Now that Thanksgiving is behind us and we have all caught up on our L-Tryptophan induced sleep, we can  look forward to all of the "fun" associated with the upcoming holidays - and the realization that we have (thus far) all survived 2017 and will be experiencing 2018 soon enough!  But this Thanksgiving was a tad different this time around.  No, we did not buy a new puppy or a new car, but we did put up a new American Flag on our house!  Yep, a flag that now proudly flies outside for all to see.  But why this "sudden" show of patriotism?  Actually, it is not that "sudden", but it is new to our Florida home.  Allow me to explain.
        Back in the days of living in Ohio, we had a neighbor that put up a flag pole to fly his American and Ohio State flags.  When he told us he was having the pole installed, I immediately offered to replace all American flags for his pole once they became too weathered.  Now don't get me wrong, we flew the Stars and Stripes from our portico, but nothing compared to a towering flag pole with lights fixed upon it for a round the clock presence.  But our Florida home did not have a place to fly a flag and poles are non-existent on our street.  The decision to install a supporting bracket to our house was made easier lately. 
         What could expedite the raising of our flag on our Florida home?  Not long ago, a neighbor known for his conservative (and somewhat skewed societal views on race and same sex marriage), began posting a "Trump, Make America Great Again" campaign sign in his front yard.  The problem?  We are not allowed under our Home Owners Association Regulations to place signs larger than a note card in our front yard - and his Trump sign far exceeded the allowed limit.  
         But it was not just the placement of the Trump sign that caught my attention.  It was the fact that while many on our community are more and more politically and socially divided, the placement of the sign became a symbol of that very division - with a dose of "in your face" along with it (his home is close to the security gates and is seen by every coming and going neighbor or visitor).  Added to this matter is the fact that many residents along our street are retired teachers who did not and do not support Mr. Trump.  That alone posed the presentation of the Trump sign as a measure of defiance to most of our neighbors.  Yet, in response most simply blew the matter off as an indication of the defensiveness of the owner with "the sign."  Kinda of an ignorant chant of "You lost, get over it" (without recognizing that Trump is unfit to serve, regardless of his election).  After all, what exactly is there to be proud of when it comes to Trump (unless you count yourself as one of his supporting cult that put the man above the interests of all Americans)?  
           About a year ago, a same sex couple moved directly next door to us from Colorado.  Both are kind and generous and wonderful additions to our street.  I wondered how they felt when the "Trump" sign was put up considering Trump supporters' low regard for LGBTQ citizens?  Coincidentally, the new couple had a bracket installed and now proudly fly the Stars and Stripes on their home.  Was this a political response to the Trump supporter or was it just a coincidence?  Not one to ignore the symbolism involved, I made it clear I too would have a bracket installed and will proudly fly the flag at my home.  Now we have two homes next to each other with flags a-flying!  With all of the ginned up controversy surrounding athletes kneeling during the National Anthem, I now find several reasons to proudly display the flag - as it represents our Country and the Constitution our liberties are based upon.   So, by flying the flag, I show my respect for the Country, the Constitution and to all Americans without publicly picking and choosing one "tribe over another!"  
           Which is the point right?  We cannot simply sustain the divisive rhetoric of the Right Wing.  We cannot allow them to systematically hijack our Country's ideals for their own political gains founded on a starvation for power over others.  We need to heal this nation and if flying the American Flag helps to bring us back together than I am all for it!  Since the two flags have been flying, the Trump sign has no longer been displayed.  Coincidence?  Perhaps.  But We the People was never intended to be "We the GOP and no one else!"
            As one-time (and seemingly long ago) presidential candidate Mitt Romney once wrote; "Good Democrats love America. Good Republicans love America. We need a leader who understands not just the words of unity but the practice of building unity."  Now if only Trump and his supporters would understand the division they seem to relish will never make America "great" but will deeply harm her instead.  Have a great week!

        Happy Thanksgiving!  Due to travel schedules, I am currently out of Florida and hope to post sometime later this week.  In the event I am not able to do so, please accept my apologies and my wishes for a safe and satisfying Thanksgiving holiday - as we all have a lot to be very thankful for!  Have a great week and be well!

       Just as the president was wrapping up his first Asian trip as Commander-In-Chief, he couldn't resist himself.  I mean, throughout the trip the president stuck very closely to prepared teleprompter generated texts so as not to embarrass his hosts or our nation.  Curiously during this recent trip, Trump praised China and its rulers, despite making it a regular practice of railing against China for their alleged abuses of trade practices.  At one point, Trump accused China of "raping" America when it came to trade practices  (See: www.cnn.com/2016/05/01/politics/donald-trump-china-rape/index.html).  Tough talk like this certainly appealed to many of his cult-like followers believing him to the the "one" to straighten everything out for America that they have been told by Right Wing Media had been so bent out of shape for so long.  China was his foreign "boogeyman" throughout the campaign and early part of his presidency when it came to trade imbalances.  Until this recent trip.
      Seems the "Gung-ho" proponent for American dominance in trade couldn't seem to muster up much of a fight when put face to face with Chinese leaders to discuss trade issues.  Instead of pursuing American dominance in trade deals, Trump proceeded to compliment China for taking advantage of America, since former presidents allowed them to do so.  Huh?  Does this mean that to Trump, if he had an opportunity to abuse someone in a business deal, it certainly would not be his fault ethically or morally because the "other side" was too stupid to stop him from conducting questioning business practices?  Is this really how Mr. Trump operates his businesses?  Is this really what Americans thought Mr. Trump was going to do to China - applaud their efforts and blame Americans themselves for trade issues? (See: abcnews.go.com/Politics/10-times-trump-attacked-china-trade-relations-us/story?id=46572567).
        I guess "America First" now means blame America first for all of our problems, regardless of their causation (or at least blame Americans he seems to have personal beefs with).  What gives?  Could it be that our president loves hyperbole but lacks the intestinal fortitude to actually lead? By taking a hard stance behind another's back and then shrinking from that stance when facing an adversary reveals a lot amount the man - and none of it is positive.  What conclusions could be reached by our adversaries when our leader lacks the moral courage to pursue his complaints and instead substitutes perceived grievances with platitudes instead?  Think I am wrong?  Then how does one further explain Trump's stated refusal to accept the conclusions of multiple American intelligence agencies that Russia actively interfered with our 2016 elections?  
     Once "off script", the President of the United States actually labeled Americans engaged in intelligence gathering to counter enemy efforts to attack America as "Political Hacks" more concerned with politics than intelligence gathering. Except every American Intelligence agency reached the same conclusion that Russia engaged a strategy to interfere with our electoral process.  In addition to every Agency, the United States Congress has also reached the same conclusion.  But not in the eyes of Donald Trump.  According to him, “I really believe that when he (Putin) tells me that, he means it . . . I think he’s very insulted, if you want to know the truth.” So the President of the United States publicly declares his belief that former KGB Agent Vladimir Putin is sincere in his denials of ordering social media and cyber attacks on American institutions as "honest" as opposed to those concluding otherwise? What? (See: www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/trump-insists-putin-means-it-in-denying-election-meddling-critics-say-thats-unconscionable/2017/11/11/af0b7c9e-c71a-11e7-afe9-4f60b5a6c4a0_story.html?hpid=hp_rhp-top-table-main_trumpputinreax8pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.1705d0b53595). But nothing seems grave enough to derail support from his cult of followers - no matter how many times he denigrates American institutions.  I doubt his supporters realize that perhaps Trump's "MAGA" slogan really means "Make America Guilty Again?" 
         As President John F. Kennedy once wrote, "Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty."  Words Mr. Trump seems to have never understood.  Have a great week!

         Another week, another move by Trump and his cult of sycophantic supporters to delegitimize a branch of government created by the Framers to ensure we can never fall under the influence of an overbearing tyrant.  Gee Rubin, what in the world are you talking about now?  After weeks of condemning professional football players for taking a knee to protest the daily failings of the criminal justice system, Trump took it upon himself to lie some more about the Judicial system (See: www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/president-donald-trump-slams-u-s-courts-too-slow-weak-n817151).   Worse yet, his cult of followers used social media to fall right in line with him to then condemn the courts.  What?  When Black athletes protest the system for inherent racial bias, they are considered "traitors" for refusing to honor America, but when the leader of the Free World disrespects the same system, it's perfectly acceptable.  Huh?
         Trump showed his true colors this week by publicly stating in an interview on Conservative radio host Peter Baker's radio show that he is "frustrated" that he cannot (as president), personally control the FBI and the Justice Department.  Seems Mr. Trump thinks the president would be able to use the Justice Department for his own personal ends. "You know, the saddest thing is that because I'm the president of the United States, I am not supposed to be involved with the Justice Department."  "I am not supposed to be involved with the FBI. I'm not supposed to be doing the kind of things that I would love to be doing.  And I'm frustrated by it."  (See: www.nytimes.com/2017/11/03/us/politics/trump-says-justice-dept-and-fbi-must-do-what-is-right-and-investigate-democrats.html).   
        If it was up to Trump (and I imagine his cult), he'd be able to single handedly jail his critics and opponents because, well in some strange way, his supporters think this is a legitimate way to run a presidency - to have absolute power over anyone they do not agree with and by silencing them with prison or expulsion from the country is a proper remedy.  Ironically, those adhering to this position believe they are exhibiting some sort of extreme patriotism without recognizing they themselves would be aligned instead with the Loyalists that opposed the American Revolution in favor of King George.  It appears to be lost on Trump and his cult that the Framers specifically established a system of checks and balances with separation of powers to be particularly suspect of anyone elected to the presidency wishing to abuse the position for personal gain through the use of criminal intimidation.  It specifically was an effort to safeguard against the type of tyranny a monarch would wield over a free people. And Trump and his cult regret not having this power?  Some "patriots"  huh? 
       Think I am mistaken?  In Federalist #78, Alexander Hamilton sold the rationale of an independent judiciary as "​The standard of good behavior for the continuance in office of the judicial magistracy, is certainly one of the most valuable of the modern improvements in the practice of government. In a monarchy it is an excellent barrier to the despotism of the prince; in a republic it is a no less excellent barrier to the encroachments and oppressions of the representative body. And it is the best expedient which can be devised in any government, to secure a steady, upright, and impartial administration of the laws."  (Emphasis added). So why do so many Trump cultists think it is a good idea for Trump to have an authority the Framers specifically protected us all against?  Is it because they slept through their history and civics classes?  Is it because they, although ignorant of the basis for the founding of our great nation, somehow believe they have a superior right to claim a higher order of "patriotism" over those they disagree with?  No matter what the rational, Trump and those that support him are dead wrong - even if they refuse to admit it.
          Before you think I am taking a too severe view of Trump's intentions when indicating his frustrations, think about all of the pre and post election rallies the man has led with chants of "lock her up!"  Just this week, Trump tweeted a demand that "Crooked Hillary" be criminally investigated (again)! "Very discouraging to me....they are not going after Hillary Clinton."  (See: www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2017/11/03/trump-pressures-justice-department-to-investigate-crooked-hillary/?utm_term=.62068613f878).   Any wonder the Framers demanded the judiciary be independent?  I know, some would argue that the judiciary is not the Justice Department or the FBI.  But using these two institutions as your personal vendetta machines is still what the Framers wanted to curtail.  And if it wasn't, it was made clear after Nixon's Watergate that the Executive not use the mechanisms of the Justice Department and FBI as extensions of their personal enforcement apparatus.  (See: www.nytimes.com/2017/06/27/magazine/how-donald-trump-misunderstood-the-fbi.html). 
        So as we enter  into the second year since the election of Trump to the White House, we are finally beginning to see the man's popularity rating head south.  According to the recent ABC/Washington Post Poll, Trumps approval rating has hit the lowest for any president after their first nine months in office.  Seems just 37% approve of Trump as president while 65% think he has done nothing productive in office (except perhaps to harm the institution itself). Now some say (see below) that's pretty good considering Congress has an approval rating below 10%, but the GOP has been in control of the House and the Senate since 2012. Does this mean the Democrats will sweep back into office in 2018?  Probably not, as the Democrats seem to take every opportunity to miss an opportunity.  (See: www.washingtonpost.com/politics/poll-trumps-performance-lags-behind-even-tepid-public-expectations/2017/11/04/35d2a912-bf4d-11e7-959c-fe2b598d8c00_story.html?utm_term=.09ab3d885068.  See also: www.wsj.com/articles/trumps-approval-rating-falls-to-lowest-level-since-taking-office-1509282048). 
          Any look at social media and Letters to the Editors reveal many still are in lock-step with Trump, no matter hell or high water.  One letter printed in today's Sarasota Herald-Tribune says it all about the members of the Trump cult; "Why is it President Trump has an average popularity rating of 39% while Congress has an average popularity rating of 13 percent? One must conclude that the president is performing almost three times better then Congress!" They go on to write, "Yet we have a president who is living up to the promises he made to the people (when did that last happen?) and he is fought by the obstructionist Democrats and his own party."  And there you have it.  A total denial of the reality facing each and every American.  Congress sucks, but that makes Trump somehow successful? What exactly has Trump done to fulfill the myriad of campaign promises the letter writer is referring to?  And this is exactly what one can expect to be written by a member of the reality-denying cult that supports Trump.  
         As Benjamin Franklin once wrote; "Being ignorant is not so much a shame, as being unwilling to learn." Before opining, perhaps actually learning American History and Civics should be required?  Have a great week!