Since the election of Donald Trump to be President of the USA, we have witnessed daily attempts by Democrats to stop the peaceful transition of power. There was the day after cries of foul that lead to the demand for a recount of votes. But the Democrats did not ask for recounts in West Virginia, or Kentucky but only for recounts in the three States which would have denied President-elect Trump the needed electoral votes. This political terror tactic was accompanied by a chorus of high-profile media people saying that Mr. Trump was not “their” President. The disregard for the voters who legitimately elected President-Elect Trump was daily broadcast over media stations with panels and pundits and election gurus all saying that the people who elected him were duped, or fooled or just “angry white men”. The recounts showed that not only did Donald Trump win the three States but he increased his lead, albeit, by a few hundred votes in each State. Then there was the chorus from Hollywood that actors and other entertainers would not respect the new President’s request to entertain at his inauguration. It was daily reported about this one or that one who refused to participate because of their dislike for Mr. Trump, VP Pence, the campaign staff, the proposed cabinet, and ultimately, their contempt for the millions of legal voters who exercised their God-given right to vote. Add to all of this, the myth of the so-called Russian hack of the Democrat National Committee(DNC) offices and the nature of this unAmerican terror tactic of intimidation and lies goes beyond the real into fantasy. There was an interception of DNC emails and data from their computers but there is not one shred of evidence it was directed by Russia or Russians. There is also absolutely no proof to the allegation that this was a hacking of the election. Even President Obama, no friend of Donald Trump, stated publically that there was no interference with the voting process in the USA. This statement has been proven again and again. However, the nefarious use of the term, “hacked the election” used by the Democrats confused and misled people. Add to all of this the murky involvement of the CIA and Mr. Clapper, and the FBI and Mr. Commey in the completely false attestation to the fabricated Trump “dossier” scandal and one can see the willingness of Democrats to use the government itself to smear the President-elect and deny the voters their freedom. All of this process, although not Muslim type terrorism, is nonetheless, political, social and cultural terrorism. The antic today inform us as we look back on the many years when Congress and the Senate were gridlocked and nothing accomplished. It is the Democrats who need to be examined. The inauguration of Donald Trump to be President of the USA is a hope-filled day. The inauguration is the day when the peaceful political revolution of the people which resulted in his nomination and election victory will start a new era of hope and change. This time, not by a phone and a pen and a grid-locked Congress of petulant Democrats, but by robust debate, and congressional legislation. By the way, let’s keep a keen eye on the Democrats in Congress. If they do not acknowledge Donald Trump as President, and if they try their political terrorist tactics in Congress, then we the people need to make sure they don’t win reelection in 2018.
Category: President 2016
Fake News, Russian Hack, Whatever?!
We seem to have coined brand new categories of concern in 2016. The terms “Fake News” and “Russian Hack” have enter the public vocabulary. But are these items representative of something real?
What is “fake News”? This term points to Internet news sites that pretend to present incorrect or false information as news. The intention is for the reader to believe that the site is reporting about something that existed, or that happened. However, in fact, “Fake News” did not happen and the reported item does not exist. “Fake News” is itself fake. It does not exist. It did not happen. The connection of the word “fake” and “news” is not logical. If it is fake, it is not News. If it is News, it is not fake. So what is this thing labeled “Fake News”? It is a lie. We need to stop using the term “Fake News” and call it what it is, namely, a lie.
This leads to the second item that is being bantered about in our media, “Russian Hack.” What is a Russian Hack? More specifically, what is meant by the concept that the “Russians hacked the USA elections.” Is this news? Is it a lie? Did it happened? What happened? Did it have an effect on anything? If this is “Fake News” than it is simply a lie. If something happened, what is the “something” that happened? It is not obvious to this writer that anything happened. It is not clear that if something happened, that the “Russians” did it. By the way, who are these Russians supposed to be? Is it the government of Russia? Is it some citizens of Russia? Is it Americans who speak Russian? Is it the bogeyman? None of this is clear, and it is suggested that none of it may have happened. It may all be a lie?
But you respond, “How can you be so foolish to deny that Russian government “hackers” invaded the Internet Servers of Americans?” After all, the Central Intelligence Agency(CIA) says it happened. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) says it happened. Some people have reported that all the intelligence agencies of the USA government say that it happened. But still the question is, “What happened?” The answer is that Emails and internal correspondence of the Democrat National Committee (DNC) were retrieved from their Internet Servers and these Emails and correspondence were publicly shared by an organization named Wiki Leaks. This reported retrieval of data from the DNC servers was done by someone using a process called “hacking.” This “hacking” could have been done by a DNC insider, one of billions of Internet users, or someone else, including the intelligence agencies of the USA or the Russian Republic. And how do we know this? It is because the intelligence agencies of the USA, who are themselves expert hackers, tell us it happened. So, we are recipients of information from our intelligence hackers that other intelligence hackers hacked us.
Where does all of this convoluted information leave us? Nowhere! However, the hysteria of what is called “Fake News” and what is called “Russian Hacking” has created a precedent that directs news agencies and even whole departments of a government to pursue something that does not exist. What to do? Slow down! Investigate, examine and evaluate information presented and seek to answer the fundamental question. “Is this truth or is this not truth?” Until these two questions are answered, all of the insistence by the various political groups that a person MUST accept the concept of “Fake News” or “Russian Hacking” should be considered propaganda worthy of Goebbels of the Hitler era.
Trump, Hilary and Obama
Much is made of the idea that a vote for Hilary is a vote to extend the Obama policies. This is because they feel that the Obama policies were the wrong policies. These people fear that Hilary is politically and perhaps financially indebted to Obama and his billionaire backers. Why is this a problem? It is because voters want the person they elected. They do not want the backers, lobbyists, power brokers and political careerists who are backing Hilary. To think that Hilary will be her own person and reject the demands of her financial and political backers is to believe that such people, with such a heavy investment in her, will allow her to be independent. That is unlikely.
What is wrong with the Obama legacy? It starts in Cambridge Mass. There, President Obama inserted his own brand of black racism into a neutral situation,. His assertion that the Cambridge police were acting “foolishly” when they tried to protect the property of a black professor was a huge signal that he intended to interpret things from a black versus white prejudice. This racist philosophy evidenced itself again and again. Notable for this writer was the George Zimmermann and Evon Martin Case. Again Obama inserted his racism when he made several public comments on the case. He went so far as to say that if Obama had a son, he would look like the victim. This seemingly innocuous statement was Obama’s taking sides in the judicial case identifying himself with the victim and thereby casting a shadow of guilt on George Zimmermann.
The next episode for our remembering is the method of passage for Obamacare. The President used obvious bribery of political support, public contracting support, and favoring the pet projects of Senators who would sell their convictions for money and the promise of patronage. Additionally, Obama, in typical fashion, moved quickly, once he had bribed votes, to cut off any opposition. Some would call this politics as usual, this writer calls it blatant interference in the legislative functions of the Congress. This strident disregard for the separation of powers clause of the Constitution is further revealed by Obama’s use of Executive Orders. Executive Orders are the same as writing and passing legislation without permission of the legislature. The most prominent expression of Obama’s lack of respect for our constitution was his statement that with his phone and his pen he would bypass Congress and impose his will on the citizens without their consent.
The concept that the so called Constitutional scholar Barrack Hussein Obama should want to usurp the Constitution by a dictatorial use of his phone and his pen is very troubling. For this writer that alone, if extended by the Hilary administration, spells more Federal intrusion into our lives and more dictatorship of the federal government over business, education and personal life. Therefore, a vote for Trump is a vote against an overly dictatorial federal government and its continuation under a Hilary administration.
Moderates for Trump
When is it time to moderate your viewpoint in order to achieve success? This is a very important question for the voters in this 2016 election. It is not concerning only the Presidential candidates, but also the Senate and House of Representatives candidates.
Tuesday, August 9, 2016 Republican House member Paul Ryan won his primary battle against a newcomer. It was an important event because Representative Ryan is also Speaker of the House of Representatives. Therefore, he is third in line of succession to the Presidency if both the President and Vice President should be killed. He is also the leader of the House and it is from there that a great deal of legislation originates and it is from there that all money legislation starts. As the Speaker of the House, Ryan is either an ally or a foe of the President and Executive policies. In a very real sense, Speaker Ryan is the head of the legislative branch, even as Chief Justice Roberts is the head of the Judicial branch and if elected, Donald Trump will be of the Executive branch. All of them supposed to be equal in power so as to safeguard against any one branch of government becoming dictatorial.
Ryan is a member of the Republican party. At the beginning of this election cycle Speaker Ryan seemed hostile to the potential of Mr. Donald J. Trump becoming the Republican nominee for President. Eventually, Mr. Trump became the nominee, and met with Mr. Ryan to overcome any objections that Speaker Ryan had about candidate Trump. Recently, a seeming disconnect occurred when Mr. Trump seemed to support Mr. Ryan’s opponent at the Primary level. Much commotion was caused by the media, but Mr. Ryan affirmed his support for Mr. Trump and Mr. Trump officially endorsed Paul Ryan.
Does it matter? Who knows? But it was a symbol to this writer that voters will need to moderate their political positions in response to the extraordinary opportunity to elect a truly non politician Mr. Trump. Why? Because there is a new American Revolution happening. It is a political revolution. It is a revolution of the workers against those who do not care to work. It is a revolution of business people against those who would tax businesses out of existence. It is a revolution of union workers against those who approve of exporting their jobs to foreign countries. It is a revolution of citizens against those who seek citizenship by breaking the law, It is a revolution of middle class people against effete snobs in universities who take their money and use it to turn their children’s values against them- a middle class that is tired of Black Lives Matter, of Occupy Wall Street, of Ferguson and looting, of agitators who burn down neighborhoods hooded Muslim athletes, spitting out their hate for America and of anti morality advocates who claim that if a man wants to pretend he is a women and enter a woman’s bathroom, it is OK. It is a revolution of all Americans against liars, cheaters, phonies, manipulators, and elite political careerists who think that they are owed the Presidency because they are the “best qualified” for the job.
Yes, this writer is a Trump advocate. Yes, this writer is a moral conservative. Yes, this writer identifies with the Republican party. However, “yours truly” supports Mr. Trump because I believe that the New American Political Revolution that we daily experience has made him the voice of the disenfranchised American who is told to give over America to immigrants who for twenty years have succeeded in breaking the law. A Revolution of disgusted Americans who see the results of a President who disparages them for clinging to their Bibles and guns and who started his administration by claiming that the White (his words) cop in Cambridge, acted foolishly; of Americans who are still startled by Secretary of State Clinton’s testimony about the murder of four embassy personnel in Benghazi, Libya, ” What difference does it make, they are dead?!”
The New American Revolution represented by Donald Trump is a political revolution. It is one last expression of American citizens that they may be able to save the USA from its spiral into the oblivion of Presidential executive orders and a newspaper and news reporting system that constantly treats them as stupid people to be used, manipulated, lied to and propagandized. And Donald Trump? Billionaire business man and Republican nominee for President, what of him? He did not make the New American Revolution, It made him. He did not convince people to believe as they do, they find in him a leader willing to listen to their beliefs and to respect their opinions and to honor them as citizens of the USA. This New American Revolution is political for now. It is based on hope, the hope of a majority of citizens who have been ill treated by their leaders, lied to by their media and who have seen their beloved nation delivered to illegals, law breakers, and college teachers who despise them and seek to turn their own children against them.
Will this phenomenon remain political? Who knows! If the religious right cannot moderate their views to embrace Donald Trump, the revolution may fail. If the Conservatives cannot moderate their views to accept a less than “pure” conservative in Donald Trump, it may fail. If the vast rank and file of adherents to the Democrat party cannot move toward Mr. Trump, it will fail. But its failure, if it happens, may be the new strident revolution that dismisses politics and like a Phoenix from the ashes rises to create a new reality, a viable third political party that will forever change the power structure of America.
Rand Paul’s Speech to Senators was Courageous
Senator Rand Paul stood up in the Senate and addressed his fellow Senators to not allow the continuation of irresponsible spending. He pointedly used charts to show graphically how the Continuing Resolution by the Senate will allow spending to foolishly increase. His speech was informed, bold, accurate, and courageous. It was a well researched speech that used facts and figures to state his case for the American people. He used graphs and charts as visual aids so that people could see as well as hear the facts. Unlike others, Senator Paul was not simplistic, or shrill in his speech. He did not embarrass the American people or the Senators by using accusations sullying the character of his fellow Senators. He boldly spoke to them in person. He boldly asked them to change their minds and vote down the Continuing Resolution. He was accurate in his statements that the American people expect their Senators to made the tough and right decisions to stop runaway federal spending. And he was courageous because he stood up personally on the floor of the Senate chamber in the US Capitol and went on the record explaining why he was voting against the Continuing Resolution.
Mr. Donald Trump, also a candidate running for the Republican nomination, has stated that Senator Paul and others should drop out of the race for the nomination. This writer thinks of it as Mr. Trump’s issuing a “you’re Fired” to Senator Paul. One thing, all of the candidates are running for the Republican nomination. We are not even to the election year contest. There is no reason for Senator Paul or anyone else to drop out until the Republican party has chosen its nominee. This will be done through the votes of registered Republicans at the State level and through the groups called Caucuses. It should not be done by news polls, media polls, conservation talk show hosts, or the TV network debate system. It is not their prerogative to arbitrarily decide for the voters who they will be allowed to nominate. Members of each party reserve that prerogative for themselves.
Senator Rand Paul is a reasoned political personality who has been elected and has served with honor and distinction in the US Senate. His campaign staff is professional and he has raised enough money to pay for that staff and their expertise. Unlike Mr. Trump, Senator Paul is not a billionaire. He has money, indeed, from his practice of Physician. And his fiscal responsibility is a legend. He has returned sizable amounts of money to the federal government from his Senate operations budget. This he has done each year and this year it amounted to a refund TO the federal government of over one million dollars. In every way Senator Rand Paul is distinguished by his disciplined, reasoned, informed, bold and courageous programs to help America get better.
What Happened to Ross Perot?
There was a man named Ross Perot. Remember him? He was very much like Mr. Donald Trump. He was a business man. He was a billionaire. Both of them ran for President. What was Perot’s attractiveness? Perot gave expression to the fear and anxiety of the middle class of his time.
In his book titled, They Only Look Dead, E.J. Dionne Jr. (1996) called those attracted to Ross Perot the “Anxious Middle”. In a very fine chapter about the Politics of the Anxious Middle, Mr. Dionne wrote, (p.67)
The Anxious Middle set the terms for the 1992 and 1994 elections. It destroyed a Republican presidential coalition that seemed invulnerable only a few years earlier. It made Ross Perot possible, ended George (H.W) Bush’s political career, sent Bill Clinton to the White House – and rebuked Clinton and helped make Newt Gingrich one of the central figures of American politics. Perot spoke instinctively of the American Middle. Bush never understood it. Clinton saw it coming long before most politicians, shaped his campaign to respond to its concerns – and then confronted its ire after only two years in office. Gingrich sought his own radical language to speak to its anxieties
(p. 72) Almost as important as Clinton’s candidacy, of course, was Ross Perot’s, and his rise proved to be an essential component of Clinton’s victory. In the spring of 1992, as discontent against Bush was growing, Perot’s sudden availability as a candidate shook loose millions of previously Republican voters. Before he dropped out of the contest, Perot had risen to first in the polls and had driven Bush down to about a third of the potential vote. In his withdrawal statement in July – in the midst of the Democratic National Convention – Perot gave Clinton a large boost when he explained that his candidacy might no longer be needed , “now that the Democratic Party has revitalized itself.” Clinton soared in the polls.
Can we call the politics of Mr. Trump an appeal to the feelings of the Angry Middle? His confrontational style, his harsh criticisms, his stand against media and news reporters, his comments to Megan Kelly at the debate, and his repeated statements of anger and frustration place him as their spokesperson. Many of his supporters praise his fearless engagement with and rebuttal of the news reporters. They like when he gives simple answers to, for instance, the immigration problem. They admire that he is willing to say to anyone who disagrees with him, “you’re Fired.”
But as Mr. Dionne highlights, Ross Perot voluntarily left the race and abandoned his supporters. He threw his support to Clinton. He said that his candidacy was no longer needed now that the Democratic party was revived. Was that it? Did Perot play the American voters for fools? Did he care about the voter’s or only about the revitalization of the Democrats? Was he really just a rich old man who hated Bush and would do whatever he could to insure that Clinton won? However you might feel about that analysis, the fact remains that Perot’s candidacy was phony and he never really cared about the “Anxious Middle.” He cared about himself, the Clinton’s and the Democrat Party.
The parallels between Trump and Perot are startling. Trump’s campaign is to feared because like Perot’s, Trump’s billionaire financing, his bitter anger at the press and media, and his threats of reprisal against those with whom he disagrees are enjoying the same kind of support that sent Perot to number one. Plus, there is already talk among people that if Trump is not on the ballot, millions of voters will opt to stay home on Election Day. Such an action of silent protest will throw the election to Mrs. Clinton and the voter’s will have been played twice the fool.
Why Donald Trump?
Why is so much attention being focused on Mr. Donald Trump? The other candidates are barely getting any press coverage. It is not because they do not have something to say. It is not because they do not have programs and solutions to offer. It is not because they do not have excellent campaign organizations. It is because the press and the major media are giving Mr. Trump so much coverage. Why do they do this? Mr. Trump is a flashy candidate who they find entertaining and therefore as someone who will help them sell their news. The other candidates with more political knowledge and experience are forced out of the news by the antics of the often clownish antics of Mr. Trump. That is too bad. It would be an injustice to America to promote one political upstart just because he is entertaining while ignoring the others who may have things of more substance and importance to contribute.
My Ideal Candidate for President
Frankly, it is myself. But that is not reality. So, I decided to think about my ideal candidate. WARNING: My choice for President is Senator Rand Paul. Why? I think of Senator Rand Paul as a principled leader who has a solid principle of government, and will be guided by high morality and the ethical principles of a Judeao/Christian heritage.
But this is about a blending of candidates into the ideal President. For me, it would start with the qualities I admire in Senator Paul. He is a moderate conservative in government philosophy viewing the federal government as too large to be effective and too big to be considerate of the needs of individual citizens. His foreign policy is a philosophy of applying the same freedoms and principles of governance to other nations as we apply to ourselves. Senator Paul, unlike some others, does not consider it a virtue to bomb and drone other nations under the pretext of defending freedom. He understands that bombs kill innocent people and that even targeted drones have been used to kill fifty men, women, and children under the idea that one of them may be a terrorist.
The second candidate whose qualities I admire is Dr. Ben Carson. Like Senator Rand Paul, Dr. Carson lives by the principle ethical imperative of all doctors, namely, do no harm. Dr. Ben Carson is a quintessential American who’s exemplary life highlights him, as it does Dr. Rand Paul, as a person who’s pro life stand is not just anti Planned Parenthood, but forcefully affirmative of all that America and Western civilization has always held dear, namely, the freedom of the individual to chose and the freedom of the person to move forward into the future under the warm light of God’s sun.
Thirdly, I sincerely appreciate the passionate convictions and forthright honesty of Senator Ted. Cruz. He is a pioneer who has been helped by Senator Rand Paul to find his place in the spectrum of political life and who has distinguished himself as a shining beacon of light in a sea of tumult and storm.
Fourthly, I admire the stamina, intellect and language ability of Governor Jeb Bush. He speaks fluent Spanish and I admire his ability at a second language. But Secretary of State Kerry speaks fluent French and I do not admire him. So, I am forced to wonder if a President Jeb Bush will hold his press conferences and deliver his State of the Union addresses in English and in Spanish? The languages spoken in the USA are many and all are good. However, for this citizen, the language of America is English. It is not Arabic. It is not Korean. It is not Hebrew. It is not Spanish. The people who speak two or more languages are to appreciated. But the language of America for Koreans, Jews, Hispanics, Arabs and all others, is English.
Fifthly I admire Governors Walker and Kasich. They are administrators and leaders of sovereign states within our federal union. As governors, they are responsive to the needs of large citizen populations and their elected representative in the state legislatures. This, all by itself, indicates leaders who fully understand and support the principles of freedom for which our founders fought the American Revolution.
Sixth , I have a deep appreciation for Governor Huckabee. He is a gentleman through and through who exemplifies the values, culture and morals of Christian faith and its daily application to life.
Seventh, I like Donald Trump. He is forthright, candid and brutally opinionated. I believe that his brand of angry opinion reflects the frustration, anger and disappointment of Americans who are on the verge of giving up on the American dream and the principles of American freedom. But I do not believe we should select a leader because he reflects our anger. I do not believe we should follow the lead of someone because he represents our frustration. I do not feel comfortable empowering a man who’s demeanor is one that says, “You’re fired”. As ventilating as that demeanor may be, it is not a characteristic under which I want to live four years.
Can we get all of this in one President. I pray that we could. However, short of that, I pray that our next President will call upon the talents, experiences, abilities and insights of all the many candidates, appointing them to positions of power so that America will be served not by one excellent candidate who knows how to win elections but by many candidates who love America and will spend their lives making America better tomorrow than it is today.
Progressive Politics 