Month: August 2018

Trump Officially The Most Corrupt President This Early In A Presidency, And Probably, Eventually, More Than Nixon, Grant, And Harding

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The conviction of Paul Manafort on eight counts, and the plea deal of Michael Cohen, both occurring in the same hour late this afternoon, officially labels the Donald Trump Presidency as the most corrupt this early in a Presidency, in American history.

And this is not even counting the corruption and incompetence of so many Trump Administration Cabinet members and other top figures in his Presidency.

Three earlier Presidents had corruption at high levels, with usually Richard Nixon considered the worst, followed by Ulysses S. Grant and Warren G. Harding.

But it is important to know there is no belief or knowledge that either Grant or Harding personally were engaged in corruption, just that those around them were so engaged, and these two Presidents were not aware of such corruption, and did not order it.

Nixon, on the other hand, WAS involved in corruption and illegalities, but not known publicly or leading to convictions and pleas this early, in the second year of his Presidency.

So when the whole situation, in all its complexity, is revealed about Trump Administration corruption, it is likely it will far surpass even that corruption under Richard Nixon’s Presidency.

19 Months In The Presidency: Don McGahn And John Dean; Roy Cohn, Joseph McCarthy And Trump Charges Of “McCarthyism”–History Revived!

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Today marks 19 months in the Presidency of Donald Trump.

We are hearing about comparisons between Don McGahn and John Dean of Watergate fame.

We are also hearing Donald Trump compare the Robert Mueller investigation to Joseph McCarthy, forgetting that his own Mentor in behavior was the despicable, corrupt attorney Roy Cohn, who collaborated with McCarthy in the true “witch hunt” of the 1950s, which only ended after five years, and the destruction of the reputation of many decent people who worked for the government and in Hollywood and the news media.

Trump demonstrates his total ignorance of history, and the irony of comparing McCarthyism with Mueller, when Mueller has been totally silent, and has avoided any demagoguery utilized by both McCarthy more than sixty years ago, and by Donald Trump now.

The revelation of the Don McGahn interviews with Robert Mueller brings us closer to the time when Donald Trump will finally be held accountable for his crimes and illegalities.

The clock is ticking, and Karma is on its way!

Don McGahn Is The New John Dean: Trump And Nixon Scandals Become Linked In History

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Forty five years after John Dean, the White House Counsel under President Richard Nixon, revealed the illegal actions of his boss in the Watergate Scandal, now we are learning for certain that Don McGahn, the White House Counsel under Donald Trump, has been cooperating with Special Counsel Robert Mueller, on the actions of his boss.

The difference is that McGahn has engaged in such cooperation for at least the last nine months, while Dean delayed such cooperation, and eventually served a short term in prison as a result, while McGahn clearly wants to avoid that.

So the idea that everyone around Trump is willing to “take a bullet” for Trump is now shown not to be the case, and it is likely that others around Trump will abandon their loyalty to Trump, realizing that he is a “sinking ship”, and that they can still recover some of their reputation and dignity by working against their boss, as he has absolutely no loyalty to them.

Donald Trump is self indicting as he continues to rant and rave on Twitter, including many bursts of anger as this posting is being formulated, as he realizes the future is gloomy, as evidence of Russian collusion, obstruction of justice, abuse of power, violations of the Emoluments Clause, and other crimes has been gathered by Mueller. Trump also realizes now that his son Donald, Jr, and his son in law Jared Kushner, and many of his cabinet members and other advisers, are in danger of being indicted.

With Omarosa Manigault Newman and Michael Cohen adding to Trump’s grief, he is now besieged on all fronts, but while the process to remove him from office moves forward, there is great concern about the dangers of him creating a foreign policy or national security crisis, and trying to shut down the Bill of Rights, and declare martial law.

Trump is clearly very mentally ill, and it is essential that the military, behind the scenes, and particularly, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, work to prevent any dangerous actions by the President, and prevent him from ordering a nuclear strike. And the top national security personnel, in the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Central Intelligence Agency, National Security Agency, and the Director of National Intelligence need to block any rash actions by Trump that threatens American democracy.

The Potential Exists For Youngest President In American History To Be Elected In 2020!

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With disillusionment with “the older generation” widespread, the possibility now exists that America could elect a President in 2020 who could be younger than any President in American history.

Theodore Roosevelt succeeded to the Presidency at age 42 years and 10.5 months in 1901, upon the assassination of President William McKinley.

And John F. Kennedy was the youngest elected President, taking the oath of office at age 43 years and 7.5 months in 1961.

We have also had three younger Presidential nominees of a major party who lost their campaigns for the Presidency:

Thomas E. Dewey in the 1944 election, who would have been 42 years and 10 months if he had taken the oath in 1945

John C. Breckinridge in the 1860 election, who would have been 40 years and 1.5 months if he had taken the oath in 1861

William Jennings Bryan in the 1896 and 1900 elections, who would have been 36 years and 11.5 months and 40 years and 11.5 months respectively, if he had taken the oath in 1897 and 1901.

Now, in the upcoming election for President in 2020, there are seven theoretical candidates who would be younger than TR and JFK.

They include:

Congressman Seth Moulton of Massachusetts, who would be 42 and three months on Inauguration Day

Congressman Joe Kennedy III of Massachusetts, who would be 40 and three and a half months on Inauguration Day

Congressman Eric Swalwell of California, who would be 40 and two months on Inauguration Day

Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii, who would be 39 and nine months on Inauguration Day

Former Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander, who is running to be Mayor of Kansas City, Missouri, in June 2019, who would be 39 and eight months on Inauguration Day

South Bend, Indiana Mayor (since 2012) Pete Buttigieg, who would be 39 and one day old on Inauguration Day

Facebook Founder Mark Zuckerberg, who has no political experience, who would be 36 and eight months old on Inauguration Day

The odds of any of these seven being the Democratic nominee are very long, and highly unlikely, as four are members of the House of Representatives (and only James A. Garfield was ever elected to the Presidency from the lower house); and two are or will be Mayors, and only Andrew Johnson, in Greeneville, Tennessee; Grover Cleveland, in Buffalo, New York: and Calvin Coolidge in Northampton, Massachusetts were mayors, although Theodore Roosevelt ran for New York City Mayor in 1886, but lost.

Finally, Zuckerberg would only be the second person never in public office after Donald Trump, and seemingly, a real long shot. If Zuckerberg were to become President, he would be the youngest nominee ever, three and a half months younger than William Jennings Bryan in 1896.

Donald Trump’s Hostility Toward And Attacks On National Security And Intelligence Agencies Could Backfire On Him

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Donald Trump has declared “war” on national security and intelligence agencies, whose commitment is to protect the United States against all domestic and foreign threats.

Trump is doing this to try to end the investigation into the Presidential Election of 2016, and the evidence showing Russian collusion, obstruction of justice, abuse of power, and the widespread corruption of the Trump family and his close associates outside the family. This includes the most incompetent, corrupt, and abusive set of Cabinet officers in all of American history.

By removing the security clearances of past national security and intelligence officials, Trump is endangering the United States in future foreign policy and terrorism threats, as the wisdom, experience, and knowledge of these many top officials would be very useful in a crisis.

This seems all contrived by Trump, who has made it clear that he is trying to shut down the inquiries into his election and actions in office.

Trump’s hostility and and attacks could backfire on him in more ways than one.

It is not wise to “mess around” with patriots who devote their lives and careers to protection of the homeland internally and externally.

The alienation that has developed could cause committed people to take action behind the scenes to undermine Trump’s ability to succeed in his conspiracy against the American people.

And while no one can say that intelligence and national security agencies plot to remove Presidents, one cannot be certain of that.

There are, after all, conspiracy theories that claim that rogue agents in the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) possibly had plotted against President John F. Kennedy, leading to his assassination in 1963, and also to take down President Richard Nixon in the Watergate Scandal in 1974.

While this author totally rejects such conspiracy theories, who can say that it might not be true in the past, and might be an avenue of opportunity for those dedicated patriots who see Donald Trump as a real threat and danger to America?

IF any element felt that Donald Trump was too cozy with Vladimir Putin, and was indeed collaborating to undermine American defenses against an authoritarian dictator as Putin is, who can say it would not be seen as the “patriotic duty” of such elements to remove the threat, even at their own personal danger?

This sounds like a novel or film, but it is not beyond the realm of possibility.

“Fooling around” with national security and intelligence agencies and personnel is certainly an unwise, reckless move by an arrogant, out of control President, and he might not like the end result!

So Donald Trump, be forewarned, before you have gone over the boundaries that the professionals in national security and intelligence deem acceptable, as that might lead to tragic results!

Presidential Pets From George Washington To Donald Trump, With Only Four, Including Donald Trump, Having No Pets

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Forty of the 43 American Presidents from George Washington through Barack Obama, with the exception of Martin Van Buren, James K. Polk, and Andrew Johnson, have owned and had pets while they served as President, as well in almost all cases, before and after the Presidential years.

Donald Trump is the first and only President since Andrew Johnson NOT to have pets.

But not only that, but also Donald Trump has utilized the term “dog” and the term “animal” as a pejorative against individuals, such as Omarosa Manigault Newman, and groups, such as Mexican immigrants.

Trump has also declared war on endangered species, and protection of wildlife, including advocacy of hunting and bringing home to America endangered animals from other nations in Africa and around the world as sport. So he disdains any respect for nature, a despicable trait.

Even the pardoning of turkeys before Thanksgiving has led to a hostile reaction by such turkeys and by the President himself, who seems uncomfortable with the holiday tradition.

Most of the Presidents have had dogs, with the exceptions of the following ten:

James Madison
John Quincy Adams
Andrew Jackson
Martin Van Buren
William Henry Harrison
Zachary Taylor
Millard Fillmore
Andrew Johnson
Chester Alan Arthur
William McKinley

Every 20th century President and early 21st century have had dogs as pets, until Donald Trump.

Earlier Presidents mentioned above who did not have dogs still had other pets, including horses, birds, cows, and rabbits, with the exceptions again of Van Buren, Polk, and Andrew Johnson.

Cats are rare pets for Presidents, with only Abraham Lincoln, Rutherford B. Hayes and William McKinley owning cats before the 20th century, and Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Calvin Coolidge, John F. Kennedy, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush having cats as pets since 1900, so a total of 12 Presidents out of 44.

The eleven Presidents with the most pets were in chronological order:

George Washington (7)
Abraham Lincoln (8)
Rutherford B. Hayes (10)
Theodore Roosevelt (24)
Woodrow Wilson (7)
Calvin Coolidge (25)
Herbert Hoover (10)
Franklin D. Roosevelt (7)
John F. Kennedy (19)
Lyndon B. Johnson (8)
Ronald Reagan (11)

So Calvin Coolidge, Theodore Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, Herbert Hoover, and Rutherford B. Hayes had pets in double digits, while the other five listed had 8 pets (Lincoln and LBJ) and 7 pets (Washington, Wilson, and FDR).

Among the most famous pets in chronological order:

Warren G. Harding (Laddie Boy)
Calvin Coolidge (Rob Roy)
Franklin D. Roosevelt (Fala)
John F. Kennedy (Macaroni, a pony)
Lyndon B. Johnson (Him) and (Her)
Richard Nixon (Checkers, before the White House years) and (King Timahoe)
Gerald Ford (Liberty)
Ronald Reagan (Rex) and (Lucky)
George H. W. Bush (Millie)
Bill Clinton (Socks, a cat) and (Buddy)
George W. Bush (Barney) and (Miss Beasley)
Barack Obama (Bo) and (Sunny)

Crucial Senate Races On Road To Democratic Majority In 116th Congress

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The US Senate will be a major battleground this coming November.

Ten “Red State” Democrats face the challenge of winning their seats, with a few of them the most endangered.

If the Senate is to go Democratic, all ten seats must be won by their Democratic veterans, but that is a tall order, and is tied to the hearings over Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

The most endangered regarding that issue are West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin, North Dakota Senator Heidi Heitkamp, and Indiana Senator Joe Donnelly.

Also possibly in trouble on that issue is Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill.

These four Senators are seen as moderate, rather than liberal Democrats, and all of them except McCaskill, voted for Supreme Court Justice nominee Neil Gorsuch last year.

Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown, Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey, Jr., Wisconsin Senator Tammy Baldwin, Michigan Senator Debbie Stabenow, and Montana Senator Jon Tester all seem safer in their Senate races as of now, but that could change.

The most endangered incumbent, with or without the Kavanaugh vote, is Florida Senator Bill Nelson, who has Governor Rick Scott as his opponent, and with Scott having triple the amount of funds that Nelson has been able to garner. Scott is horrific, but he won two close races for Governor in 2010 and 2014, using his own wealth.

Now there is a new threat, that New Mexico Senator Martin Heinrich might have more trouble being reelected, as former Governor and Libertarian Party 2016 Presidential candidate Gary Johnson, has just entered the race as an Independent, and in a three way race, anything is possible.

The problem is that even if all of these 11 Senators are successfully reelected, the Democrats still must win two more seats, with Arizona, Nevada, Tennessee, and Texas as possibilities in that order.

If the Democrats are able to win 51 seats in 2018, it would have to be considered a true miracle!

Donald Trump’s Character On Display In Public Appearances: Worst By Far In American History!

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Donald Trump is the most insufferable public figure ever known, with his disgraceful character on display in public appearances, and no sign that he cares about his image or reputation!

He lies more than anyone ever has in the Presidency.

He insults everyone imaginable, except authoritarian dictators.

He has no compassion, empathy, or common decency, and does not care how much he hurts others.

He has no sense of propriety, and manages to make everything centered around himself.

He has particular venom for women, and people of color, including calling them animals or having low IQ!

He has no respect for anyone who works for him, using them, and then disposing of them.

Everything on a daily basis is connected to how it affects him, and he is always on the attack on Twitter and in public events, where he speaks to a admiring and loyal audience.

One wonders how his adoring followers, and particularly, women, can tolerate his horrible behavior.

It makes one wonder about the intelligence and basic decency of millions of followers, who seem almost like a cult.

It demonstrates the failure of the family unit, that you could have parents who admire Trump, and apparently, think their son or daughter should act like he does, a shocking thought!

No President has ever acted like Donald Trump, not even Richard Nixon, who may have used salty and degrading language in private on the Watergate tapes, but NEVER in public, as he had too much dignity to behave in such a gross manner as Donald Trump.

Donald Trump has damaged the image and history of the American Presidency, and he will not escape the condemnation he deserves in historical writings in future generations!

The Urgent Democratic Platform For 2020: 30 Goals For The Next Decade

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What MUST be part of the Democratic Party platform in 2020, no matter who is the Democratic Presidential nominee?

In no special order, it MUST include:

Medicare for all Americans of all ages
$15 minimum wage by 2022 everywhere in America and Paid Family Leave
Free public university and college tuition for the first two years or 60 credits of higher education
Wiping out of college debt which prevents many young people from marrying, having children, buying a home, having a future
Repeal of Citizens United, which has allowed corporations to be called people, and destroy political campaigns with large donations, and instead promote public financing of campaigns
Responsible Gun Control legislation
Protection of Women’s Rights, including abortion rights
Enforcement of gay and lesbian and transgender rights
A responsible immigration reform program, reversing the damage done by Donald Trump, Jeff Sessions, John Kelly, Kirstjen Nielsen, Stephen Miller and Thomas Homan
Revival of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties that have been curbed by Donald Trump
Protection of the Social Safety Net of Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid
Labor Rights promoted, including prevention of “right to work” laws
Environmental regulations revived and strengthened
Consumer Rights revived and strengthened
Investment in infrastructure across America
Condemnation of violations of human rights in other nations, including Russia, China, Turkey, Egypt, the Philippines and elsewhere
Revival of NATO alliance and other alliances that have been weakened in the Trump Presidency
The end of protectionist tariffs, which undermine the American economy
Strengthening of relations with Cuba, and attempts to overcome strains and tensions with Iran, and revive the Iran Nuclear Deal
Promoting total separation of church and state, with religion not being promoted by government
Reenactment of responsible corporation and Wall Street reforms
Protection of Native American lands and properties
Criminal Justice Reforms for those not involved in violent Crimes
National restoration of Voting Rights to former convicts who have paid their debt to society
Decriminalizing Drug Use and Sales, so as to overcome the Opioid Crisis, and allow Medicinal Marijuana without penalty
Promoting funding for the Arts and Culture across America
Dealing with poverty and homelessness in America
Hurricane Relief for Puerto Rico and move toward statehood as the 51st state
Tax Reform to require a fair and equitable tax system for all, not just the wealthy
Reviving respect for Freedom of Speech and Freedom of the Press

Would all of these 30 “planks” be successfully accomplished in the term of the next Democratic President from 2021-2025? Most certainly, highly unlikely, but these must be the goals of the next Democratic administration, as we attempt to recover from the disaster and tragedy of the Donald Trump nightmare!

Four Potential African American Presidential Candidates: Cory Booker, Kamala Harris, Deval Patrick, Eric Holder

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As we start to look ahead to the 2020 Democratic Presidential nomination battle, there is the possibility of up to four African Americans running for the Presidency.

Almost certainly running are New Jersey Senator Cory Booker and California Senator Kamala Harris (whose mother is Tamil Indian and father who is from the nation of Jamaica in the Caribbean, so she is mixed race).

Also likely to run is former Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, and former Attorney General Eric Holder, both close friends of President Barack Obama.

At first thought, the chances of Kamala Harris seem the best, followed by Booker, with lesser chance for Patrick, and even lower chance for Holder.

A likely possibility is that either Harris or Booker might end up as the Vice Presidential nominee at the least.

With a race of maybe 20-25 Democrats announcing, an all time record if that happens, it is very hard this far ahead to project the scenario for what might happen in the winter and spring of 2020, but it is now only 18 months until we are in the heat of the Presidential nominating contest.