Pondering Poetry: A Critics’ Symposium

I have to say I'm pleased and excited that my amateurish poetry has drawn some early flattering reviews.

On “Slouching Towards Bethlehem”, KanaW opined, “I think that has to be my favourite poem ever. So evocative.”

I replied.

“KanaW ,

Thank you so much. I rarely write poems. When I do, they just spontaneously emerge from some inspiration or agitation. I think it reaches into how so many of us feel, and how we view these times of peril to truth, democracy and our Constitutional republic.

It is painful to witness corporate personhood unleashed, and the corruption and destruction the ravaging powers of wealth have inflicted on our laws, land, air, water, and people.

It is horrifying to see that corrupt power of wealth requires, and enlists, support from the worst crooked businessmen, racists, white nationalists, religious hypocrites, and every other person indoctrinated by the FOX/Trump cult.”

I also believe it evokes the thoughts, feelings and impressions of many good people in these dark times that try men’s souls.

Reader Mike T. offered his enlightened review as well.

“Well the good news is that Pelosi won't be speaker after 2020 so the lies and hate should abate somewhat. Good poem though. It captures the rage, anger, and lies of the left perfectly. :)”

Such a joker, that guy. I had to express my appreciation.

Mike,

Thank you. You are indeed one of the few who “get it” when it comes to poetry.

Yes, you’re right about the anger, hate and lies from the Speaker. It was so vile of her to question the legitimacy and birthright of a black president. And then she blatantly threatened her opponent with jail in a debate. No wonder you couldn’t avoid seeing the hate and lies from that woman.

I'm sure you agree that time when Nancy told those women of color to go back to "where they came from" was utterly unacceptable from one of our nation's leaders. That raging hatred was expressed in every white racist's favorite attack on minorities. 

And how treacherous was it of her to cheat on our democracy by inviting and welcoming Russian help in 2016? She followed up by obstructing an investigation into over a hundred meetings between her campaign and Russians. And remember how she lied about having “nothing to do with Russia”, as she was secretly negotiating a deal for Pelosi Tower in Moscow? Horrible. 

She then went on to side with Putin against her own intelligence agencies in Helsinki. It was the least she could do, after giving Russians exclusive access to the Oval Office, dismissing their election interference, and bragging about firing the FBI director to end an investigation, while sharing highly classified secrets. Putin must indeed love his puppet Pelosi.

And recall when Speaker Pelosi broke an election campaign law by paying for a porn star’s silence. That must certainly offend your Christian values. It was just as offensive as the time she said there were “very fine people” marching with tiki torches in Charlottesville.

Soliciting foreign help in the 2016 election paid off so well, she decided to cheat again by breaking the law and violating the Constitution by putting the squeeze on the president of Ukraine. This time she openly bribed a foreign leader by withholding military aid, until the Ukrainian president announced a trumped up investigation into her political opponent.

That wasn't all. The Speaker went on TV to invite China to investigate her opponent too.

I’m sure that outraged you as well. But did it outrage you as much as when the Speaker defied our Constitution’s checks and balances by refusing to comply with lawful subpoenas and obstructing a duty clearly specified in said Constitution? I share your outrage, sir.

And no doubt you are furious that the Speaker taunted a recently widowed woman and mocked her late husband at her rally in Battle Creek. Is there nothing too low for her? No wonder good Christians despise her, and the devout Christian president said he would pray for her.

Only our Orange Savior can save America from this evil.

I'm so pleased you completely grasped every nuance of my poem.

I must say you remind me of an old blog buddy who regarded himself a purveyor of Common Sense. I remember he agreed that our dear president was morally unfit for office. That was just before he closed his blog with praise for the president “making America great again”.

By the looks of the anonymously submitted angry poem filled with the president’s insults for democrats and journalists, I see another similarity with the man who loves Common Sense. Just as he did once before, he imitated a post of mine. Last time he copied my entire piece, substituting a few selectively chosen names and terms. I thanked this person for the sincerest form of flattery, and do so again.

If he wants his latest deplorable poem published, I suggest he re-open his blog, but I doubt he would. I suspect he still can’t take the criticism that I welcome.

Me And Gohmert

For once I agree 

With crazy Louie 

Gohmert did say

And may be right

“This country’s end 

is now in sight”

Slouching Towards Bethlehem

Remembering W. B. Yeats and "The Second Coming".

Slouching Towards Bethlehem

Dulled and lulled by lying leaders and platitudes

Numbing us all and clouding our thoughts with

Monotonous tired clichés and trivial drivel

When mediocrity ascends, something worse is sure to follow

Decency and reason are soon cast aside

Deceit, blame, anger and hate are unleashed

And together they rage across the land

Distorted vision darkens souls with resentment

And a stand for truth draws wrath from the believers of lies

The Second Bill Of Rights

Are there any Democrats left out there? I mean REAL Democrats.

What I mostly see is a decrepit old gang of wealthy, centrist, corporatist insiders, ready to bargain away our safety nets, our healthcare, our labor rights and every other public good the Republicans are bent on destroying. I see “centrists” and “moderates” who believe in compromise, with the uncompromising, authoritarian party of McConnell and Trump. This has only resulted in steering our country ever further to the Right. They have not yet learned that compromise with authoritarians is not compromise. It is appeasement. It is capitulation. It is as compromising as paying ransom to kidnappers is.

Republicans must be defeated, not appeased. They know it is a long game. Most Democrats do not. 

The Republican Party used to be conservative. Now it is a bastion of oligarchic, white nationalist, authoritarian con-servatism, at war with truth, equality, and democracy.

Remember Bush Junior’s speechwriter David Frum’s rare insight. 

“Maybe you do not much care about the future of the Republican Party. You should. Conservatives will always be with us. If conservatives become convinced that they cannot win democratically, they will not abandon conservatism. They will reject democracy.”

Ergo, con-servatism.

Who remains standing against this war on democracy?

By appeasing the Right, Democrats have been following the authoritarian path away from democracy.

Look at how war crimes, torture and lies leading to the Iraq war were not investigated. Nobody was held accountable. Obama “looked forward”. 

Look at the Great Recession caused by Wall Street swindlers that hurt so many Americans, still trying to recover. Most of the swindlers got paid back. And again, nobody was held accountable.

Republicans have gotten away with so many crimes and scams, they are no longer accountable under a system of so-called checks and balances. Bush Junior saw the Constitution as just a “damn piece of paper” and acted accordingly. 

Now the entire Party of Trump is regurgitating Putin’s propaganda and condoning foreign interference in our elections. Since the breakup of the Soviet Union, the US is becoming more like Putin’s oligarchic Russia than Russia is becoming a democracy.

Khrushchev told us, “We will bury you”. Putin kept that promise, by extorting and owning Trump and now the Republican Party.

At long last House Democrats are impeaching the corrupt criminal in the Oval Office. But does that make them real Democrats? Hell, real Republican patriots would support the impeachment, but they are extinct. It is now the Party of Putin. The GOP is the Government Of Putin.

Putinism has essentially become the Republican ideology. Putinism is a rancid mix of white nationalism, authoritarianism, intolerance, and epistemological nihilism. Putinism is destruction of journalism and truth. It is denial of science. It is a pseudo-populist thuggery on a massive scale, infecting Europe and the Americas

Who opposes it? Who stands for a democratic republic?

There is no party of real Democrats, any more than there is a party of real Republicans anymore. Both parties owe their allegiance to the CEO oligarchs of Wall Street, Energy, Pharma, and Health Insurance. Corporate lawyers have been writing our laws. Their company insiders and lobbyists have become top level Cabinet secretaries, and are their own “regulators”.

The oligarchs are beyond regulation and accountability to the public. They are avoiding taxes, while reaping our tax dollars in socialized corporate welfare subsidies. They have been dismantling our Constitutional Republic and replacing it with a neo-liberal corporatist oligarchy.

Constitutional taxes are being eliminated. Constitutional regulation of commerce is being eliminated. Constitutional provision for the general welfare is being eliminated.

Who stands athwart this grand corporate coup? Who defends our Constitution? Who represents “we the people”?

This is why we need from real Democrats.

You may be wondering, “So just what is a REAL Democrat? Who are they?”

There are a few. Bernie is a real democrat, but not a member of the Democratic Party. This fact itself is telling.

There are a few more. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan are real Democrats.

The “Squad” of young women of color are still representing the heart and soul of what used to be a Democratic Party. Now these real Democrats are scorned by corporate media and corpo-dems as “too far left” and out on the “fringe”.

They are neither. In fact, they represent the preferences of most Americans.

64% of Americans support stricter gun laws.

70% support Medicare for All.

61% support a woman’s right to choose.

75% believe humans burning hydrocarbons are to blame for climate change.

65% believe the winner of the popular vote should be President.

They are not “too far left”, and we are not the “fringe”. We’re the majority.

Time for a history lesson, kids.

Back when the US was actually becoming greater, emerging from a Great Depression, new and better ideas were implemented in Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal.

People went back to work in public service jobs, building infrastructure and planting trees. Unions were growing and workers found representation at the bargaining table. They were getting better pay and benefits, while working conditions were improving. Social Security was established.

Of course Republicans and oligarchs hated this “power to the people” concept. This resulted in their flooding media with lies and propaganda intended to subvert and demolish the Constitutional general welfare of the public. They are destroying everything real democrats have built.

But we had real Democrats working for the people back when America was becoming great.

It’s time to remind our fellow citizens and our representatives and senators what a real Democrat stands for:

From FDR’s State of the Union Message to Congress.

January 11, 1944

It is our duty now to begin to lay the plans and determine the strategy for the winning of a lasting peace and the establishment of an American standard of living higher than ever before known. We cannot be content, no matter how high that general standard of living may be, if some fraction of our people—whether it be one-third or one-fifth or one-tenth- is ill-fed, ill-clothed, ill housed, and insecure.

This Republic had its beginning, and grew to its present strength, under the protection of certain inalienable political rights—among them the right of free speech, free press, free worship, trial by jury, freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures. They were our rights to life and liberty.

As our Nation has grown in size and stature, however—as our industrial economy expanded—these political rights proved inadequate to assure us equality in the pursuit of happiness.

We have come to a clear realization of the fact that true individual freedom cannot exist without economic security and independence. "Necessitous men are not free men." People who are hungry and out of a job are the stuff of which dictatorships are made.

In our day these economic truths have become accepted as self-evident. We have accepted, so to speak, a second Bill of Rights under which a new basis of security and prosperity can be established for all regardless of station, race, or creed.

Among these are:

The right to a useful and remunerative job in the industries or shops or farms or mines of the Nation;

The right to earn enough to provide adequate food and clothing and recreation;

The right of every farmer to raise and sell his products at a return which will give him and his family a decent living;

The right of every businessman, large and small, to trade in an atmosphere of freedom from unfair competition and domination by monopolies at home or abroad;

The right of every family to a decent home;

The right to adequate medical care and the opportunity to achieve and enjoy good health;

The right to adequate protection from the economic fears of old age, sickness, accident, and unemployment;

The right to a good education.

All of these rights spell security. And after this war is won we must be prepared to move forward, in the implementation of these rights, to new goals of human happiness and well-being.

~~~

There you have it, from our first Anti-Fascist and first real Democrat. Now let's take back our party. 

"Our Donald Ivanovych"

While gathering quotes from Republicans for my previous piece, I came across this snippet from last year:

July 11, 2018: Association for Euro-Atlantic Cooperation President Tatyana Parkhalina told the Russian State TV “60 Minutes” news program, “I never thought I’d live to see this! Neither the USSR nor Russia, who tried many times to drive the wedge between transatlantic allies, but Washington is doing everything to break down the foundations of transatlantic alliance and unity.”

It certainly seems like the Russians have been celebrating a spectacular victory over the last few years.

Turns out, they have. In fact, Russians have been as deliriously giddy over there as Trump’s fanatic cult of followers have been over here. We may also observe Russian State TV looks, and sounds, amazingly similar to American FOX(R) State TV.

Imagine that.

Out of a perhaps not-so-healthy sense of curiosity, I thought I’d break out the vodka, pull up a chair, and look in on the festivities over on the other side of the world. 

I cordially invite everyone else with a not-so-healthy sense of humor, or healthy liver, to take this in with me.

I’d like to dedicate the remaining space here to share some of the high spirited, euphoric, Russian squat dancing kind of good times they’re having.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

From:

"Russia Laughs: Is He Their President Or Ours?"

“Have you lost your minds that you want to remove our Donald Ivanovych?” asked popular talk show host Vladimir Soloviev

Olga Skabeeva, host of that Russian 60 Minutes show, is quoted making a confident prediction: “A Republican majority in the Senate won’t allow the president whom we elected, wonderful Donald Trump, to be sent off. It’s impossible. He has 90 percent support in the Republican Party.”

Karen Shakhnazarov, who frequently appears on Russian TV: “They say Trump is making Russia great. That’s basically accurate. The chaos brought by Trump into the American system of government is weakening the United States. America is getting weaker and now Russia is taking its place in the Middle East. Suddenly, Russia is starting to seriously penetrate Africa … So when they say that Trump is weakening the United States — yes, he is. And that’s why we love him … The more problems they have, the better it is for us.”

~~~~~~~~~~

From:

"Russian politician: US spies slept while Russia elected Trump"

Vyacheslav Nikonov, a member of the lower house of the Russian parliament, the Duma, made the snarky reference to Russian interference in the 2016 US election on Sunday during a weekly political show called "Sunday Evening with Vladimir Solovyov."

"(To achieve world dominance) the US overextended themselves," Nikonov said. "Because the most recent tendencies, economical, military, even tendencies in the intelligence (services) which slept through while Russia elected a new US president."

"It's just ridiculous, what kind of intelligence in the USA one can even talk about?" he added. "The US sagged in all these aspects for the past two decades. This superpower is losing its ability to define the world."

~~~~~~~~~~

From:

"Russian TV boasts about electing Trump ahead of summit with Putin"

Russia 24, a government-funded network covering domestic and international news, criticised the issue of cyber security being included in Mr Putin’s planned discussions with American officials. In the same segment, Russian news analysts also derided CNN and one of its shows, The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer, for its coverage of the election hacking. 

"Cyber security is a topic for this summit because what are the main accusations that we hear in the past years from the American side?" A Russia 24 analyst said. ”That our great and terrible Russian hackers invaded the American space."

The analyst went on to say Americans viewed the alleged hacking as “aggression against the country” and believed the Russian government “caused some trouble there.”

“What trouble did we cause?” he asked. “We just elected Trump, that’s all.”

~~~~~~~~~~~

From:

"Russia’s Fingerprints Are All Over Trump’s Ukraine Whistleblower Scandal"

Russia's state TV names Joe Biden as "Trump's most dangerous rival," host Dmitry Kiselyov says Trump should keep digging in Ukraine for "the sweetest" kompromat of all: "proving that Ukraine—not Russia—interfered in the U.S. elections." 
— Julia Davis (@JuliaDavisNews) September 15, 2019

Russia's state TV host Olga Skabeeva says that since Ukraine took the money from the U.S., it is now obligated to deliver the kompromat on Biden.
Panelist asks her: "Are you on Trump's or Russia's side, Olga?"
Skabeeva responds: "We elected him!"

Sergei Markov, an analyst close to the Kremlin, appeared on 60 Minutes and publicly directed Trump to pressure a specific official within the U.S. State Department—Deputy Assistant Secretary in the European and Eurasian Bureau George Kent—to extract the elusive Biden kompromat.

Pro-government experts on the nightly television show The Evening with Vladimir Soloviev have been openly rooting for the supposed scandal in Ukraine to “kill Biden” politically, and allow Trump “to disprove” Russia’s interference in the 2016 U.S. elections, and destroy the heart of the Democratic Party in the process.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Oh, my...

They certainly don't need to ask our president twice for help on that front.

To aid in the final triumph over our elections and opposition party, the Trump Cartel has embraced and promoted Putin’s propaganda narrative that blames Ukraine for the 2016 election interference. At an economic forum in the Russian capital, Putin expressed gratitude to all his loyal Republicans who parroted his discredited conspiracy theory. Some even did so at the public impeachment hearings, no less.

For the last word, we quote the man behind the curtain, the KGB’s puppet master who won the greatest victory ever over American democracy, security, reputation, and stability, Vlad the Victor.  

“Thank God, no one is accusing us of interfering in the U.S. elections anymore; now they’re accusing Ukraine."

Welcome Republicans and Veterans

A month ago I concluded a piece with, “Please note, apart from a cartoon dog, I’m only quoting FOX News, Republicans, and the military in this post. How about that?”

I thought I’d repeat that theme with some more quotes from current Republicans and former Republicans who left the cult. And to commemorate Veterans Day, I include patriotic high ranking members of the military. Of course this rules out a certain general named Flynn.

~~~~~

“Never let yourself be persuaded that any one Great Man, any one leader, is necessary to the salvation of America. When America consists of one leader and 158 million followers, it will no longer be America.”

"In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists, and will persist."- Dwight D. Eisenhower

=

“Maybe you do not much care about the future of the Republican Party. You should. Conservatives will always be with us.If conservatives become convinced that they cannot win democratically, they will not abandon conservatism. They will reject democracy.”– David Frum

=

“It's said if you're not a liberal when you're twenty, you have no heart; if you're not a conservative when you're forty, you have no head. I'd add, at least in my case: If you're not rethinking some conservative orthodoxies in your sixties, you haven't been learning from life.” - Bill Kristol

=

“I’m a conservative, but I have no doubt that Donald Trump’s actual authoritarianism is a much bigger threat to this country than any of the Democrat’s hoped-for socialism. Put another way: I’m way more afraid of a dictator than I am of a guaranteed jobs program or free college.” – Former Rep. Joe Walsh

=

Trump: “Read the Transcript!” Justin Amash: “Read the Constitution.”

“Libertarians, constitutional conservatives, and classical liberals believe in protecting whistleblowers to expose government corruption. Trump Republicans believe in exposing whistleblowers to protect government corruption.” - Justin Amash

=

“There’s two people I think Putin pays: Rohrabacher and Trump.” Kevin McCarthy (R-CA)

=

"These are, in today's Republican party, spineless politicians rotten to the core without virtue, without any level of human integrity, devoid of self respect... Without courage and without the moral compass to recognize their own malevolence"- Former Rep. David Jolly

=

How can we not include Lindsay Graham representing the Republican Party's politically-corrected, reformed, and enlightened views on Trump?

2015: "Here’s what you’re buying: He’s a race-baiting, xenophobic religious bigot. He doesn’t represent my party. He doesn’t represent the values that the men and women who wear the uniform are fighting for."

2018: "He’s not, in my view, a racist by any stretch of the imagination. I have never heard him make a single racist statement. Not even close." 

=

“...I could remember a time when Republicans thought about ideas and enjoyed those good-spirited and consequential debates. It seems that time is gone, replaced by a race to the bottom to see who can be meaner and madder and crazier.

It is not enough to be conservative anymore. You have to be vicious. ... But in the election of 2016, our side outdid itself. It helps if you ascribe the absolute worst motives to your opponents, traffic in outlandish conspiracy theories, abandon reason and any old-fashioned notions of the common good, and  have an unquenchable appetite for destruction.  But Donald Trump is not the source code for our obsession for the politics of personal destruction. Our crisis has many fathers. Among them is Newt Gingrich, the modern progenitor of that school of politics.” From Jeff Flake’s “Conscience of a Conservative”:

=

“If our promises are meaningless, how will our allies ever trust us? If we can't have faith in our nation's principles, why would the men and women of this nation join the military. And if they don't join, who will protect us? If we are not the champions of the good and the right, then who will follow us? And if no one follows us — where will the world end up?

They have seen our leaders stand beside despots and strongmen, preferring their government narrative to our own. They have seen us abandon our allies and have heard the shouts of betrayal from the battlefield. As I stood on the parade field at Fort Bragg, one retired four-star general, grabbed my arm, shook me and shouted, 'I don't like the Democrats, but Trump is destroying the Republic!'

Those words echoed with me throughout the week."  From "Our Republic Is Under Attack From the President" by Retired US Navy Adm. William McRaven.

=

"I was concerned by the call. I did not think it was proper to demand that a foreign government investigate a U.S. citizen, and I was worried about the implications for the U.S. government's support of Ukraine. I realized that if Ukraine pursued an investigation into the Bidens and Burisma, it would likely be interpreted as a partisan play which would undoubtedly result in Ukraine losing the bipartisan support it has thus far maintained.This would all undermine U.S. national security. Following the call, I again reported my concerns to NSC's lead counsel." 

"I am a patriot, and it is my sacred duty and honor to advance and defend OUR country, irrespective of party or politics." - Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman

(For a special blast from the past, showing how the worst authoritarians never evolve:)

“Don’t confuse me with the facts. I’ve got a closed mind...I’m going to stick with my president. (Nixon, 1974) – Rep. Earl Landgrebe (R)IN 

 ===

And for laughs, let’s hear from the psychotic Cult 45 peanut gallery:

“I see it as harassment, quite frankly,” Gail Sonatore of Middletown, New Jersey, said of the House Democrats’ impeachment inquiry. “I don’t think he’s done anything. I understand his tone — nobody likes that tone. But when you’re dealing with Marxists, what are you supposed to do? Just take it? Republicans have for a long time been called racist, fascist, sexist and greedy. And I think that’s why they support Donald Trump.” 

(Don’t you love that victim card and inadvertent admission of their true nature?)

=

"Trump is highly biblical, and I would say to your listeners, we will in all likelihood never see a more godly, biblical president again in our lifetime.” Michele Bachmann, R-Minnesota

=

“Donald is funny, playful, and colorful, but most of all, he is honest.” Jon Voight

=

“I have every right and authority to declare the White House as holy ground because I was standing there and where I stand is holy.”  Shyster preacher Paula White, “spiritual adviser” to the Big MAGAt

===

On second thought, maybe this mass madness is amusing only to those of us with a sick sense of humor.

Last, but not least, I quote the Big MAGAt (BM) himself on his ‘victimhood” and his chilling, sinister, and absolutely Orwellian declaration:

“There's never been a time in the history of our country where somebody was so mistreated as I have been."

“What you’re seeing and what you’re reading is not what’s happening.”

~~~~~~~

In conclusion, I refer the reader back to Eisenhower, the last honest Republican president.

A Sports Metaphor

First we saw smiles and hand clapping. Then we saw an orange face turn red. And we saw another smiling face, wilting at the realization of  an imminent tantrum.

Something tells me America has one less baseball fan.

Maybe he was expecting his “Mussolini balcony” moment at a World Series game.

Maybe he was expecting a hero’s welcome, (after betraying Kudish allies). He certainly didn’t credit them for their help in the war on ISIS and the mission to kill their leader.

Maybe he didn’t understand there was a good proportion of immigrants down on that field.

What the Big MAGAt didn’t expect was the most spectacular strikeout in baseball history.

First there was the banner that read, “Impeach Trump”.

Strike one!

Then the chorus of thousands booing him.

Strike two!

Finally the chants, “Lock him up! Lock him up!”

Strike three! Yer out!

What he heard was the voice of the people instead of his cult.

There’s nothing like an unscripted, spontaneous, and very audible, poll. The Big MAGAt had to have felt that in his “perfect gut”.

"Lock him up!"

This is what we should be chanting in the streets until he's gone.

I've never been a big fan of baseball. However I just became a big fan of baseball fans.

God bless America's baseball fans!

Tainted History

When I was young I was always reading books on the Civil War, WWI and WWII. I even wanted to be a Marine aviator. My early militarism and authoritarian tendencies met reality when my older brother served in Vietnam. 

War wasn’t so cool anymore. I learned to ask questions.

I learned my father watched for U-boats while crossing the Atlantic. I learned my father-in-law served with Patton’s Third Army in the Ardennes, earning a Purple Heart and Bronze Star.

I still love reading military history. It started after I read “All Quiet On the Western Front”, the great German anti-war novel of the First World War. It was duly burned by the Nazis.

I recently read an article in World War II History magazine about euthanasia and eugenics. As we know, Hitler implement the worst of racial purity measures. Sadly it wasn’t just Hitler who wanted to breed out, sterilize, or euthanize the unfortunates and marginalized of humanity. Thankfully we have largely evolved beyond this cruelty.

When reading the article by Charles Sasser I couldn’t help noticing certain biased elements that had nothing to do with euthanasia or eugenics. I smelled a MAGAt.

After going to his website, my suspicion was confirmed. He flew his true colors.

“...I concede that our nation was fortunate to have elected Donald Trump to the White House; I strongly support him and his policies of Make America Great Again, and now Keep America Great. 

Doctor Carson would not have made a good president; he is simply too decent, too humble, too nice for politics—especially if you compare him to the gaggle of foolish Democrats now shrieking from podiums in their efforts to foster socialism upon the nation."

He's a military guy. I wonder if he can explain how a "stable genius" betraying our Kurdish allies on Putin's birthday, to the delight of liberated ISIS enemies, makes America so great. 

I doubt my comment will be published, so I thought I’d share it here.

~~~~

I just read your article on eugenics in WWII History magazine. You bring to light important information. Thank you for that.

However, you also added clearly partisan and biased digs against Democrats, who served honorably in the war against fascism.

History is important, and is best written without political bias polluting the narrative. History is often easily perverted when used as a propaganda tool, whether by the Left or Right.

I thought I'd learn more about you. Just as I thought, you are at Trump loyalist.

You were making political points that had nothing to do with eugenics.

For some reason you needed to cite Hitler claiming the New Deal was “American fascism”. Why? Was it really? No. That had nothing to do with eugenics.

You also suggested JFK was a fan of Hitler. He was not. What the 20 year old admired was how Hitler “made Germany great again” in 1937. At that time he had no experience of the evils of German white nationalist racism. Remember his capitalist father, like fellow capitalist Henry Ford, had the affinity for Hitler.

And JFK had nothing to do with eugenics. See the pattern here?

Your deflections seem motivated by your politics, sir. In fact JFK’s idol was Churchill. Did you ignore this intentionally?

Kennedy predicted "Hitler will emerge from the hatred that surrounds him now as one of the most significant figures who ever lived".

Let's face facts. American Nazis, white nationalists and racists are all in for Trump. He claimed there were "very fine people" carrying those tiki torches. David Duke got the message.

Let’s also not ignore the tyrannical leaders our president openly admires most. Putin. Kim. Dutarte. Erdogan. MBS.

It would be amusing to note your mention of a "too decent" Republican in Trump's circle, if not for the utter blindness to the gross indecency, corruption, and dishonesty of Trump.

The howls about "socialism" from an authoritarian ideology that deems the political opposition and the free press as the "enemies of the people" adds the ironic icing to the cake.

A common trait among those with the loudest voices against “socialism” is their inability to see their own inclinations towards National Socialism. And it ain’t about public healthcare.

I pray for your party's reform before they allow the destruction of our American values and our democratic republic.

~~~

Will my remarks be published, or go down the “memory hole”? History is a fragile thing.

They Die For Trump Towers Istanbul

The Big MAGAt had this to say in a 2015 interview with Steve Bannon, then chairman of Breitbart News.

“I have a little conflict of interest because I have a major, major building in Istanbul. It’s a tremendously successful job. It’s called Trump Towers — two towers, instead of one, not the usual one, it’s two.”

As the blood spills from more innocents in Syria, the Tangerine Tyrant deflects from his greedy conflict of interest and “rationalizes” with this garbage.

“The Kurds are fighting for their land, just so you understand, and somebody wrote a very, very powerful article today. They didn't help us in the Second World War, they didn't help us with Normandy as an example, they mentioned names of different battles. But they're there to help us with their land and that's a different thing. In addition to that we—we have spent tremendous amounts of money on helping the Kurds in terms of ammunition, in terms of weapons, in terms of money, in terms of pay, with all of that being said, we like the Kurds.”

He got that lie about Kurds from another Breitbart white nationalist. Kurds really did serve with the British in the Second World War. Nobody in the Trump family “helped us with Normandy”, of course. Nor did any of them serve the US in any war, or in any other way. 

Let's also remember Russian Communists took the most casualties in WWII, and by doing so helped spare the lives of countless thousands of Americans.

The Breitbart white nationalist tells us in his “very, very powerful article”

all Kurds should be punished because some are communists. They also helped in the war on ISIS.

“Moreover, all Kurds are not equal. The PKK – the Kurdistan Workers' Party – are a bunch of commie terrorists who have been fighting the Turks for a long time.”

Yes, they have, because they want independence. You know like the American Founders.

These con-servative white nationalists really love dictators so much they would have sided with Hitler. Hitler was a white nationalist racist who hated socialists and commies, opposed abortion, and made Germany great again, so he was their kind of guy all the way.

Now let’s hear from our troops on the ground. I want you to see what Jennifer Griffin the National Security Correspondent for Fox News tweeted:

~~~

I just spoke to a distraught US Special Forces soldier who is among the 1000 or so US troops in Syria tonight who is serving alongside the SDF Kurdish forces. It was one of the hardest phone calls I have ever taken. "I am ashamed for the first time in my career."

This veteran US Special forces soldier has trained indigenous forces on multiple continents. He is on the frontlines tonight and said they are witnessing Turkish atrocities. "Turkey is not doing what it agreed to. It's horrible," this military source on the ground told me.

“We met every single security agreement. The Kurds met every single agreement. There was NO threat to the Turks - NONE - from this side of the border." "This is insanity," the concerned US service member told me. ""I don't know what they call atrocities but they are happening."

This American soldier told me the Kurds have not left their positions guarding the ISIS prisoners. In fact "they prevented a prison break last night without us." "They are not abandoning our side (yet)." The Kurds are "pleading for our support." We are doing "nothing."

Troops on the ground in Syria and their commanders were "surprised" by the decision Sunday night. Of the President's decision: "He doesn't understand the problem. He doesn't understand the repercussions of this. Erdogan is an Islamist, not a level headed actor."

According to this US soldier on the ground tonight in Syria: "The Kurds are as close to Western thinking in the Middle East as anyone. "It's a shame. It's horrible." "This is not helping the ISIS fight." Re: ISIS prisoners: "Many of them will be free in the coming days and weeks." 
~~~ 

The Tangerine Tyrant seems to take delight in threatening to flood Europe with more ISIS nuts.

Whose side is our president really on?

And even Mitt Romney is growing a spine and sense of decency.

“Reports indicate Turkey is predictably attacking the Kurdish allies we abandoned. It’s a tragic loss of life among friends shamefully betrayed. We can only hope the President’s decision does not lead to even greater loss of life and a resurgence of ISIS.”

What’s next?

A recent Fox News Poll shows:

51% want Trump impeached & removed from office

4% want him impeached but not removed

40% oppose impeachment altogether

Do you think the Trump administration is more corrupt, less corrupt, or about as corrupt as previous administrations?

More corrupt: 51%

Less corrupt: 27%

About as corrupt: 18%

“Ruh, roh!”

Please note, apart from a cartoon dog, I’m only quoting FOX News, Republicans, and the military in this post. How about that?

The Fall of Donald Trump?

I’m a bit of an old-fashioned hot head. I thought an election campaign crime like paying hush money to a porn star was more than enough grounds for impeachment.

How silly and naive of me. So I watched. And I waited.

It was just last Monday I was griping about waiting for a real impeachment inquiry. The wait was becoming as endlessly long as waiting for Godot.

Then suddenly this week turned out to be different.

Hey, the squeaky wheel, amirite?

It’s been a long, long wait from back when House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said, “Impeachment is off the table”. Finally on Tuesday September 24, 2019 the Speaker arrived. "The times have found us. The actions taken to date by the President have seriously violated the Constitution. It is for this reason that the House of Representatives is moving forward with an official impeachment inquiry." 

We remember it all started when the guy who wanted to build Trump Tower Moscow said, “Russia, if you’re listening...”

Russia listened, all right. And they offered their help. And their help was eagerly welcomed.

And he got away with it.

We’ve recently learned more about Trump’s private Oval Office party with Russian agents. He seems to have told them he had no problem with their interfering in the 2016 election. This was proven later in Helsinki, when Putin’s Puppet sided with his Kremlin master in denying the same interference that he openly welcomed. We already know he bragged about ending the investigation of Russian election interference by firing Comey.

So Mueller investigated. He found lots of friendly contacts between the Trump people and Russians. He listed case after case of Trump’s witness tampering and acts to obstruct the Russia investigation.

And he got away with all of that too. Astoundingly, no impeachment inquiry was initiated, even after the Mueller Report.

Immediately after the Great Mueller Testimony Fizzle, the emboldened Con-Man-in-Chief proceeded to the next round of his campaign crime spree with, “Ukraine, if you’re listening."

After all of the crime, corruption and yes, collusion with Russia, it finally came down to Don the Con making the squeeze play, "I will say that we do a lot for Ukraine... I would like you to do us a favor”.

This episode was a classic gangster shakedown by the Mob Boss President.

This sleazy crime against democracy would still be hidden if not for a very brave American’s loyalty to our Constitution and truth.

Thanks to a patriotic whistleblower, we know about his latest crimes: Seeking foreign assistance in an election, and covering up the evidence by hiding the communications where only national security secrets are kept.

We can only imagine the shady, self-serving, crooked deals he has going with dictators like Putin, and Kim Jong Un, or with family friend and fellow gangster Saudi dictator Mohammed bin Salman.

We can only hope justice eventually shines its light on these yet to be revealed betrayals and treacheries.

By now I’m wondering. Do any rational people still think impeachment will boost Trump's reelection odds?

The Fall of Donald Trump could be more imminent than we think. There are cracks in the dam. The process has begun. Witnesses are being subpoenaed. More testimony, facts and evidence will be presented to the American people.

Don the Con is coming unglued. More rats are leaving the sinking ship. Smart Republicans are having to decide quickly if they don't want to go down with him. 

At this point, abetting high crimes and misdemeanors should be seen as a losing position. At minimum, any remaining support for the Big MAGAt will reveal the extent of corruption within the Republican Party.

This will be their last call to reject or embrace the moral rot of Donald Trump.

The long sordid tale of treachery and betrayal is winding down. There will still be inglorious acts of Republican sycophancy, along with presidential tantrums, or even further acts of destruction upon our democratic republic. 

This chapter in American history is one of fear, loathing, and presidential crime and corruption. It won’t be entirely over for another long wait, and after an even longer recovery.

The cult of Trumpism and white nationalism will still be around. It may disperse or go underground, but it will seethe and stew in its hate as long as we have racism’ and ignorance in the nation’s white population. The ugly extremism of white nationalism will always be in our far Right authoritarians.

But we are making steps to remove at least one of those authoritarian leaders. This is good.

It’s been a grinding and degrading course of events for our country, from “Russia, if you’re listening”, to “Ukraine, if you’re listening”. After his latest blatant crime, this long dark chapter of American history might finally be reaching its end.

I’m willing to be optimistic for a change. But then again, I’ve been silly and naive before.