in many believing his poor intellect disqualified him to be POTUS).
(See: www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1992/06/21/why-quayles-potatoe-gaffe-wont-fade/b7eecf20-d43f-4781-ab46-9a865df08b58/).  Now we have a president that can mis-spell the entire English language and some Americans will claim that his "version" of spelling is correct and anyone who says it isn't somehow is "less American" for pointing mistakes out.  When FDR resided in the White house, he admitted he did not know everything he would need to know in order to pull our country out of the malaise of the Great Depression.  He famously said he would try many alternatives until he found those that would be effective.  Harry Truman followed his presidency with the mantra that the "Buck Stops Here", meaning he took personal responsibility for whatever goes wrong in his administration because he is the man at the top.  And then we have Mr. Trump.  A man that can not accept blame for anything he does wrong and then demands everyone beneath him either change their positions to come into agreement with his wrong headed notions or face vengeful consequences.  So much for ANY responsibility at Trump's desk.  It's always someone else's fault.  Yet, his supporters blindly follow his misdirection and lies as if they are heaven sent.  It appears more and more likely that Mr. Putin sent them instead of heaven - but you know - "Russia is a hoax the Dems projected for being sore losers in 2016!"  Except Russia did interfere with our elections.  They did hack county Board of elections in Florida and elsewhere.   To claim they didn't change any votes without fully investigating what they did actually accomplish is insane.  And to refuse to provide further election security to our voting machines reflects a total disregard to our government's sovereignty - safe and secure, free and open elections.  (See: www.nytimes.com/2019/05/14/us/florida-election-hacking-desantis.html).  
       Last week I had a "discussion" on social media with Trump supporters.  They are very sensitive to being labeled "Racists" because "labels are often not true and are unfair", all the while they actively label anyone they disagree with as "Leftists, Socialists and haters of America."  Seems like being labeled a "racist" is more damaging than being labeled a "traitor?"  Anyway, the discussion fell apart when I pointed out that Trump has actually accomplished very little as president (at least accomplished positive things) and I was not met with a counter-argument;  I was met instead with a simple shoulder-shrugged induced "Well, we like the direction America is going under Trump." But what direction is that?  One that includes accelerating climate degradation by eliminating species protections?  Eliminating clean air and water regulations?  Expanding the "swamp" with corruption not seen since the Harding presidency (See Tea Pot Dome).  Racial divide, criminal injustice, attacking the judiciary when decisions are not "approved" by Trump and eliminating the oversight role guaranteed by the Constitution in favor of authoritarian rule?  These same people demand loyalty to the military, yet turn a blind eye when Trump eviscerates their funding in favor of a Wall no one needs but his ego and his frenzied supporter's jingoistic and xenophobic dreams. (See: www.nytimes.com/2019/09/03/us/politics/pentagon-border-wall.html). 
         And now we see the racism extend to the people of the Bahamas devastated by Dorian.  In order to come to America, one must have a VISA - except where should one obtain such a visa in a country with areas completely wiped out.  No electricity, running water, shelter but you must magically produce a Visa to enter the land of the Brave and free?  The reason?  According to Trump, "I don’t want to allow people that weren’t supposed to be in the Bahamas to come into the United States — including some very bad people and very bad gang members."  (www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2019/09/09/bahamas-survivors-visa-ferry-stranded-cpb/). 
         On top of this nonsense?  Trump seemingly has encouraged our military to go way out of their way to stay at his property in Scotland.  In fact, he has also directed the military to purchase fuel at commercial rates at private airports he personally supports  What?  (See: www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/air-force-reviews-all-layovers-after-crew-stayed-trump-s-n1051296).  And when the Democrats dare to call for an investigation?  The GOP sits on their hands with their mouths taped shut.  All of this from the same folks that held 8 hearings on Clinton and Benghazi - only to silently declare "other failings" caused the tragedy (like the terrorists themselves and the Ambassador's refusal to follow orders to stay put in our actual embassy far from Benghazi). 
        We are now heading into the stretch towards the 2020 elections.  I pray that Trump and "Trumpism" is soundly defeated.  In doing so, I also hope the many that cast aside their thinking skills in favor of Trump crawl back into their hole of hypocrisy.  As George Washington once said; "All obstructions to the execution of the laws, all combinations and associations, under whatever plausible character, with the real design to direct, control, counteract, or awe the regular deliberation and action of the constituted authorities, are destructive of this fundamental principle, and of fatal tendency. They serve to organize faction, to give it an artificial and extraordinary force; to put, in the place of the delegated will of the nation the will of a party, often a small but artful and enterprising minority of the community; and, according to the alternate triumphs of different parties, to make the public administration the mirror of the ill-concerted and incongruous projects of faction, rather than the organ of consistent and wholesome plans digested by common counsels and modified by mutual interests."  Let the countdown to 2020 begin and let the Trumpians then crawl back under the rocks from whence they came.  
         Never Forget 9/11!  Have a great week!

       According to the latest polls, most Americans are dissatisfied with the job Donald Trump is doing as President (See: www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/other/trump_favorableunfavorable-5493.html). I mean, he sure is trying to JOB all of us with his lousy "winnable" trade war with China that is adding thousands to the cost of consumer goods and his foreign policy that seems to have been devised directly from the Russians. Despite this and many, many other reasons,  Trump's diehard base refuses to consider that he is not fit to be president.  By reading some supporters' comments on social media, their support appears iron-clad.  The irony?  Their belief system is heavily reliant upon information that has been piped into their systems by Trump and his media for two years via gaslighting.   
      Case in point.  A rabid Trumper recently claimed that he supports Trump because of all of the things he has done to meet his campaign promises.  On Israel - He moved the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem.  He lowered corporate taxes and regulations.  He secured our southern border with a new wall.  He clamped down on Sanctuary Cities.  He has called out "Un-American Leftists."  Great, except none of that is quite true.  You see, the US has had diplomatic offices in Jerusalem for decades, even though our embassy was in Tel Aviv.  How do I know this?  Because I've been there (more than once).  The person claiming this accomplishment?  Never set foot in the Land of Israel. 
     Second, the supporter (like most of the hypocritical GOP) used to argue the Deficit Ceiling as a tool against Obama claiming that the man was "Blowing up our deficit" all to spread Socialism (the supporter  also remains a proud "Birther").  Yet now deficits seemingly don't matter when it comes to Republicans steering the economy (back into a ditch).  The tax cuts Trump supporters seem to like don't have any positive effect on any of them.  How do I know?  Because I personally know these people and one has been living off the public dole for years while the other couldn't tell you who wrote the Constitution let alone how many Amendments there are.  Neither of them could begin to explain the difference between Socialism and Communism yet they claim somehow that only "leftists" are fascists. (See: www.cbsnews.com/news/whats-in-the-budget-deal-negotiated-by-congress-and-the-white-house/). 
      Third, another false argument they routinely make is that the Wall is being built - except no new wall is being constructed, only areas that needed updating and maintenance are being "built".  They always seem to ignore the fact that Trump promised that Mexico would pay for it.  Except now Trump says he wasn't serious when he made those claims (hundreds of times). (See:  time.com/5499391/donald-trump-border-wall-mexico-pay/  See also: www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2019/aug/30/donald-trumps-border-wall-how-much-has-really-been/). 
       Fourth, Trump has done nothing except whine when it comes to Sanctuary Cities.  Suddenly Rightwingers forget the 10th Amendment when it suits them (and all Constitutional rights too).   When I point out these rights exists for everyone, not just citizens, they simply think I am wrong or ignore the facts as presented.  
        The best one I heard this weekend though was from a couple that strongly support Trump.  You see they told me that they were walking on a sidewalk and a bicyclist demanded they move out of his way.  When they refused (bikes belong on the bike path - they have no right of way on sidewalks), the rider yelled they should "Go back to where they came from!"  The amazing part of this story was not that this happened or that it is becoming common.  The amazing part is that neither of them honestly understood why anyone would tell them such a thing.  They claimed they have no idea why anyone would tell anyone else to "go back" to somewhere other than America.  Even Trump supporters have been so gaslit they can't think where anyone would get the notion to tell someone to "leave" America because the guy didn't like their appearance or attitude - except we all know it started with Trump calling out opponents and telling them to leave. (See: www.npr.org/2019/07/15/741737426/in-tweet-trump-tells-congresswomen-to-go-back-where-they-came-from). Being clueless has taken on a whole new level when it comes to the idiocracy found on the Right with those that still support Trump.  And the response from those I tried to educate on why Trump's promises are hollow?  No response other than "I like the direction Trump is taking the country" - no other response.  Even though every claim they make in support of Trump can be demonstrably proven as false, they just default back to "He's my guy!" 
        So even though they can be shown their support for Trump is based upon a con, they still embrace him.  It always amazes me how some can't accept that they may be not only wrong, but terribly wrong.  I hope I live long enough to remind these people that their positions were not only wrong, but dangerous to our democracy.  America is not a country where the blind lead the blind.  It's time we have our collective eyes checked so that a real vision for a future America can come into proper focus.  2020 elections can't come soon enough! Try to have a great week.