Sunday, February 19, 2017

Russians and The Poor Misunderstood Trump Voter

Living in France, we’re 6 hours ahead of the U. S. east coast so election night I went to bed while the polls were still open, pretty confident the next morning I wake up to the first woman President. My wife Cynthia, however, didn’t share my confidence and, unable to sleep, was up half the night keeping track of the results. Around 5 a.m. I was awakened to. “You gotta get up!That assholes gonna win and I can watch it by myself.” 

We have access to a couple of U.S. news channels here but Europeans were almost as concerned about this election as we were so finding the election results was not a problem. The winner hadn’t yet been declared but it was obvious Hillary couldn’t win and I found myself with the same feeling of dread as on September 11. From now on, nothing would be the same again and the change in America and Americans wasn’t going to be good. This time, though, instead of thousands of non-existent Muslim in Jersey City cheering the collapse of the Twin Towers, it’s millions of Americans cheering the potential collapse of American democracy.

After a month of this train wreck, dumpster fire, cluster-fuck the feeling has only gotten worse. The only news I’ve read that could be construed as a silver lining in all of this is that, with the official closing of SarahPAC, we might finally be rid once and for all of one right-wing moron.

Speaking of morons, it should be obvious by now, even to the dimmest bulb,  not only does SCROTUS not seem to have a very good brain but is in fact proving to be a complete fucking imbecile. The leaks pouring out of the White House seem to designed to expose precisely that.

There is so much shit coming in already that it’s overwhelming and I can’t even remember where I’ve read what. None of it is anything less than frightening and depressing. If there is a positive aspect, apart from the aforementioned demise of the Alaskan airhead, it’s that a shitload of non-Republicans are finally being roused out of their inattention. Unfortunately, we’re so far in a hole that it doesn’t look good anytime soon, considering that even if SCROTUS is impeached, resigns, is deposed or drops dead, the GOP still controls everything and probably will for the foreseeable future.

What I find most disturbing is that non-Rebublicans seem to be the only ones concerned with this administrations cozy relationship with the Russians. I’m glad I don’t have to talk to any right-wingers but I would like to ask all the folks who voted Republican based on national security issues why Hillary’s emails are worse than Mike Flynn’s dealings with the Russians? By the way, both Republicans in Congress who are responsible for investigating ethics and national security issues, Chaffetz and Nunes, say they have no intention of investigating Flynn.

And it just keeps getting worse. For at least the past 25 years, Republicans have been impugning the patriotism of the Democrats. In fact, I seem to recall a lot of talk about Barack Obama probably being a communist. Now we have indications of a shady relationship between the Russians and the President of the United States and all Republicans can say is, “Nothing to see here, folks. Move along.” Furthering their agenda is more important than national security. Rand Paul admitted as much.


Today in the NY Times, I read an op-ed titled “Are liberals helping Trump?” and it was one more hand wringing look at the misunderstood SCROTUS voter. Has anybody ever seen a sympathetic account of conservatives trying to understand liberals? I didn’t think so. And why is everyone opposed to SCROTUS and conservatives automatically branded as liberal. I’ve never thought of myself as being particularly liberal, although I certainly take their side. Look, these people are responsible for the man who is already certain to be the worst president in American history. They knew what he was like and voted for him anyway. Misunderstood? No shit. Fuck them.

Monday, January 23, 2017

Here Be Dragons



From now on we’re in uncharted waters. Nobody knows what’s going to happen, least of all the dipshit we swore in the other day. By the way, I’m going to do my best never to mention his name because, as me sainted Mum used to say, “That’s just what he wants.” My wife Cynthia came up with the best I’ve heard yet so henceforth in this space he who shall not be mentioned will be referred to as SCROTUS. 

Three days in, now, and while the outcome might be in question, the theme of the current administration is undoubtedly #alternative facts. Mendacity is part of SCROTUS’ DNA but I’m wondering what goes on in a person's mind when they stand up in front of the whole world  and repeat what they know to be complete bullshit. Maybe we’ll find out over the next 4 years because it’s going to happen a lot.

Which brings up another subject - Will this administration last 4 years? Probably not. Right now SCROTUS  is useful to the Republicans. He’s flying high cover and as long as everyone’s focused on whatever stupid shit he and his minions are doing/saying this time, the GOP controlled Congress, and soon to be controlled Supreme Court, can do whatever they want while flying under the radar.

For instance: Did you know that on January 3, this year, Mike D. Rogers (R-AL), introduced H.R.193, the American Sovereignty Restoration Act of 2017? Neither did I. What this law, which I hope has no chance of even getting out of committee, does is to sever all U.S. ties with the United Nations and kick the whole organization out of the United States. I found out about this from a blog. A search of both the New York Times and Washington Post websites for came up negative.

So anything can happen in the next four years - anything. I wouldn’t rule out either impeachment or a coup d’etat. SCROTUS is packing his cabinet with ex-generals and military people and one in particular, Mike Flynn, is particularly fucked up.


Mostly I think one of two things is most likely - impeachment or at some point he says, “You know what? Fuck it, I quit.” And nobody will stand in the way, least of all Republicans. In fact, once they’ve gotten as much use out of SCROTUS as they think they can get, they’ll probably start the ball rolling. Then Pence and the rest of the Christian right will be free to do as they will.

Thursday, January 19, 2017

You don't believe we're on the eve destruction?

     Well, here we are a day before inauguration day and by now it should be pretty evident the overall intent of the coming administration is to inflict as much damage as it can on the federal government. Almost every one of the new cabinet appointees appear to have been selected specifically for that purpose. It would be difficult to decide which was the more egregious but I'd start with Betsy DeVos. Even in a group of billionaires with no previous experience in public service of any kind, she stands out as particularly destructive.

      Republicans and their enablers have devoted much of the past 30 years turning Americans against their own government. Tomorrow the United States will officially be governed by the extreme right with the consent of millions of these mostly white Americans. The most lasting damage the Twitter troll will be responsible for, to my way of thinking, is likely to be done by this appointment and the extremists he'll name to the Supreme Court. Others might argue the for the coming trashing of the EPA.  But, again, each nominee seems chosen specifically to wreck the government and there isn't a thing Democrats can do to stop it. What worries me most is while everyone's being misdirected by, "What'd that asshole say now", his party is going to be putting the finishing touches on a theocracy.

     One other thing that the past three months should have made clear, especially if you been reading all the "I voted for Trump and here's why" or "I voted for Trump and now I'm sorry" articles, although I've only seen one of the latter - stupid white people are real easy to find.

    Tonight, I'll try to enjoy the last 24 hours of America as I knew it.