How should we describe the year of our Lord 2019? Catastrophic seems a tad too negative, although on the other hand the word, draining appears far too cheery. Perhaps dreadful is the term we're looking for. Let's see.
January: Almost immediately after Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was sworn in as a Congresswoman from New York the ultra right wing loons attacked. A video of Boston University students dancing on roof tops showed up on YouTube. According to the poster of the video, Q Anonymous 1776, it was a high school shoot, featuring, "Americas favorite commie know it all acting like the nit wit she is." The main focus of outrage, however wasn't a college aged Ocasio-Cortez dancing up a storm with some pals--the video was designed to welcome new BU students to the school and was played during their orientation sessions--but the shocking fact she was going by a different name in the credits. The video proclaimed the Congresswoman was, "busted," for going by a, "completely different name." The name she used in the video was, Sandy Ocasio-Cortez, a childhood moniker she had grown up with.
February: The Oklahoma state Senate pro tem pushed a bill through his committee which would outlaw abortions in OK days after the U. S. Supreme Court's assumed repeal of Roe v. Wade. Among those standing in opposition was republican senator Joe Silk. He had written his own bill which would not only outlaw abortion immediately, but had a provision charging any one performing the procedure with homicide. Silk, apparently unaware of the Constitution of the United States, was quoted as saying, "Oklahoma doesn't need the court's permission to outlaw the killing of innocent children."
March: People running the massive annual right wing pep rally known as CPAC decided "journalist," Laura Loomer was even too crazy for them. As she was being carted away from the hall Loomer was heard yelling, "Don Jr. follows me on Instagram. I'm one of Trump's biggest supporters. I had 265,000 followers on Twitter before I was banned."
April: As soon as U.S. Attorney General, William Barr released a highly redacted version of Robert Mueller's report, Donald Trump threw himself a party in Grand Rapids Michigan. It would mark the first time a large section of the crowd showed up wearing and carrying "Q" tee shirts and signs. He drove them into a frenzy when he proclaimed, "the deep state," plot against him had been foiled, at least for now.
May: Ultra right wing troll, Jacob Wohl proclaimed, "Truth is an obsolete concept. It's something that can't be thought about in linear, binary true-false, facts-non facts--you can't do that any more. It's just not the way it works. The veracity of the information I spread isn't important. All that matters is how far those claims travel and how many people believe them."
June: In Oregon republican state senators vehemently opposed a pro environment bill passed earlier by the state house. Since they didn't have the votes to defeat it they walked out en masse in order to deny the chamber a quorum. When the governor threatened to send state troopers to drag them back at least one Oregon senator made a veiled threat on her life and a not so subtle one to shoot the troopers assigned to detain him. Later a large demonstration of armed, "militias," in Salem prevented both state houses from being convened.
July: In the aftermath of Jefferey Epstein's suicide attempt--which happened right in the middle of Bob Mueller's congressional testimony--Alex Jones of Info Wars fame, went on record as saying the Achilles heel of, The Deep State, is its members insatiable need to commit acts of pedophilia.
August: Jefferey Epstein's second attempt to kill himself was more successful. As soon as he was found dead right wing rubes went all over social media blaming just about everyone on the left including the Clintons, Barack H. Obama, and the British Royal Family. In a nod to conspiracies everywhere left wing posters blamed, Donald Trump and his personal A.G, Bill Barr.
September: Early in the month ABC's Johnathan Karl aired a brief report about a Trump tweet during which he said the President had misstated Hurricane Dorian's path. Karl added the information in the tweet had been corrected by the National Weather Service. Trump, being Trump fired off another tweet vilifying fake news' Jonathan Carl, misspelling the reporter's name. Kentucky minister, Reverend Johnathan Carl's Twitter account was quickly inundated with obscene and threatening messages sent by the President's followers. What followed might have been the most bizarre series of events in the past two plus years of the current administration. Trump held a presser which included a map of Dorian's predicted path, hand edited with a Sharpie. Later it was revealed his Secretary of Commerce was directed to fire NWS personnel unless they issued a statement saying Trump was correct. They did even though their people ended up being right. To this day, Don Trump has never admitted he was wrong about Dorian's path, or apologized to the pastor.
October: Congressman Matt Gaetz and a couple of dozen of his GOP pals invaded what is called the Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility in the basement of the Capitol Building. They did so to protest what they described as, "Soviet style," secret meetings during which Donald Trump was being investigated in a political vacuum cut off from all republican input and witness examinations. Mr. Gaetz failed to mention, or was too stupid to realize, that of the 103 members of congress on three different committees investigating Trump in the SCIF, 47 were republicans with full access to evidence and witnesses.
November: The official congressional inquiry into the impeachment of Don Trump began.
December: Donald John Trump, 45th President of the United States of America, was impeached.
Yes, dreadful does seem to be the best descriptor for 2019, even though weird and insane also fit. Back in the late 1960's and early 70's it was my opinion the only time the nation had been more divided was during the Civil War. In 2019 that unenviable bar has been surpassed. Even back in those days of riots, civil protests, and anti war sentiment we could actually agree on what was true and what wasn't. Now, as the second decade of the 21st century begins, we not only can't agree on basic truths, many of us, like Jacob Wolh and Don Trump are convinced such concepts should be tossed into a dumpster like so much garbage.
sic vita est
12-31-19
Tuesday, December 31, 2019
Friday, December 27, 2019
First The Squad and Now, The Outer Limits Crew
First came, "The Squad." It is a foursome of congresswomen, Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley, and Rashida Tlaib. Not only are they women, but women of color who are progressives bound and determined to move both the democratic party and the nation to the left.
Now we have a second quartet, although no one is exactly sure what to call them, at least not yet.
This bunch is comprised of Matthew Lusk, Danielle Stella, Rich Helms, and Erin Cruz. None of them hold a seat in congress, but each of them want to and they are running hard to get there. All four have a couple of things in common. First is a deep and abiding love for Donald John Trump and all things on the right edge. Second, each has an interest in and a fascination with that magical, mystical entity known as QAnon--so much so they are actively campaigning on what could be described as the Q ticket.
For those not completely familiar with the Q phenomena it revolves around an individual, or individuals who began posting on the 4Chan message board in 2017. The tale is Q is a government official with top super secret clearance. He, she, they send out cryptic messages meant to keep the people informed about a savage, yet, covert war being waged between Don Trump and a seemingly endless list of ruthless enemies. These enemies include Hillary Clinton, the Hollywood elite, globalists, what is known as, "the deep state," presumably the Illuminati, and for all we know your local chapter of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks. Trump's foes, according to Q, are so vile they commit acts of pedophilia, possibly host cannibalistic feasts, and control child sex trafficking rings for fun and profit.
NBC News notes Mr. Lusk is running unopposed in the republican primary for Florida's 5th district seat. His campaign posters read, "Matthew Lusk for Congress--Putting America First." On the back is a large, "Q," in black ink. In an interview, Lusk cheerily told NBC, "You never know when you'll run into somebody else who's interested in Q." He lists Q as one of the issues on his campaign web site. He also told the network, "Do I think there's powerful pedophiles out there? Yes. Is the ring like in supreme control of globalization? No, I think they are just like a fringe group within the power elite."
Ms. Stella is running for Minnesota's 5th district. If she wins the primary, which is sort of iffy, since she has been charged with a couple of counts of shoplifting--incidents which she says she doesn't remember because she suffers from PTSD--she will face none other than Ilian Omar. Her response to questions from NBC came through an Email from her campaign account. It read, "I find it appalling NBC would work so feverishly to defend child and sex traffickers, their funders and, and their enablers."
Brother Helms, who is a candidate in Texas' 33rd district has, in the past, according to NBC, retweeted and expressed support for QAnon accounts. However, when contacted by the media outlet he refused to respond.
Ms. Cruz is running in California's 36th district. While not as overt about her Q support she did say, "I think we that we have to be very careful about what we think, or call conspiracy theories." She added that she believed QAnon fans have, "legitimate concerns." She also posited to NBC that some of the Q messages contain valid information.
Well there we have it. Let's call them, The Outer Limits Crew. While not having access to local polls it is hard to say if any of them will win, although Danielle Stella seems far too weird, not to mention criminal, to secure her party's nomination.
The real problem here isn't four ultra right wing cranks running for the United States House of Representatives. No, the real problem is this Q shit, which is less legitimate than even the wildest of ancient alien theories, has now oozed into main stream American politics.
At this point one can only imagine how hard Vladimir Putin and his paid trolls are laughing.
12-27-19
Now we have a second quartet, although no one is exactly sure what to call them, at least not yet.
This bunch is comprised of Matthew Lusk, Danielle Stella, Rich Helms, and Erin Cruz. None of them hold a seat in congress, but each of them want to and they are running hard to get there. All four have a couple of things in common. First is a deep and abiding love for Donald John Trump and all things on the right edge. Second, each has an interest in and a fascination with that magical, mystical entity known as QAnon--so much so they are actively campaigning on what could be described as the Q ticket.
For those not completely familiar with the Q phenomena it revolves around an individual, or individuals who began posting on the 4Chan message board in 2017. The tale is Q is a government official with top super secret clearance. He, she, they send out cryptic messages meant to keep the people informed about a savage, yet, covert war being waged between Don Trump and a seemingly endless list of ruthless enemies. These enemies include Hillary Clinton, the Hollywood elite, globalists, what is known as, "the deep state," presumably the Illuminati, and for all we know your local chapter of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks. Trump's foes, according to Q, are so vile they commit acts of pedophilia, possibly host cannibalistic feasts, and control child sex trafficking rings for fun and profit.
NBC News notes Mr. Lusk is running unopposed in the republican primary for Florida's 5th district seat. His campaign posters read, "Matthew Lusk for Congress--Putting America First." On the back is a large, "Q," in black ink. In an interview, Lusk cheerily told NBC, "You never know when you'll run into somebody else who's interested in Q." He lists Q as one of the issues on his campaign web site. He also told the network, "Do I think there's powerful pedophiles out there? Yes. Is the ring like in supreme control of globalization? No, I think they are just like a fringe group within the power elite."
Ms. Stella is running for Minnesota's 5th district. If she wins the primary, which is sort of iffy, since she has been charged with a couple of counts of shoplifting--incidents which she says she doesn't remember because she suffers from PTSD--she will face none other than Ilian Omar. Her response to questions from NBC came through an Email from her campaign account. It read, "I find it appalling NBC would work so feverishly to defend child and sex traffickers, their funders and, and their enablers."
Brother Helms, who is a candidate in Texas' 33rd district has, in the past, according to NBC, retweeted and expressed support for QAnon accounts. However, when contacted by the media outlet he refused to respond.
Ms. Cruz is running in California's 36th district. While not as overt about her Q support she did say, "I think we that we have to be very careful about what we think, or call conspiracy theories." She added that she believed QAnon fans have, "legitimate concerns." She also posited to NBC that some of the Q messages contain valid information.
Well there we have it. Let's call them, The Outer Limits Crew. While not having access to local polls it is hard to say if any of them will win, although Danielle Stella seems far too weird, not to mention criminal, to secure her party's nomination.
The real problem here isn't four ultra right wing cranks running for the United States House of Representatives. No, the real problem is this Q shit, which is less legitimate than even the wildest of ancient alien theories, has now oozed into main stream American politics.
At this point one can only imagine how hard Vladimir Putin and his paid trolls are laughing.
12-27-19
Monday, December 23, 2019
Living Fletcher Knebel's Novel Fifty-Four Years Later
Wikipedia's synopsis of Fletcher Knebel's, 1965 novel, "Night of Camp David," reads this way:
"Iowa democratic Senator Jim MacVeagh is summoned to Camp David by President Mark Hollenbach. MacVeagh, who is expected to be Hollenbach's next vice president, becomes concerned because Hollenbach shows signs of intense paranoia. He erratically expresses his desire to develop a closer relationship between the United States and the USSR and attempts to cut ties with American allies in Europe. Hollenbach believes the American news media are conspiring against him. MacVeagh is the only person who notices that Hollenbach's mind is crumbling, as the presidential advisors and politicians he attempts to warn ignore him. The sole person in possession of evidence of Hollenbach's mental decline is his mistress, Rita. Hollenbach puts both MacVeagh and Rita under a FBI investigation."
Wikipedia notes when the book was released 54 years ago, then New York Times reviewer, David Dempsey described it as, "Too plausible for comfort."
You think?
Knebel, who co-wrote the political thriller, "Seven Days in May," three years earlier (about an attempted White House coup by members of the ultra right wing), wound up the tension tightly in "Night of Camp David." However the ending, in my mind anyway, was what we used to call a cop out.
But let's not get bogged down with literary judgments here.
This weekend, Donald J. Trump, the current President of the United States addressed a group of young conservatives in Florida at what was billed as the Turning Point USA Student Action Summit.
The Guardian reports Trump, in an hour plus speech, ripped the usual suspects such as Nancy Pelosi, his impeachment, and republican, "Never Trumpers." Then he moved on to the green new deal and wind powered energy.
The Guardian quoted him as telling the crowd, "I've never understood wind. You know, I know windmills very much. They're noisy. They kill the birds. You want to see a bird graveyard? Go under a windmill someday. You'll see more birds than you've ever seen in your life."
Trump went on to say, "They're made in China and Germany mostly. But they're manufactured tremendous if you are into this, tremendous fumes. Gases are spewing into the atmosphere. You know we have a world, right? So the world is tiny compared to the universe. So tremendous, tremendous amounts of fumes and everything."
And then, "You talk about the carbon footprint, fumes are spewing into the air, right? Spewing. Whether it's in China, Germany it's going into the air. It's our air, their air, everything, right?
He added, "You see all those windows. They're all different shades of color. They're like sort of white, but one is like an orange-white. It's my favorite color, orange."
As they say on social media, WTF?
Fletcher Knebel committed suicide in 1993 at the age of 82. He had been diagnosed as having terminal cancer. "Night of Camp David," was re-released by Vintage Books last year. On the cover, as it was on the original release, is the blurb, "What would happen if the President of the U.S.A. went stark raving mad?"
Well, these days, it appears we are finding out the answer to that one every time we turn on the news.
sic vita est
12-23-19
"Iowa democratic Senator Jim MacVeagh is summoned to Camp David by President Mark Hollenbach. MacVeagh, who is expected to be Hollenbach's next vice president, becomes concerned because Hollenbach shows signs of intense paranoia. He erratically expresses his desire to develop a closer relationship between the United States and the USSR and attempts to cut ties with American allies in Europe. Hollenbach believes the American news media are conspiring against him. MacVeagh is the only person who notices that Hollenbach's mind is crumbling, as the presidential advisors and politicians he attempts to warn ignore him. The sole person in possession of evidence of Hollenbach's mental decline is his mistress, Rita. Hollenbach puts both MacVeagh and Rita under a FBI investigation."
Wikipedia notes when the book was released 54 years ago, then New York Times reviewer, David Dempsey described it as, "Too plausible for comfort."
You think?
Knebel, who co-wrote the political thriller, "Seven Days in May," three years earlier (about an attempted White House coup by members of the ultra right wing), wound up the tension tightly in "Night of Camp David." However the ending, in my mind anyway, was what we used to call a cop out.
But let's not get bogged down with literary judgments here.
This weekend, Donald J. Trump, the current President of the United States addressed a group of young conservatives in Florida at what was billed as the Turning Point USA Student Action Summit.
The Guardian reports Trump, in an hour plus speech, ripped the usual suspects such as Nancy Pelosi, his impeachment, and republican, "Never Trumpers." Then he moved on to the green new deal and wind powered energy.
The Guardian quoted him as telling the crowd, "I've never understood wind. You know, I know windmills very much. They're noisy. They kill the birds. You want to see a bird graveyard? Go under a windmill someday. You'll see more birds than you've ever seen in your life."
Trump went on to say, "They're made in China and Germany mostly. But they're manufactured tremendous if you are into this, tremendous fumes. Gases are spewing into the atmosphere. You know we have a world, right? So the world is tiny compared to the universe. So tremendous, tremendous amounts of fumes and everything."
And then, "You talk about the carbon footprint, fumes are spewing into the air, right? Spewing. Whether it's in China, Germany it's going into the air. It's our air, their air, everything, right?
He added, "You see all those windows. They're all different shades of color. They're like sort of white, but one is like an orange-white. It's my favorite color, orange."
As they say on social media, WTF?
Fletcher Knebel committed suicide in 1993 at the age of 82. He had been diagnosed as having terminal cancer. "Night of Camp David," was re-released by Vintage Books last year. On the cover, as it was on the original release, is the blurb, "What would happen if the President of the U.S.A. went stark raving mad?"
Well, these days, it appears we are finding out the answer to that one every time we turn on the news.
sic vita est
12-23-19
Friday, December 20, 2019
The Shooting at Penn Square Mall: Not to Worry, It Was a Personal Beef
Sometimes all this gun shit comes a little too close to home. Yesterday my wife was headed to an office Christmas party scheduled to be held at an Olive Garden restaurant located across the street from Penn Square Mall in Oklahoma City. At the time I was perched on the sofa watching a cable news network. It was featuring speakers from both American political parties who were, with great gusto, accusing each other of everything from unrepentant partisan corruption to treason.
About 15 minutes after she left she strolled back in through the front door and announced the party had been cancelled. Nothing unusal she said, just a shooting at the mall. Ah yes, America, where it is always the season for deadly craziness.
The talking heads on the local TV outlets were all over the situation when we switched channels. In helicopter shots and behind reporters on the ground the scene was one we've grown used to. There were dozens of police cars with their lights flashing. Heavily armed officers were entering the mall as dazed shoppers and the entire OKC Thunder NBA team filed out. The Thunder players were there to see a private screening of an unidentified movie. We were assured they were never in any danger.
In addition, by the time we tuned in, those giving us the updates were already telling the viewing audience, not to worry, it wasn't an active, or mass shooting situation. Apparently someone took umbrage with a specific person and did what any red blooded modern American does in such a situation--he pulled his weapon and opened fire.
That's right ladies and gentlemen, relax, it was a personal beef, he wasn't after everybody. Given what has gone on during this century, such a revelation is supposed to be of comfort to us.
Of course this isn't the first time gun madness has hit nearby. In May of 2018 a security guard who was licensed to carry a fire arm named Alexander Tilghman opened up on a restaurant about five minutes away from us. We weren't there that night, but it is a place we frequent. He was killed by a couple of other trained security people who just happened to be close to the scene, but only after he had wounded three, two of them young girls.
Mr. Tilghman wasn't targeting anyone in particular, although later a couple of videos he had posted on YouTube were discovered. In one he talked about birds tormenting him at night and during the other he spoke about, "demonic ducks," which roamed the park area next to the bar and grill. To this day it remains unknown why he targeted the diners rather than those accursed ducks.
Last night the NRA types began their usual complaints about gun free zones, which Penn Square is. Oh if only the mall would have allowed patrons to carry weapons the shooter would have been stopped. By stopped they mean killed. Yes and if any bystanders had been caught in the crossfire, well, that's the price of freedom.
Twenty-four year old Elizha Sanders was arrested this morning for the crime after his father talked him into surrendering to police. He shot 22 year old Gerron Cobb after the two became involved in a fist fight at a Foot Locker store. Cobb remains in critical condition. No one knows where, or how Sanders got the weapon.
And that's the problem isn't it? There are so many guns out there anyone can get one. Even guys who use them to settle fist fights and the ones who are harassed by demonic ducks.
In November an Oklahoma law went into effect which allows almost everyone to carry a side arm openly without any sort of training, or a license. One of the restrictions is you can't carry on private property if the owner doesn't allow it. Obviously young Mr. Sanders wasn't up on the rule, or chose to ignore it.
We can only imagine how many people out there are like him. Just like we can only imagine what the carnage and fear would be like if we rescinded the regulation.
What we do know is Wyatt Earp knew the solution to the problem well over one hundred years ago. We just don't have his guts, or will to enforce it.
12-20-19
About 15 minutes after she left she strolled back in through the front door and announced the party had been cancelled. Nothing unusal she said, just a shooting at the mall. Ah yes, America, where it is always the season for deadly craziness.
The talking heads on the local TV outlets were all over the situation when we switched channels. In helicopter shots and behind reporters on the ground the scene was one we've grown used to. There were dozens of police cars with their lights flashing. Heavily armed officers were entering the mall as dazed shoppers and the entire OKC Thunder NBA team filed out. The Thunder players were there to see a private screening of an unidentified movie. We were assured they were never in any danger.
In addition, by the time we tuned in, those giving us the updates were already telling the viewing audience, not to worry, it wasn't an active, or mass shooting situation. Apparently someone took umbrage with a specific person and did what any red blooded modern American does in such a situation--he pulled his weapon and opened fire.
That's right ladies and gentlemen, relax, it was a personal beef, he wasn't after everybody. Given what has gone on during this century, such a revelation is supposed to be of comfort to us.
Of course this isn't the first time gun madness has hit nearby. In May of 2018 a security guard who was licensed to carry a fire arm named Alexander Tilghman opened up on a restaurant about five minutes away from us. We weren't there that night, but it is a place we frequent. He was killed by a couple of other trained security people who just happened to be close to the scene, but only after he had wounded three, two of them young girls.
Mr. Tilghman wasn't targeting anyone in particular, although later a couple of videos he had posted on YouTube were discovered. In one he talked about birds tormenting him at night and during the other he spoke about, "demonic ducks," which roamed the park area next to the bar and grill. To this day it remains unknown why he targeted the diners rather than those accursed ducks.
Last night the NRA types began their usual complaints about gun free zones, which Penn Square is. Oh if only the mall would have allowed patrons to carry weapons the shooter would have been stopped. By stopped they mean killed. Yes and if any bystanders had been caught in the crossfire, well, that's the price of freedom.
Twenty-four year old Elizha Sanders was arrested this morning for the crime after his father talked him into surrendering to police. He shot 22 year old Gerron Cobb after the two became involved in a fist fight at a Foot Locker store. Cobb remains in critical condition. No one knows where, or how Sanders got the weapon.
And that's the problem isn't it? There are so many guns out there anyone can get one. Even guys who use them to settle fist fights and the ones who are harassed by demonic ducks.
In November an Oklahoma law went into effect which allows almost everyone to carry a side arm openly without any sort of training, or a license. One of the restrictions is you can't carry on private property if the owner doesn't allow it. Obviously young Mr. Sanders wasn't up on the rule, or chose to ignore it.
We can only imagine how many people out there are like him. Just like we can only imagine what the carnage and fear would be like if we rescinded the regulation.
What we do know is Wyatt Earp knew the solution to the problem well over one hundred years ago. We just don't have his guts, or will to enforce it.
12-20-19
Monday, December 16, 2019
Sir Horace Describes Someone Else
Hitler may be no statesman, but he is an uncommonly clever and audacious demagogue and fully alive to every popular instinct.
Sir Horace Rumbold, British Ambassador to Germany, February 22nd, 1933
You can catch a lot of heat for comparing Donald Trump to Adolf Hitler, although these days it is increasingly difficult not to. It actually isn't a new thing either. The first person to publicly do so, wasn't some wild eyed Bernie supporter roaming a liberal university campus. It was, in fact, the arch conservative columnist, George Will. He subtly made the connection during the 2016 presidential campaign. At about the same time he wrote that conservatives, "should hold their noses, cast their ballots for Hillary Clinton," then vote her out in 2020 when a more suitable republican candidate would be available.
That devious little plan obviously didn't work, although Secretary Clinton did win around six million more votes than the current resident of the White House. Of course the Nazis never held a majority in Germany's parliament, the Reichstag, either until after Herr Hitler declared himself the Grand Poo Bah of all things German.
We aren't to that point yet, although we know Mr. Trump once told a group of donors having a president for life like China does is something we might try, "sometime." Then last year, on the White House lawn, he also asked the gathered media, "Should we go back to 16 years? (four terms in office) Congressman, can we have that extended? The last time I jokingly said that the papers started saying he's got despotic tendencies. No, I'm not looking to do it, unless you want to do it."
Last Saturday in a preview of what next year's campaign will look like a bunch of Trump supporters showed up at a town hall meeting in Glendale, CA. The event was put together by an Armenian group. It was designed to thank Congress for passing a resolution which recognized the genocide perpetrated on their race and others by the Ottoman Empire.
Among those in attendance was Adam Schiff, the chair of the House Intelligence Committee. When Congressman Schiff began to speak three people stood up with signs which said, "Don't Impeach." It is reported that when other members of the crowd asked them to lower the signs they refused. Within moments about a dozen others in the audience began to yell at Schiff, calling him a liar.
As the rest of the audience began asking them to pipe down, what the "Glendale News Press," described as a scuffle ensued. In the initial moments of it, those shouting, pulled off their jackets and sweaters revealing their pro Trump tee-shirts. The scuffle continued for 15 minutes.
The three cops at the meeting, which was held in the Glendale library, reported there weren't any injuries. The Armenian group sponsoring the get together issued a statement which said in part, "While as Americans we value our right to free speech, today's actions by a select few were designed to disrupt an event that had no connection to recent political divisions and disrespected the memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide."
The statement went on to say, "Though asked to leave, the disruptors instead remained and continued to behave in an appalling manner which lacked any semblance of human decency."
Ernst Rohm and his brown shirts, the SA, would have been proud.
It is highly doubtful Donald Trump, or anyone in his administration set this despicable display in motion, however he certainly inspired it.
He knows it too. It is exactly what he wants from his base, wild anger and intimidation. He fires them up with unhinged xenophobia, while playing to their prejudices and fears with language straight from some mean street he imagines he grew up on. He knows America's dark tendency toward violence and hysteria and he exploits it with practically every word he spews, all the while joking about scrapping the Constitution and becoming a leader for life.
Indeed, like Caesar he will accept the crown only if we offer it, but his every tweet, his every act, is designed to manipulate the weak minded and fascists among us into doing just that.
In a different place and age, Sir Horace wrote about someone else, but when he did, the old boy described Donald John Trump perfectly.
And right now, thanks to DJT, we are on the edge of where Germany was in 1933.
sic vita est
12-16-19
Sir Horace Rumbold, British Ambassador to Germany, February 22nd, 1933
You can catch a lot of heat for comparing Donald Trump to Adolf Hitler, although these days it is increasingly difficult not to. It actually isn't a new thing either. The first person to publicly do so, wasn't some wild eyed Bernie supporter roaming a liberal university campus. It was, in fact, the arch conservative columnist, George Will. He subtly made the connection during the 2016 presidential campaign. At about the same time he wrote that conservatives, "should hold their noses, cast their ballots for Hillary Clinton," then vote her out in 2020 when a more suitable republican candidate would be available.
That devious little plan obviously didn't work, although Secretary Clinton did win around six million more votes than the current resident of the White House. Of course the Nazis never held a majority in Germany's parliament, the Reichstag, either until after Herr Hitler declared himself the Grand Poo Bah of all things German.
We aren't to that point yet, although we know Mr. Trump once told a group of donors having a president for life like China does is something we might try, "sometime." Then last year, on the White House lawn, he also asked the gathered media, "Should we go back to 16 years? (four terms in office) Congressman, can we have that extended? The last time I jokingly said that the papers started saying he's got despotic tendencies. No, I'm not looking to do it, unless you want to do it."
Last Saturday in a preview of what next year's campaign will look like a bunch of Trump supporters showed up at a town hall meeting in Glendale, CA. The event was put together by an Armenian group. It was designed to thank Congress for passing a resolution which recognized the genocide perpetrated on their race and others by the Ottoman Empire.
Among those in attendance was Adam Schiff, the chair of the House Intelligence Committee. When Congressman Schiff began to speak three people stood up with signs which said, "Don't Impeach." It is reported that when other members of the crowd asked them to lower the signs they refused. Within moments about a dozen others in the audience began to yell at Schiff, calling him a liar.
As the rest of the audience began asking them to pipe down, what the "Glendale News Press," described as a scuffle ensued. In the initial moments of it, those shouting, pulled off their jackets and sweaters revealing their pro Trump tee-shirts. The scuffle continued for 15 minutes.
The three cops at the meeting, which was held in the Glendale library, reported there weren't any injuries. The Armenian group sponsoring the get together issued a statement which said in part, "While as Americans we value our right to free speech, today's actions by a select few were designed to disrupt an event that had no connection to recent political divisions and disrespected the memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide."
The statement went on to say, "Though asked to leave, the disruptors instead remained and continued to behave in an appalling manner which lacked any semblance of human decency."
Ernst Rohm and his brown shirts, the SA, would have been proud.
It is highly doubtful Donald Trump, or anyone in his administration set this despicable display in motion, however he certainly inspired it.
He knows it too. It is exactly what he wants from his base, wild anger and intimidation. He fires them up with unhinged xenophobia, while playing to their prejudices and fears with language straight from some mean street he imagines he grew up on. He knows America's dark tendency toward violence and hysteria and he exploits it with practically every word he spews, all the while joking about scrapping the Constitution and becoming a leader for life.
Indeed, like Caesar he will accept the crown only if we offer it, but his every tweet, his every act, is designed to manipulate the weak minded and fascists among us into doing just that.
In a different place and age, Sir Horace wrote about someone else, but when he did, the old boy described Donald John Trump perfectly.
And right now, thanks to DJT, we are on the edge of where Germany was in 1933.
sic vita est
12-16-19
Tuesday, December 10, 2019
Impeachment and Gas Lighting: The American System of Government is on the Edge
The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.
Article II, Section 4 of the Constitution of the United States of America.
So there it is. Despite what Donald Trump might believe deep down--the President can do whatever he, or she wants--there are limits to the power of the office.
His people have known it from the beginning. In fact they were so aware of this impediment to corruption and autocracy in the moments immediately after the July phone call to Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky there was a mad scramble to hide the records of it from everyone. Indeed, it would seem the only person in the entire Trump administration who didn't understand how God awful the ramifications of the call would be was, Donald Trump himself.
That's what happens when you have a chief executive who takes an oath to uphold and protect the Constitution, but never takes the time to actually read the damn thing. Not that it probably matters. Playing fast and loose with all manner of laws and regulations has been a way of life for The Big Orange Guy since his high school days. We're talking nearly seven decades of knowing if caught, he could first run to dear old Dad, then later to an army of attorneys who would fix the trouble.
That's right baby. All those laws, they're for the little people, so fuck 'em. He learned that from the late Roy Cohn. What he learned from Joseph Goebbels was, first, no lie is too big, or preposterous, second, always accuse your accusers of the crimes you are committing. As for the conspiracy shit, that probably came from Alex Jones.
Listen, no source is too great, or small for our man Don.
Now he is up against it. Within days he will become only the third President of the history of the republic to be impeached by the House of Representatives. The first was Andrew Johnson, the second, Bill Clinton. Nixon, knowing his goose was cooked, quit before there was an actual vote.
The first article accuses El Don of abuse of power. It is a direct result of that phone call to Zelensky. During it he, "asked," Ukraine do him a solid by launching an investigation into former VP, Joe Biden and his son, Hunter. In return the U.S. would release $391 million in military aid, which had already been approved by Congress. At the time, the elder Biden looked to be Trump's likely opponent in next year's presidential election. In addition, Trump wanted Ukraine to track down those missing computer servers which he and his fellow conspiracy enthusiasts claim contain evidence of Hillary Clinton's collusion with the country to rig the 2016 election.
You read that correctly. Trump's assertion is, in 2016 the Russians didn't interfere with the election process in order to help him, but rather it was the Ukrainians who meddled to assist Clinton. This despite every U.S. intel source saying the opposite.
The second article charges the President of obstruction of Congress. In other words by instructing scads of his people to ignore subpoenas and refusing to release boat loads of documents he attempted to thwart the entire constitutional process of impeachment.
At this point it is hard to argue with either article, although the White House and its allies are working as hard as lab rats on meth to do so. Their alibis for the President when it comes to the phone call and the excuses they offer for the obstruction charge run from the weird to the absurd.
Taking a clue from their client the defense has stooped to out right lies, half truths, and conspiracy nonsense to make a case for him. It is the greatest display of gas lighting ever seen on the planet.
And the problem is, in the end, it will work. Oh, DJT is going to be impeached, but it will be along strict party lines. Once the proceedings move to the republican controlled Senate there is no way two thirds of them, no matter what the evidence, will vote to convict.
Ladies and gentlemen the United States is edging dangerously close to the types of government we now see in Russia and China. It isn't by accident either. It is because they are what Donald John Trump and his rabid followers want us to be.
12-10-19
Article II, Section 4 of the Constitution of the United States of America.
So there it is. Despite what Donald Trump might believe deep down--the President can do whatever he, or she wants--there are limits to the power of the office.
His people have known it from the beginning. In fact they were so aware of this impediment to corruption and autocracy in the moments immediately after the July phone call to Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky there was a mad scramble to hide the records of it from everyone. Indeed, it would seem the only person in the entire Trump administration who didn't understand how God awful the ramifications of the call would be was, Donald Trump himself.
That's what happens when you have a chief executive who takes an oath to uphold and protect the Constitution, but never takes the time to actually read the damn thing. Not that it probably matters. Playing fast and loose with all manner of laws and regulations has been a way of life for The Big Orange Guy since his high school days. We're talking nearly seven decades of knowing if caught, he could first run to dear old Dad, then later to an army of attorneys who would fix the trouble.
That's right baby. All those laws, they're for the little people, so fuck 'em. He learned that from the late Roy Cohn. What he learned from Joseph Goebbels was, first, no lie is too big, or preposterous, second, always accuse your accusers of the crimes you are committing. As for the conspiracy shit, that probably came from Alex Jones.
Listen, no source is too great, or small for our man Don.
Now he is up against it. Within days he will become only the third President of the history of the republic to be impeached by the House of Representatives. The first was Andrew Johnson, the second, Bill Clinton. Nixon, knowing his goose was cooked, quit before there was an actual vote.
The first article accuses El Don of abuse of power. It is a direct result of that phone call to Zelensky. During it he, "asked," Ukraine do him a solid by launching an investigation into former VP, Joe Biden and his son, Hunter. In return the U.S. would release $391 million in military aid, which had already been approved by Congress. At the time, the elder Biden looked to be Trump's likely opponent in next year's presidential election. In addition, Trump wanted Ukraine to track down those missing computer servers which he and his fellow conspiracy enthusiasts claim contain evidence of Hillary Clinton's collusion with the country to rig the 2016 election.
You read that correctly. Trump's assertion is, in 2016 the Russians didn't interfere with the election process in order to help him, but rather it was the Ukrainians who meddled to assist Clinton. This despite every U.S. intel source saying the opposite.
The second article charges the President of obstruction of Congress. In other words by instructing scads of his people to ignore subpoenas and refusing to release boat loads of documents he attempted to thwart the entire constitutional process of impeachment.
At this point it is hard to argue with either article, although the White House and its allies are working as hard as lab rats on meth to do so. Their alibis for the President when it comes to the phone call and the excuses they offer for the obstruction charge run from the weird to the absurd.
Taking a clue from their client the defense has stooped to out right lies, half truths, and conspiracy nonsense to make a case for him. It is the greatest display of gas lighting ever seen on the planet.
And the problem is, in the end, it will work. Oh, DJT is going to be impeached, but it will be along strict party lines. Once the proceedings move to the republican controlled Senate there is no way two thirds of them, no matter what the evidence, will vote to convict.
Ladies and gentlemen the United States is edging dangerously close to the types of government we now see in Russia and China. It isn't by accident either. It is because they are what Donald John Trump and his rabid followers want us to be.
12-10-19
Friday, December 6, 2019
A Weekend Escape From the Bellicose and Bizarre Non Defense of Donald Trump
Every few days we need a break from the relentless bombast of Devin Nunes, Jim Jordan, and Matt Gaetz. Let's face it you can only take so much of Nunes' Freudian fixation on the search for photos of a nude Donald Trump and Jordan's incessant, vein bulging, hysteria. And that's before we even get to Gaetz, who is so out of control, on Wednesday he suggested Congress should impeach not Donald Trump, but rather Barack Obama, a man who has been out of office for nearly three years now.
Yes, the bellicose and bizarre non defense of the current resident of the Oval Office--Don Trump isn't guilty because Joe Biden did bad stuff...Hey, trust us, we'll come up with proof on that later--grows tiresome.
Of course, this being America, you have to be extremely careful about what you wish for. The news on Wednesday and today was diverted away from Washington when, in two separate incidents, a couple of guys opened fire seemingly at random on two different U.S. naval bases.
On Wednesday at Pearl Harbor a sailor named Gabriel Romero, who was working security at the submarine, U.S.S. Columbia, used his assigned weapons to kill two civilian DOD workers and wound another. He then killed himself. According to reports Romero was, "unhappy," with his commanders and was undergoing counseling at the time of the shootings.
Today at Pensacola Naval Air Station in Florida a man, identified as a member the Saudi Air Force, murdered three people and wounded seven before being killed by authorities. Initial reports say, Mohammed Saeed Alshamrani, who was at the base for training, began firing a hand gun inside a classroom. Further reports say the Pensacola base commander is refusing to speculate about a terrorist connection.
Ah, how truly American. One man, who is undergoing psychiatric counseling, is issued two loaded weapons and ordered to stand watch while another brings a hand gun into a classroom with a deadly purpose.
Needless to say this is not the type of news any of us want, or need to escape to. However beginning tonight there will be other, far less gruesome, things happening, especially if you are a follower of college football.
Over the next 24 hours five games will set the field for the college football playoffs. This momentary escape from reality begins with Utah vs. Oregon tonight. Then it continues tomorrow with Oklahoma vs. Baylor, LSU vs. Georgia, Clemson vs. Virginia, and finally, Ohio State vs. Wisconsin.
There are other games of course, more than a few of interest, but those five match ups are what counts when it comes to settling the national championship brackets.
Indeed, right now the phones at sports books across the land are clogged with last minute wagers and the emotions of ten different fan bases roil with confidence, angst, and trepidation.
So, where do the teams stand? Well, even with wins, Oregon, Virginia, and Wisconsin are out. In addition, even with wins, Utah, Baylor, Oklahoma and Georgia might be out. No matter what, unless they simply don't show up--not metaphorically, I mean literally don't show up--Clemson, LSU, and Ohio State are in.
That leaves one spot. If Utah wins impressively they are in. If they lose it will come down to the winner of Oklahoma vs. Baylor. Unless, Georgia beats the living daylights out of LSU, then they could supplant both Utah and the Big XII winner. The feeling here, however, is the committee, who will ultimately decide the issue, has grown weary of both Oklahoma and Georgia. They're looking for new blood.
There are obviously other combinations, plus you never know what sort of Trumpian deal Nick Saban and Alabama supporters might make to influence the decision. You know, "Here is what we can do for you, if you pick us."
Be that as it may, it appears, at this moment, the field will be Ohio St, Clemson, LSU, and Utah. But then there is a reason my bookie still takes my bets and it isn't because he's trying to get even with me.
That's right, the only sure bet is by Monday we'll be back to the toxic dumpster fire which is the Trump presidency and more mayhem in the streets. After all, such dreadful nonsense is, The American Way.
12-6-19
Yes, the bellicose and bizarre non defense of the current resident of the Oval Office--Don Trump isn't guilty because Joe Biden did bad stuff...Hey, trust us, we'll come up with proof on that later--grows tiresome.
Of course, this being America, you have to be extremely careful about what you wish for. The news on Wednesday and today was diverted away from Washington when, in two separate incidents, a couple of guys opened fire seemingly at random on two different U.S. naval bases.
On Wednesday at Pearl Harbor a sailor named Gabriel Romero, who was working security at the submarine, U.S.S. Columbia, used his assigned weapons to kill two civilian DOD workers and wound another. He then killed himself. According to reports Romero was, "unhappy," with his commanders and was undergoing counseling at the time of the shootings.
Today at Pensacola Naval Air Station in Florida a man, identified as a member the Saudi Air Force, murdered three people and wounded seven before being killed by authorities. Initial reports say, Mohammed Saeed Alshamrani, who was at the base for training, began firing a hand gun inside a classroom. Further reports say the Pensacola base commander is refusing to speculate about a terrorist connection.
Ah, how truly American. One man, who is undergoing psychiatric counseling, is issued two loaded weapons and ordered to stand watch while another brings a hand gun into a classroom with a deadly purpose.
Needless to say this is not the type of news any of us want, or need to escape to. However beginning tonight there will be other, far less gruesome, things happening, especially if you are a follower of college football.
Over the next 24 hours five games will set the field for the college football playoffs. This momentary escape from reality begins with Utah vs. Oregon tonight. Then it continues tomorrow with Oklahoma vs. Baylor, LSU vs. Georgia, Clemson vs. Virginia, and finally, Ohio State vs. Wisconsin.
There are other games of course, more than a few of interest, but those five match ups are what counts when it comes to settling the national championship brackets.
Indeed, right now the phones at sports books across the land are clogged with last minute wagers and the emotions of ten different fan bases roil with confidence, angst, and trepidation.
So, where do the teams stand? Well, even with wins, Oregon, Virginia, and Wisconsin are out. In addition, even with wins, Utah, Baylor, Oklahoma and Georgia might be out. No matter what, unless they simply don't show up--not metaphorically, I mean literally don't show up--Clemson, LSU, and Ohio State are in.
That leaves one spot. If Utah wins impressively they are in. If they lose it will come down to the winner of Oklahoma vs. Baylor. Unless, Georgia beats the living daylights out of LSU, then they could supplant both Utah and the Big XII winner. The feeling here, however, is the committee, who will ultimately decide the issue, has grown weary of both Oklahoma and Georgia. They're looking for new blood.
There are obviously other combinations, plus you never know what sort of Trumpian deal Nick Saban and Alabama supporters might make to influence the decision. You know, "Here is what we can do for you, if you pick us."
Be that as it may, it appears, at this moment, the field will be Ohio St, Clemson, LSU, and Utah. But then there is a reason my bookie still takes my bets and it isn't because he's trying to get even with me.
That's right, the only sure bet is by Monday we'll be back to the toxic dumpster fire which is the Trump presidency and more mayhem in the streets. After all, such dreadful nonsense is, The American Way.
12-6-19
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