Donald Trump put on another disgusting performance this evening, all out to defend himself, despite clear evidence that he ignored the CoronaVirus Pandemic threat, and has caused the deaths of 23,000 people in the last month, a greater loss in one month than anytime since the Civil War!
Trump is totally about himself, the ultimate narcissist, who is willing to sacrifice the lives of Americans for his own pathological need to lie, and to win reelection at all costs.
This man will likely have to be taken out in handcuffs and chains from the Oval Office, as it is hard to imagine him accepting the massive defeat that he is likely to suffer on November 3.
Meanwhile, he is trying to do everything conceivable to make it hard for people to vote, when already one third vote early, or by absentee ballot, or by mail.
Republicans are unwilling to stand firm for the basic element of democracy, the right to vote, and they do not care about the horrific damage Donald Trump has brought to this country over the past four years.
So the Republican Party needs to be severely punished for their transgressions, and needs to be rebuilt after the election, with responsible leaders in the vein of Jon Huntsman and John Kasich!
On the COVID-19 Event
Watching this whole COVID-19 Event unfold from what is so far a sanctuary up here in Southeast Alaska is almost mind-buzzingly breathtaking.
So many UnAnswered Questions. So many UnQuestioned Answers. And above all, so many UnAsked Questions.
A friend of mine from New Orleans ~ now an expat living in Ecuador ~ recently wrote:
“I see this as a great cleansing, a time of much needed healing for the world, for us to take a giant step back to witness what we’ve collectively done to abuse the planet through overpopulation and pollution. I see this as Nature’s revenge on us. We must listen and re-evaluate all our actions if we are to survive as a species. Perhaps we may choose not to.”
To which i responded:
“i don’t rule out this being “Nature’s revenge” for our abusive over-population and pollution, among other things. But i put it in the same category as God’s revenge for Humans not following His Will as established by His prophets’ dictates and commands, and His talking heads’ explanations of what that Will really is.
“This has provided the individuals who run the governments of the world ~ and the people and organizations who own, operate, handle, and script those leaders, politicians, and bureaucrats at the local, state, national, and international levels ~ with the perfect opportunity to increase their authority, domination, command, and control of the political and legal system, the economy, and civil society over which they reign.
“Whether C-19 is a lab-created “bioweapon†or just another way of Nature interacting quite naturally with Humans [or some combination of the two], the COVID-19 Event is being used very effectively ~ as a politicized bioweapon ~ by those who have power and seek to expand that power as much as possible without completely destroying the whole political-economic-social structure and system they now rule.”
It will be interesting to see what happens when Mr Trump orders America to de-lockdown and get back open for business; and some Governors tell him to stick it in his ear. We might not have just a Pandemic and a Great Depression II on our hands; we just might also see the beginning of The Second American Civil War. How’s that for a reality-tv show that’d get the highest live-stream ratings all over the world?
Is that just some over-the-top, tinfoil hatted, conspiracy theorist paranoia? Or merely the depressive, pessimistic rantings and railings of a grumpy old man? Or is it the eyes-wide-open/brain-engaged realistic assessment of what is happening on this planet and in this nation today?
On my 73d birthday last July, i decided and determined to live long enough to see whether or not there would be an election in November, 2020; and, if there was, to see if there would be an inauguration in January, 2021, regardless of who lost.
It was back during the first week in March that i first floated the idea that COVID-19 could and just might would provide the President with a great excuse to declare a national emergency, martial law, and cancel Election 2020, declaring himself America’s First [and Last] President-For-Life: “POTUS Maxximmuss XLV.”
When’s the last time You read 1984? What we have now is a Eurasia with its Putin, and an Eastasia with its Xi. All that’s missing from Orwell’s tri-polar world at perpetual war is an Oceania with its Big Brother. And we have just the guy in the White House who would be prime for that role. And a whole bunch of Americans who would go right along with it.
Back in July, i also decided and determined to live long enough to see whether the United States would still be around to celebrate its 250th birthday on July 4, 2026. At this point, i don’t think i’m going to have to wait six years to get the answer to that question.
Jeffrey G Moebus
Master Sergeant, US Army [Retired]
Veterans Against War [Sitka Platoon]
Sitka, Alaska
vaw.sitka@gmail.com
Jeffrey, you are an alarmist par excellence!
You should do an acting performance stating what you have here, as you are a Drama Queen!
We will survive, but the role of organized religion to divide us by different faiths, with Christianity one of the biggest villains, along with the Muslim faith, is more to be concerned about than anything else!
We will have an election and inauguration of Joe Biden, and you will live to see 2026, and then realize you were overreacting!
Trump can’t cancel the general election. Only Congress can do that.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/18/politics/trump-cancel-2020-election/index.html
I can’t wait for November. I’m praying some divine intervention will take Trump out.
You already said that, and i already answered You on the previous blog.
We shall see, Professor. We shall see. If Wisconsin is any indication how November is going go, it is going to be an interesting Winter.
There is much, much more than mere religion dividing this nation. But it is interesting that You didn’t include Judaism along with Christianity and Islam as the prime dividing forces in America.
And You’re sure it’ll be Unca Joe on the podium in January, and not the New Hero on The Block: Cuomo?
Princess Leia, I share with you for divine intervention, as it is sorely needed!
Jeffrey, Judaism is a minor religion in the world and even the nation.
Only in Israel has it become a major problem, so to compare it to the billion or more of Christianity and Islam is ridiculous.
There is zero chance of Cuomo, since he did not run, and the voters have chosen Biden, and even in Wisconsin, he won 2-1 over Sanders.
Our system of nominating candidates is historical, and under the circumstances, no chance of anyone else being the next President after Donald Trump!
However, whoever is the VP choice, could, of course, become the 47th President during the term, as could be so if Trump somehow won, that Pence would be the 46th President.
We’ll see. Only thing any of us agree with the troll on.
RF: “Jeffrey, Judaism is a minor religion in the world and even the nation. Only in Israel has it become a major problem, so to compare it to the billion or more of Christianity and Islam is ridiculous.”
And that’s the rub, isn’t it? What is the role and impact of Israel in American military, foreign, and economic policy in the Middle East and beyond, all the way to Pakistan? What is the role and impact of the American Jewish “Friends of Israel” [AIPAC,etc] in the crafting and choreographing of that policy? Sheer population numbers have never had anything to do with the impact of Judaism on Europe and America.
RF: “There is zero chance of Cuomo, since he did not run, and the voters have chosen Biden, and even in Wisconsin, he won 2-1 over Sanders. Our system of nominating candidates is historical, and under the circumstances, no chance of anyone else being the next President after Donald Trump!”
Stranger things that are without historical precedent have already happened this Year, Ronald. Much stranger things. And it’s only April 14th.
i’m curious Professor [and anybody else listening]: What do You think will happen happen when President Trump orders America to de-lockdown and get back open for business; and some Governors tell him to stick it in his ear?.
Jeffrey, I do not like the influence of AIPAC. but compared to the long term deleterious effect of Christianity and Islam, it is not anywhere near being equal!
It has been a strange year, yes, but Cuomo is not running for President, and Joe BIden is, so the normal procedures will follow, I assure you!
Lawrence O’Donnell mentioned on his show that some of these companies, such as Google, Apple, and Microsoft, for example, had already had their employees working at home for their safety before the governors even put stay at home orders in place. These companies are going to make their own decision about whether or not it’s safe for their employees to go back to working in their office buildings.
Jeffrey, the governors will control what happens in their states, and there is absolutely nothing that Trump can do about it, except make himself look ever more foolish!
He has already, by his delayed response, caused massive death totals, and the governors will not allow him to cause increased deaths, as they have the legal responsibility for their citizens, and will do what needs to be done to protect them!
And with the death of that sailor, and others on that ship and in the military having been exposed to CoronaVirus, there could be a military uprising against the President, since he has shown no concern or interest in what is happening to our military forces!
Correct, Pragmatic. The businesses are going to tell Trump to stick it in his ear as well. Nobody sensible is going to listen to what Trump says.
Obama has endorsed Biden.
Good to see the party united this time.
So Obama has endorsed Biden, has he? Right after Sanders led the way. How could they not?
All that’s lacking now is The Hillary’s imprimatur, and they won’t even need to have their virtual convention in August.
But where does that leave AOC and “The Squad”? Or the “Green New Deal”? Or “Medicare For All”? And so forth?
It looks very much like the progressive, social democrat, democratic socialist branch of the Democratic Party has been swept comfortably aside by the corporatist, neo-liberal/-conservative, crony capitalist, “liberal” wing and claw.
The Democrats will take parts of the Green New Deal and move in the direction of Medicare for All, but not in one term!
Far better than the do nothing Republicans, who only care about corporations.
And Hillary was fine, and would have been far better by many miles than Trump!
And despite what you claim, the Democrats are not a conservative party, rather a pragmatic progressive party that I am proud to associate with!
No political party or leader is perfect, but no comparison with Republicans since the time of Ronald Reagan, but now worse than ever!
RF: “The Democrats will take parts of the Green New Deal and move in the direction of Medicare for All, but not in one term!”
“Parts,” eh? And “not in one term,” eh? That assumes, of course, that they retain control of the House, at the very least. So we’ll aim to make those parts happen just before Election 2024, then, I guess.
RF: “Far better than the do nothing Republicans, who only care about corporations.”
Bollocks. The CARES Act ~ with all those corporate rescue, relief, bailout, subsidy, and stimuli goodies ~ could not have happened without the Democrats’ dutiful and diligent aid, abetment, and assistance.
RF: “And Hillary was fine, and would have been far better by many miles than Trump!”
Tell that to the people of Libya, Somalia, Yemen, Iraq, and especially Syria.
RF: “And despite what you claim, the Democrats are not a conservative party, rather a pragmatic progressive party that I am proud to associate with!”
Au contraire, Pierre. i did not call the Democrats a “conservative party.” i called them and its ruling elite a bunch of corporatist, neo-liberal/-conservative, crony capitalist, very modern [as opposed to “classical”] liberals. Yuge difference, as they say in the parlance.
You’ll fit in at Common Dreams. They’re boohooing over there about Biden being the nominee.
Princess Leia, I think Joe Biden will surprise many people as President!
He has more experience, more credentials, more contacts, and more compassion and empathy than anyone else in politics!
He is genuine and sincere, and loved by millions, and I am sure will meet the test of leadership!
Leia – I just browsed there as well. They’re using the same language to describe Biden and the Democratic party as the troll is.
RF: “Jeffrey, I do not like the influence of AIPAC. but compared to the long term deleterious effect of Christianity and Islam, it is not anywhere near being equal!”
I didn’t ask You if You “liked” the influence of AIPAC and thus Israel. I asked if the influence, power, and effect of the Jewish State and its American lobby have had an impact on American policy in the Middle East and beyond. More specifically: What role has Israel, AIPAC, etc played in what has happened to the peoples and in the lands, nations, countries, and governments of that part of the world?
And, as an historian, what are You calling “long term”? 20 years? 50 years? 200 years? 2000 years? Longer?
Just to limit the conversation to the last 20 to 50 years, then Israel’s Judaism has had just as much of an impact on what has happened on this planet and in this nation as has had radical, fundamentalist Islam and evangelical Christianity.
The entire goat-rope in the Middle East is the direct result of the West’s creation of The State of Israel, promised back at the end of WW I by Balfour, and realized after WW II.
And ~ for the people who live in that part of the world ~ it has gone downhill ever since.
Pragmatic Progressive wrote: “Lawrence O’Donnell mentioned on his show that some of these companies, such as Google, Apple, and Microsoft, for example, had already had their employees working at home for their safety before the governors even put stay at home orders in place. These companies are going to make their own decision about whether or not it’s safe for their employees to go back to working in their office buildings.”
That’s an excellent point, Pragmatic Progressive. But that obviously doesn’t address the 17+million who have lost their jobs over the past three weeks because of the lockdown because their jobs are not doable at home.
And those companies will probably elect to keep their people at home even after the State-wide stay-at-home orders are rescinded until the companies feel that it is safe to bring folks back to the office, regardless of whether that recension comes from the State House or the White House.
[And finally…] RF: “Jeffrey, the governors will control what happens in their states, and there is absolutely nothing that Trump can do about it, except make himself look ever more foolish! He has already, by his delayed response, caused massive death totals, and the governors will not allow him to cause increased deaths, as they have the legal responsibility for their citizens, and will do what needs to be done to protect them!”
If Trump elects to do anything to interfere with the Governors’ control of what happens in their States, Ronald, he will have moved far, far beyond being concerned with “looking foolish,” i can assure You. That’s why I spoke of that Second American Civil War elsewhere.
RF: And with the death of that sailor, and others on that ship and in the military having been exposed to CoronaVirus, there could be a military uprising against the President, since he has shown no concern or interest in what is happening to our military forces!
Rubbish. He just got them a $780 billion budget [with, again, the able, willing, compliant, and complicit help of the Democrats up at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue], with more and more bigger budgets to come in the future, what with the resurgent Threats popping up all over the world, like in Russia to the east and China to the west. And who knows who up above in Space.
Plus, You forget that we have an All-Volunteer Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard. Those folks are there because they want to be there, not because they were conscripted into involuntary servitude via a Draft. Most of them are there because it is the best-paying and -benefit-laden job that was and still is [especially now] available to them.
If they haven’t risen up in revolt against “The Forever War,” they’re damn sure not going to go into coup mode just because some of their colleagues, cohorts, and compeers got sick and died. They may still be Citizen-Soldiers, but they are Soldiers before they are Citizens.
There aren’t too many adherents to Smedley Butler in today’s American armed forces.
Nope. Those businesses are going to listen to the governors because the governors listen to science and facts.
My guess is that businesses will listen to science and facts regardless of what the Governors say. They have little choice, if they want to stay in business. Unless, of course, they qualify for a CARES Package.
But, but, but…. What about those Governor’s who haven’t shut things down? And the businesses within those States who haven’t shut down either? What [or Whose] science and facts are these folks listening to?
Totally correct, Former Republican.
Trump’s cabinet is MIA.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-cabinet-missing-coronavirus_n_5e95bc65c5b6cc788eaf729e
LOL! Trump thinks he’s the captain from “Mutiny on the Bounty”. More like, the captain of the Titanic.
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2020/4/14/1937191/-Trump-declares-war-on-the-states-citing-delusional-reference-to-movie-he-clearly-never-saw
If Trump had been Captain of the Titanic:
“There’s no iceberg.”
Watch Officer: “Iceberg ahead!”
Trump to Watch Officer: “Fake news, Full Steam Ahead!”
“Icebergs are a democratic hoax.”
“We won’t hit the iceberg.”
“We barely touched the iceberg.”
“Nobody could have seen the iceberg coming.”
“Nobody, no one, ever knew an iceberg could sink a ship.”
“Obama didn’t build tall enough bulkheads.”
“Obama didn’t have enough lifeboats.”
“The lifeboats are for us, not you.”
“These deaths are less than the doomsday predictions for the iceberg, meaning my plan worked.”
“The iceberg will disappear by spring.”
“I’m the best Captain ever.”
Haaaa! Brilliant. Why do I get the feeling that I’m living aboard said vessel?!
Yes, Former Republican, hahaha! 🙂
South Dakota’s governor is one of the governors allowing business as usual instead of shutting down. The result of her ignorance is a huge outbreak at a meat processing plant.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/apr/13/south-dakota-pork-plant-closes-after-200-workers-contract-covid-19
Trump is now using the World Health Organization as his scapegoat for his failures, halting their funding.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-accuses-who-of-causing-coronavirus-deaths-says-he-ordered-halt-to-funding?ref=home
A Virginia pastor who defied social distancing died from coronavirus.
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2020/4/13/1936983/-Virginia-evangelical-pastor-who-held-last-sermon-one-day-before-ban-dies-from-coronavirus
My condolences to his family, of course, but I will say that I hope this opens a few people’s eyes to the real danger here. May his death help his congregation realize that ‘trying to save your lives’ is not an act of religious persecution, and that taking stupid, pointless risks simply for the pleasure of being stubborn is not a way to honor God.
Cruel and heartless –
GOP congressman says letting more Americans die of coronavirus is lesser of two evils compared to economy tanking
https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/14/politics/trey-hollingsworth-coronavirus/index.html
Trump is delaying the stimulus checks, so that he can have his name on them.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/donald-trumps-name-on-stimulus-check-irs-coronavirus_n_5e965be0c5b6ead140045899
Gavin Newsom talked about what to expect after the stay at home orders are lifted.
With outbreaks occurring at food plants, there is concern that we could be facing food shortages.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/14/politics/what-matters-april-13/index.html
Elizabeth Warren has endorsed Biden.
Like this lady, Biden wasn’t my first choice either. She perfectly sums up my feelings.
An Open Letter to Bernie’s Supporters
The best way to lessen the disappointment is to work to oust Trump.
https://washingtonmonthly.com/2020/04/15/an-open-letter-to-bernies-supporters/
I’ve been living in a state of dread and disappointment for the better part of four years. It all started when Donald Trump was elected in November 2016, and then became even worse when Kamala Harris suspended her presidential campaign. She was my candidate and my source of hope for both unseating the president and advancing my values.
Supporters of Bernie Sanders likewise have suffered four years of disappointment and dread. Their frustration no doubt came to a head last week, when the Vermont senator withdrew from the 2020 race. For Bernie’s loyal supporters, especially those who have been behind him since his last bid, I share the following advice. It will, by no means, assuage your mourning. But it may help you reach a truce with the rest of the Democrats.
For starters, recognize that Joe Biden, like all of the former Democratic presidential hopefuls, would be immeasurably better than Donald Trump. There’s really no comparison. Your candidate made that clear this week, when he unequivocally endorsed Biden. If you are following Sanders’s lead, you should not only vote for Biden, you should leverage your social media followings, and even volunteer for him.
Like you, many Democrats will not see their first-choice candidate claim the party’s nomination. The supporters of Elizabeth Warren, Pete Buttigieg, Kamala Harris, Julian Castro, or Andrew Yang are all disappointed. As someone who grieved about Harris’s withdrawal from the race months ago, I know firsthand: The anger and frustration you feel right now are real, but those feelings will subside. All of us must now commit to helping someone other than our dream candidate.
Sanders’s supporters have, at various points over the last year, blamed the Democratic National Committee (DNC) for skewing the process against him. That’s a misguided assumption. Sanders, in fact, took an active part in the formulation of the DNC debate rules. It’s easy to want to place blame, but even Bernie’s most diehard backers must realize that the DNC did not decide the nominee. The voters did.
The best explanation I can give for why Biden clinched the nomination, in a cycle in which Democrats had the most diverse field in history, is that Americans are scared. The notion of Bernie’s revolution didn’t appeal to a large swath of the electorate. That same fear of change likely contributed to the rejection of candidates who were female, African American, and Hispanic.
Unsurprisingly, most voters flocked to two old white guys—and, ultimately, the safer and more moderate and experienced of the two. That said, Sanders accomplished a lot in the process. No doubt, he moved the party further left on policies that progressives prioritize, such as health care and education. This will be a critical part of Sanders’s legacy. It’s something his movement can be proud of.
Above all, this is a moment for everyone who understands the danger of Donald Trump to come together. Anecdotally, I see this happening. I know a lot of Democrats and independents across the country, in red states and in blue states. All of them have said they will vote for the Democratic nominee since their preferred candidates dropped out. Even some former Republicans were prepared to vote for Bernie if he won the primary.
That’s because this election is bigger than any one Democratic candidate. More than anything, it is about the incumbent. Trump has stacked the federal courts with super conservative and young, white male judges at a faster pace than any president before him, thanks to the help of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. If Trump holds office for four more years, any chance of climate progress, health care progress, economic parity, gender equity and women’s rights progress—all of which are essential to Bernie’s supporters —will be lost for a generation. Anyone who cares about the Bernie agenda has to be committed to stopping the Republicans from filling the federal courts with conservatives who are appointed for life.
Supreme Court justices Ruth Bader Ginsberg and Stephen Breyer will retire soon. Even worse, something could happen to them. Ginsberg is 87. Breyer is 81. That means the president could have two open seats to fill on the Supreme Court that are currently occupied by liberal judges. If those seats are filled by Trump, the successors will be young, white and conservative. They will have a gargantuan impact on American law and society for decades. All of the policy issues that Bernie supporters care deeply about will be non-starters for at least a generation.
Biden has said he will likely serve only one term. Democrats, therefore, will be able to put forth a more liberal candidate in 2024. Those of us who desperately wanted a female president can take some solace in that four-year outlook. It’s not ideal, but it’s really not that far off.
In the meantime, Biden would hit the ground running quickly as president. For example, he will have the benefit of someone like Obama’s top pandemic czar Ron Klain, who was extremely successful in managing the Ebola epidemic. Other former Obama and Biden advisors whom Biden selects can jump in and clean up efficiently because they already know how everything works. They can try to right the ship for all Americans.
At the same time, Sanders himself and the more progressive wing of the party can influence him and push him leftward.
Boring and stabilizing will be good enough. In fact, it will be necessary. We will once again cherish waking up on Saturday mornings without worrying what our president has done while we slept.
Personally, I wanted Hillary in 2016 and Kamala in 2020. But I will now do everything I can for Biden. I don’t have to be over the moon about Joe, because I’m ecstatic about ousting Trump. That old cliché turns out to be true: Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good.
Democrats, many independents, and a fair number of unhappy Republicans have one mission: to get Trump out of office. We’ve all made the decision to throw our support, resources, and time behind Biden because we know this isn’t about our first choice, nor is it about us as individuals. It’s about the nation.
This week, Bernie made clear that he will support Joe. More importantly, he said he wants his supporters to do the same. Indeed, Sanders has gone as far as to advise his supporters that it would be “irresponsible†for them to oppose Biden. Likewise, Biden has welcomed Sanders’s supporters into the fold. This could be the start of a beautiful friendship. For the love of our country, it’s time to unify.
During his press briefing on Tuesday, Trump watered down his rhetoric and acknowledged that governors would make individual decisions for their states. This was all just another example of him talking tough, only to eventually back down and pretend like that was the plan all along.
Justin Amash is thinking about running as a third party candidate.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/15/politics/justin-amash-presidential-run-decision-soon/index.html
Our bank’s digital banking website is crashing because of the number of people trying to find out if they’ve gotten their relief checks in their account yet.
Does anybody know ~ or know where to find out ~ whether or not the President has the authority to cut funds that already been appropriated by Congress and signed by him as the government’s Budget for the Fiscal Year in Question?
More specifically: Does Trump have the Constitutional authority to withhold funds for WHO even tho it is in this year’s Budget?
My sense is that he does not because it is Congress that appropriates how much of the government’s money is to be spent on what.
Anybody have any thoughts on that?
Jeffrey, Trump is talking BS as usual!
He cannot withhold funds already signed into law, period!
He needs to be abandoned by the Republicans in the Senate, as having Pence in the Oval Office now gives them a better chance of keeping the Senate and their seats!
It is time for an open revolt !
RF: “Jeffrey, Trump is talking BS as usual! He cannot withhold funds already signed into law, period!”
Do You have a source on that, Professor? Any laws or law cases or precedents?
“Open revolt!” eh? What do You think this is? The Sixties?
Jeffrey, the Impoundment Control Act of 1974 forbids it!
Yes, open revolt, man the barricades, storm the White House holding torches, pull the rascal out and string him up, lol, hahahaha! 🙂
Thanks, Doc. Yeah; i found that on Google.
It will be interesting to see how this all plays out, particularly given the recent 2d Circuit Court of Appeals decision on the withholding of funds to Sanctuary Cities.
And then there’s this: “Congressional Democrats have said Mr. Trump can’t cut WHO funding on his own. The White House budget office has concluded the president has several options to withhold money from the WHO without congressional approval [which is what the Impoundment Control Act of 1974 requires], officials said. One option is to order agencies to reroute the money to other related purposes, officials said.”
[https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-will-halt-funding-to-world-health-organization-over-coronavirus-response-11586905300]
Jeffrey, I notice you completely ignored my joking comment, and I had thought you would say something, lol, hahaha! 🙂
Heh. i probably would have, Professor, if i thought You were being serious. But Your ” lol, hahahaha!” kind of gave it away.
Jeffrey, we all need to laugh to deal with this stress, and laughter is good for health!
Non-essential businesses in Virginia are remaining closed through at least May 8.
i couldn’t agree with You more, Doc, on the need for laughter at this time. But i don’t find a lot of humor in “manning the barricades, storming the White House holding torches, and stringing Trump up.”
Especially the “holding torches” part. It reminded me of the neo-Nazi torchlight parade a couple of years ago thru the university that Jefferson built. And thus of what happened back in Germany in the 30s.
Did You see what happened in Detroit today with the drive-in gridlock blockade? What would it take to turn something like that into something very, very ugly.
Or, as the Chief Inspector in “V For Vendetta” put it: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2wlvn5
Business leaders are stressing to Trump that the country is not ready to open May 1. They’re stressing the same thing that governors and health experts are saying: the urgent need to ramp up testing before the country can reopen.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/15/politics/trump-business-council-calls/index.html
Oops, Jeffrey! I did not intend that at all, and was not aware of what happened in Michigan at the time!
Sorry, a joke is not a joke after all, as bloodshed and violence, and even the thought of it, is horrifying!
And that could lead to martial law by Trump, and a dictatorship established, god forbid! 🙁
Again, Doc: i could not agree with You more. ~ jeff
If anyone is interested, Masterpiece on PBS has a new drama series about WWII. It’s called World On Fire and airs on Sunday nights at 9 p.m.
I finally got into my bank account. Got my $1200 today.
Congratulations, Rational Lefty!
I received my $1200 today too!
Rest of us got our money as well.
Crazy thing out today’s press briefing – Trump thinks he can adjourn Congress. LOL
https://www.axios.com/trump-adjourn-congress-recess-appointments-3c2a7a5b-835f-4370-9f5e-1e466f226669.html
A law expert on Lawrence’s show said that Trump’s withholding of $ for World Health Organization is illegal. It’s exactly what he got impeached for.
Did that law expert explain exactly Why it was “illegal”?
And is anybody in Congress ever going to raise the question of the legality of withholding those funds? If they have, it’s well hidden from public view.
He wasn’t impeached because of withholding funds. He was impeached for using that in an attempt to gain political advantage in the upcoming election.
If he hadn’t done it to get dirt on Biden, my guess is that the Democrats would not have been so very terribly concerned about it.
Well, given the fact that Congress has let him do virtually everything that he has wanted them to do from Day 1 of his reign [name ONE thing that Congress has actually prevented or stopped Trump from doing, other than not giving $$$ to Ukraine], my guess is that those folks will probably just go right along with being adjourned.
You are correct, Pragmatic. Don’t pay any attention to this foolish troll.
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/04/15/house-democrats-trump-who-funding-188124
Anti-quarantine protests to happen in VA.
https://wset.com/news/coronavirus/groups-plan-to-protest-va-lockdown-in-richmond-thursday
These are obviously the same fools who thinks the virus is a hoax.
Well, I say let these idiots protest and spread the virus around to each other.
The protesters who were in their cars in Michigan, blocking the roads, kept healthcare workers from getting to work, kept ambulances from getting to hospitals.
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2020/4/16/1937770/-Michigan-health-care-worker-Operation-Gridlock-kept-me-from-going-to-work
No, Jeffrey, the Congress will not adjourn, and Trump will not get his way, and he just wants attention, since he is jealous of Andrew Cuomo, who makes him look ridiculous by comparison!
All of the Democratic Governors, and the GOP Governors of Maryland, Massachusetts, and Ohio are shining stars, and he looks like the moron he is, or as the new book out is titled, the Toddler in Chief by Daniel Drezner!
Did You read the article? Workers and ambulances were “delayed” getting to hospitals; not kept or prevented from.
In any event, when i read about and watch what happened in Detroit yesterday with the anti-lockdown protests, i am reminded of how the Chief Inspector in “V For Vendetta†put it: “Somebody will do something stupid… .” https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2wlvn5 .
Or, for an extended version, see
https://www.theburningplatform.com/2014/08/01/with-so-much-chaos-somebody-will-do-something-stupid/ .
And to those protesters in Michigan, Kentucky, Virginia and elsewhere, defy the Governors and face arrest and no social distancing, and suffer what prisoners, many of them not convicted, and many not violent, are suffering in America’s profit prisons across the land!
A good way to thin the herd of morons, including all the Senators over 65 and our President, since there is no concern for the lives of senior citizens, so let us play Russian Roulette with them and the moronic demonstrators, who defy the law!
These protesters are like kids, who have to learn the hard way that the stove is hot. Maybe they need to get sick with the virus to learn how deadly it is.
Exactly, Rustbelt Democrat, give them what they want, a crowd close together in jail!
All Senators over 65? Or just all Republican Senators over 65? How about all Republicans, 65 and over or under?
They’re being funded by the family of Betsy DeVos.
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2020/4/15/1937520/-DeVos-family-funds-stay-at-home-protests-in-Michigan
Betsy DeVos, and all of her family members involved in this, should be arrested for undermining the rule of law!
I would say only Republicans, and maybe all of them, lol!
But definitely Trump and McConnell should sacrifice their lives for the cause, a major contribution to the nation!
The videos of the ones standing around outside had their Trump-Pence signs. I had a feeling these protesters were a bunch of Trumpanzees.
It’s a shame the Daily Kos couldn’t be troubled to find out what the DeVos family had to say on all this. After all, that’s what real news organizations do. Like Newsweek:
Newsweek reached out to a DeVos family spokesperson who responded to Whitmer’s comments in an email.
“Contrary to the Governor’s statements, the DeVos family hasn’t funded this protest nor has it offered prior support to the organizing entity. They understand the frustration of fellow Michiganders, however, as elements of the governor’s top-down approach appear to go beyond public safety. Michigan deserves competent governance, not baseless attacks,” the spokesperson said.
Greg McNeilly, the volunteer chairman for the Michigan Freedom Fund and former campaign manager for Richard DeVos’ Michigan gubernatorial run, told Newsweek that the DeVos family has given the Michigan Freedom Fund support in the past.
“The Michigan Freedom Fund was not an organizer of the rally and spent $250 of non-big-dollar donor money for a Facebook promotion of the event…Zero DeVos dollars involved in the event. So the Governor of Michigan lied. Period. We all err, but when we make mistakes how we fix them defines our character. The governor should…correct her mistake. It’d be a meaningful way to demonstrate integrity and help rebuild the lost trust that is quickly eroding for her in Michigan.”
https://www.newsweek.com/residents-gridlock-michigan-streets-protest-governor-whitmers-coronavirus-lockdown-measures-1498112
Jeffrey, you are more naive than I thought you were!
DeVos has been a liar and a crook, along with her family, since Day One, promoting an extremist agenda, including against public education and for crooked for profit institutions!
The fact that the family issues a statement of denial, is no different than the 17,000 plus lies of Donald Trump!
Denial does not make it fact, rather clearly, the family should be prosecuted for undermining the rule of law, as the Governor decides on social distancing, whether one likes it or not, as life is more important than profits in a dangerous time like this!
Ahhhh; i see: “Guilty until proven innocent,” eh?
And if “denial does not make fact,” how and why does the Daily Kos’ saying it is fact actually Make it “fact”?.
Other ~ of course ~ than that it’s, well, The Daily Kos. And those folks don’t have an agenda, do they?
It is FACT that the DeVos family is corrupt, ok?
And I would trust Daily Kos more than say, Fox News Channel!
You can believe what you want, but the right wing media is fully corrupt and evil, and only out to promote hate, division, nativism, racism, homophobia, and Islamophobia!
They are a cancer on our society, and cause one third to 40 percent of the nation to demonstrate their ugly, stupid nature, the downfall of this nation if it continues!
RF: “It is FACT that the DeVos family is corrupt, ok?” [sic]
“OK?” GMAFB. That sounds like the high schooler attempting to explain to his parents why he got 4 Fs and a D on his report card: “Well, like, maybe i, like, just spent too much time on one subject, OK?”
i’m curious: Is that how You teach Your history classes?
RF: And I would trust Daily Kos more than say, Fox News Channel!
i put those two in the same category, Doc. In fact, i put just about every “news” organization [Left, Right, and Muddled Middle] in the same category. They are all in the propaganda business. The only difference is what they are propagandizing.
RF: You can believe what you want, but the right wing media is fully corrupt and evil, and only out to promote hate, division, nativism, racism, homophobia, and Islamophobia!
You left out nationalism, populism, neo-mercantilism, misogynyism, anti-Semitism, and a couple of other things, but i get Your drift.
So what does Your left wing enlightened, corporatist, crony capitalist, [neo]liberal/progressive/socialist media promote?
RF: They are a cancer on our society, and cause one third to 40 percent of the nation to demonstrate their ugly, stupid nature, the downfall of this nation if it continues!
Well, Doc, come the Revolution and we all are eating peaches and creme, Y’All can round up that quite a bit more than just 40% and send them off to re-education camps. OK? That is, if You can get past their guns.
RF: Congress will not adjourn, and Trump will not get his way, and he just wants attention, since he is jealous of Andrew Cuomo, who makes him look ridiculous by comparison!
Hmmmm. Interesting. Is Trump as jealous of Biden as he is of Cuomo? Maybe the Dems ought to consider an alternative to their current presumptive nominee if they want to have a chance in November.
Thru this whole COVID-19 Event, Cuomo is actually doing something; on the front lines and in the trenches. Demonstrating what he is capable of doing as a politician, a leader, and a manager.
What’s Unca Joe up to these days, besides trying to get Hillary and Ophra’s endorsement?
ps: ps: i’ve tried posting this to Your recent blog on charging Trump with negligent homicide several times with no success. So i’ll try to do it here:
Given the fact that 74% of the total of 142,707 COVID-19 deaths have occurred in the US, Italy, Spain, France, and the UK, should the leaders of those nations be similarly charged with “negligent homicide”? Or just Trump?
Jeffrey, I teach the facts, not mythology, and am balanced in coverage, as with Richard Nixon, for example.
But Trump has no virtues, makes Nixon look like a choir boy by comparison.
I do not think all media are propaganda, and you can believe what you wish.
Cuomo is doing well, but again, he did not run, and our system is that you must run for the nomination and win delegates.
Joe Biden has daily videos, and has been on many interviews, and is ramping up.
Meanwhile, Trump is undermining himself daily, so a good strategy for now!
The other western European leaders have far fewer losses, and Trump has rejected science, while the others did not, and for that, alone, he should be prosecuted, as he expresses no remorse or mourning for the victims, or the first responders, sacrificing their lives, as all he cares about is himself!
RF: “I do not think all media are propaganda, and you can believe what you wish.”
Let me guess which media You wish to believe are and are not propaganda machines…. . Boy; that’s a tough one.
RF: “The other western European leaders have far fewer losses, and…. .”
Far fewer losses by what measure?
The Deaths per 1 million Population are as follows:
Spain: 409
Italy: 367
France: 263
UK: 202
US: 101
Only Belgium [another western European nation] ~ with 419 D/m pop ~ is higher.
ps: The US also has a lower Deaths/million pop than the other following western European nations:
Netherlands: 193
Switzerland: 148
Sweden: 132
Luxembourg: 110
The US is sad to be the best nation in the world, so they should have been the leaders in overcoming this virus!
Nothing will take the stain of death and blood off of Trump, and it will condemn him forever in history!
And the entire gains economically under Obama are wiped out, thanks to Trump and his crooked cronies, who care not a whit about the American people!
And it will not come back for many years, thank you, Donald Trump!
So i see those numbers mean absolutely nothing to You. Gottcha.
RF: “The US is said to be the best nation in the world, so they should have been the leaders in overcoming this virus!”
First of all: “Said to be the best nation in the world” by whom? Besides Americans, of course.
Second of all: How do You propose that the US should have led the nations of western Europe in “overcoming this virus!”? Or indeed, the whole world? Isn’t that what the world has a WHO, a UN, an IMF and World Bank, etc for?
RF: “Nothing will take the stain of death and blood off of Trump, and it will condemn him forever in history!”
At this point, i sincerely doubt that Donald Trump gives two flying flips at all about what history will think of him. He’s not there to get a monument built for himself in DC or to get a spot on Mt Rushmore.
RF: “And the entire gains economically under Obama are wiped out, thanks to Trump and his crooked cronies, who care not a whit about the American people! And it will not come back for many years, thank you, Donald Trump!”
But, but, but….. i thought Unca Joe and his Braintrust are putting together an instantaneous come back once he assumes the throne. At least that’s the impression one gets of what his daily videos are proclaiming.
Tell You what, Professor. Let’s play “Monday Morning Quarterback,” and pretend that You were the President of the United States on December 31, 2019, the day China announced a virus in Wuhan; or January 11, 2020, when China announced its first C-19 death. Take Your pick.
Given the benefit of 20/20 hindsight, what specific steps would You have ordered be taken by the US government [at the federal, state, and local levels] to deal with these announcements? And when would You have ordered them?
What would You have done differently than Trump? Got any thoughts on that?
Jeffrey, I believe in science and in international cooperation!
I would have, immediately, reacted in mid January to take action, and be the crisis leader that other Presidents have been, successfully!
Tell the American people the truth about the danger, and do not allow right wing media to manipulate me!
I would take flack at the time, but would be seen as having taken the proper actions without hesitation!
I assure you that had Hillary Clinton been in office, the scenario I have described here would have occurred!
But of course, since you are such a cynic, you will deny it, but I am certain of what I suggest above!
RF: “Jeffrey, I believe in science and in international cooperation! I would have, immediately, reacted in mid January to take action, and be the crisis leader that other Presidents have been, successfully!
Tell the American people the truth about the danger, and do not allow right wing media to manipulate me!”
So beyond “telling the American people the truth about the danger,” what specific political, economic, and medical actions would You have ordered? Particularly, what actions would You have ordered so as to prevent 22+ million Americans from becoming unemployed and undoing all the economic gains by Obama?
And ~ and that point ~ whose and which “Truth” were You going to tell the American people? What was the status of the scientific “Truth” about COVID-19 in mid-January? What was WHO saying at that point? What was China or anybody else saying at that point? What were Your CDC and top medical advisers declaring that “Truth” to be?
TF: “I would take flack at the time, but would be seen as having taken the proper actions without hesitation!”
Again…. beyond “telling the truth,” what “proper actions” would You have taken “without hesitation!”?
RF: “I assure you that had Hillary Clinton been in office, the scenario I have described here would have occurred!”
i am assured that You assure me of that, Professor. So i’ll ask the same question again with a twist: What specific ACTIONS would President Clinton, H have ordered so as to control the virus and not tank the economy?
RF: “But of course, since you are such a cynic, you will deny it, but I am certain of what I suggest above!”
And i am certain that You are certain of what You suggested above[!]. But, one last time: Beyond “telling the American people the truth,” what are You suggesting that You [or Hillary] would have actually, really DONE?
I would have had all of the intelligence and scientific information, which I do not have, but be assured, Mr Prosecutor, lol, that I would not have denied the reality of this situation, and would not be lying and deceiving and playing politics with it, following the lead of Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh and the other scumbags!
You should have been a prosecutor, Jeffrey!
Heh. For about eight years, i was a senior noncommissioned officer assigned to The Office of the Inspector General of the United States Army. We got to do things even prosecutors can’t do.
Yes, Professor: You have made it abundantly clear that You would not “have denied the reality of this situation, and would not be lying and deceiving and playing politics,” etc, so on, and so forth.
But the simple fact of the matter is that You do not have a clue as to what specific steps this government Should have taken back in mid-January other than something different than what Trump did.
So let me ask an easier question: What does the administration, Congress, and, particularly, The Fed need to do now that the $2.3 trillion CARES package is accomplishing nothing to stop the downward spiraling of the economy?
How much more federal money needs to be spent, and who should be the ones to get it? i won’t even bother to ask how it’s going to be paid for because Nobody even wants to think about that question; let alone attempt to answer it.
Jeffrey, I am truly impressed with your military background and I salute you on that!
I am not a financial expert, but it clear this round, small business, not corporations, should be helped, along with the health care institutions and providing of assistance to the poor and disabled, and nothing to anyone above the $150,000 level.
Monthly amounts to all that qualify under $150,000 per couple should be $2000 for six months, as Democrats are suggesting, and the administration should have no input or participation in the handling of this issue, not even the Treasury or HHS, but rather the federal bureaucracy, separate from the Administration Cabinet Officers.
There can be no allowance for Trump or his family to have any advantage or make any profit off this, and there must be funding for mail in ballots for the election as part of the deal, to insure the normal procedure of elections on time, as this is the only way to insure a free and fair election where nobody is denied the right to vote!
Now, Mr. Prosecutor, tell me what your plan is!
RF: “I am not a financial expert, but it is clear this round, small business, not corporations, should be helped, along with the health care institutions and providing of assistance to the poor and disabled, and nothing to anyone above the $150,000 level.”
How should “small business” be “helped”? What sort of help do they need right now? And do You include the big, corporate health care institution in Your assistance plan, or just public sector medical facilities?
And of the currently 22 million unemployed, how many are laid off from “small businesses” versus from all those big, bad, and nasty corporations? Maybe You need to define “small business” first, i guess, eh?
In other words: What’s Your plan to get those 22 million people back to work? How do You plan to do that?
RF: “Monthly amounts to all that qualify under $150,000 per couple should be $2000 for six months, as Democrats are suggesting, and the administration should have no input or participation in the handling of this issue, not even the Treasury or HHS, but rather the federal bureaucracy, separate from the Administration Cabinet Officers.”
Just to clarify: every couple gets $2000 per month for six months, or every individual gets that amount? And if the couple ~ or a single Mom or Dad ~ has kids, how much do they get for each one?
And do You have even a rough estimate as to how much money You are talking about disbursing over that six month period? For that matter, do You have even a guesstimate as to how much money is being disbursed in this round’s $1200 checks? That information does not seem to be readily available.
In any event, if nobody in the administration is going to be involved in all this, then who is actually going to be running ~ and thus be responsible and accountable for the performance of ~ that federal bureaucracy?
And i’m afraid that if You’re going to be giving away that much money to that many people for that period of time, You are going to have to keep the Treasury in operation to print up all those dollar bills that people are going to have in their pockets to spend. Either that, or just issue debit cards [perhaps in conjunction with the proposed “Immunity Cards”], and move to a cashless economy. Plus, You will definitely need the Federal Reserve to pull all the strings together and keep America’s banking, finance, and investment system afloat during all this.
RF: “There can be no allowance for Trump or his family to have any advantage or make any profit off this, and there must be funding for mail in ballots for the election as part of the deal, to insure the normal procedure of elections on time, as this is the only way to insure a free and fair election where nobody is denied the right to vote!”
How about no allowance for any elected or appointed official [Republican or Democrat] getting any advantage or making any profit from all this? Or is Trump the only one who can’t get in on the play?
And, given the goat-rope in Wisconsin, do You honestly, really think and believe that an election-by-mail handled by the USPS would have any chance whatsoever of not ending up like Florida in 2000, but even worse, and probably in a vast majority of the 50 states?
RF: “Now, Mr. Prosecutor, tell me what your plan is!”
i’ll pass that on in a subsequent message, Professor. But You need to be forewarned: i will be approaching it as an Inspector General, and not as a Prosecutor. ~ j
Speaking of $2000 per month –
Even Republican Voters Support $2,000 a Month Payments During Coronavirus Crisis: Poll
A plurality of all respondents cited a wealth tax as their preferred way to pay for the program.
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/04/16/even-republican-voters-support-2000-month-payments-during-coronavirus-crisis-poll
Trump’s guidance for reopening is vague and has no testing plan
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-announce-guidelines-reopening-u-s-amid-coronavirus-pandemic-n1185666
Testing is the key to reopening the country. Why he’s against that, baffles me.
Jeffrey, you have worn me out!
I agree that nobody in Congress should have any benefit from any new economic plan, besides the President, his family, and his Cabinet.
As far as the rest of your constant questioning, it is above my pay grade, and I am not being paid to answer you, lol, hahahaha!
So, Mr Genius, you tell us what should be done, ok?
Heh. It’s above my pay grade, as well, Doc. All i’m trying to do is understand what is actually, really going on with all this. Because i can assure You that We, the People, are not getting the whole, real Truth about the COVID-19 Event, or the reactions and responses of our governments to it.
Like Joe Walsh put it: “I’m just lookin’ for clues at the scene of the crime…. .” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p29jRMHP3G0
Have a good one. ~ jeff
Trump and the GOP are the only ones not telling the truth.
That remains to be seen.
Correct, Rational Lefty. Ignore the foolish troll.