Daily Commentary

December 27, 2016

Give me a break.  Every pundit, politician and voter has an opinion about the election results, emphasizing the demise of the Democratic Party and the mistakes made.  There is no talk about Trump's vicious tactics and lies.  Trump's approach was the perfect storm for the first woman to run for President.  I firmly believe that all the noise was particularly lethal for a woman and the bottom line no one wants to admit is that the USA was unwilling to elect a woman President.

December 23, 2016

Trump is one dangerous SOB.  He is saying that he is asking Boeing for estimates based on their F-18, to replace the Lockheed martin F-35 production.  I understand that they are two very different planes.  The F-35 has super high end technology.  You can't convince me that Trump has immersed himself in the details of this issue - the comparative technology of two different high tech jets. My guess is that he is playing his "art of the deal".  He gets good publicity from his tweet and shakes up two major corporations and their stock prices.

Meanwhile, he tweets about expanding the US nuclear capability.  Hours later, in a preplanned major interview, his right hand woman, Kellyanne Conway, cannot elaborate on what Trump meant.  Has he actually been briefed on exactly what the status of the US nuclear arsenal is?  The man who doesn't get his daily intelligence briefings nor believe in the US intelligence apparatus?  I doubt it.  So, he has done on the international scene, with China and Russia, what he has done to Lockheed Martin and Boeing.   So he successfully rattled his saber, maybe gained some publicity.  I question whether that publicity is good or bad.

If anyone believes that there is substance in these bizarre tweets, they  are very gullible.  If there truly is substance in the tweets, then the future of our country is in terrifying trouble.

 

Michael Moore is right that we need to mobilize on the grass roots level.  We need to be prepared to respond to Congressional actions in January.  This is no time for the Democrats in Congress to compromise.  It is time for Democrats to stop looking at the problems in the tactics of the recent Presidential campaign and DNC - a message that wasn't clear enough and not targeted to some states.  Those tactics do not reflect some dire fate for Democrats in the near future.

And certainly the tactics of the Republicans. while successful, were pretty horrible - promoting violence at rallies, outright lies, and opposition at segments of the American population.

Bottom line - Middle America went for change.  Middle America did not want a woman President after an African-American President.  Coastal America didn't have that issue.  Gerrymandering had an impact, FBI Director Comey had an impact, then there was Russian hacking.

Time for Democrats to get their message out and present the real truth of the mess Trump is already starting to make.

December 21, 2016

Two more crazy picks - a professor from UC Irvine to head a trade advisory group - this professor advocates getting tough on trade with China.  And the other is Carl Ichan to head  no other advisory group.  He is a very active trader in stocks, probably a multi-millionaire at least, and almost certainly an advocate for free market, restraint free trading. 

This vast array of individuals tapped for the Trump administration reflect one thing in common for sure.  That is views that are totally contrary to the current direction of the US government, indicting a very radical change is coming.  There is nothing that in this group that reflects meeting the needs of the middle class nor the consumer.
UPdate- Trump wrote that Ichan was influential in bringing aobut the hideous - my word, not theirs - EPA pick who denies climate change and is suing the very agency he will be leading!  Ichan hates government regulation - get ready for a re-run of the excess of the Bush years that led to the economic implosion.  The Perfect Storm!

Now the Dems are always wrong.  Hillary Clinton didn't wage the correct campaign to win, ie., her Electoral loss (and popular vote win BTW) - her loss wasn't because Trump lied about her for months or FBI Director Comey announced information right before the election or the hacking.  But the dems are told "get over it" - does anyone remember the Reps after Obama's election? McConnell says they will make him a one term President and oppose everything and Trump tried to totally de-legitimize his election with the birther obscenity.

Now, the Reps are saying that, after George Bush created an enormous economic crisis and meltdown, the Reps are saying Obama's recovery plan was incorrect and too slow in the recovery. 

Republicans are talking about Democratic meltdown and divisive - don't believe it for a  minute.

HUH?

Daliah LIiwick (sp?) got it right - The Democrats have to fight like Republicans.

December 19, 2016

I just heard a talking head , formerly affiliated with Senator Rand Paul, talking about "The Red Line."  Meaning of course Obama's red line posed over the use of Asad's chemical weapons in Syria - presenting that declaration and not following through on it - as a major sign of how the USA is no longer the power in the world and the world is turning inward and de-stabilizing.  John McCain also talked about how the USA has not presented a position of strength.  Others are saying that bck in October, Obama did not make enough of  the Russian hacking - even though he did speak personally to Putin about it and did publicize it.

Do you see a trend?  I do - let's blame Obama! Another result of this phoney thinking is to encourage Trump's saber rattling with China.  Where this leads us on Russia since Trump and Tillerson are in love with Putin.

Could you imagine what Trump would have said in his rallies if Obama had been more forceful?  Trump already said that the election was rigged.  And the media made headlines of the content of the WikiLeak products of the hacks, all against Hillary Clinton,  while not pointing out that the content was the result of Russian hacking.

And "The Red Line".  Were the American people willing to enter another war?  Was the American budget deficit to assume that responsibility?  While at the same time taking on another instance of nation building.  Oh, and by the way, fighting Russia?

Puh-lease! 

Is this a way to blame Obama and validate the Trump nonsense?

December 18, 2016

I am inviting  my readers and any tweeters to weigh in with their opinions.  When and on what issue will Trump be impeached?  I'm guessing that it will happen before the mid-terms in 2018.  I think the issue will have something to do with one of his overseas business ventures, maybe Russia, but also possibly some action he takes as President that blatantly benefits his business interest or eases his business debts to overseas banks.  I figure that could take a year or so, time for Republicans running for reelection to the House of Representatives to redeem themselves before 2018.

December 16, 2016

Happy Birthday, Beethoven!

 

That said, I cannot keep up.  I just learned about Trump's appointment as Ambassador to Israel.  David Freidman.  Who is far to the right of Netanyahu.  Who does not accept the idea of a Two State Solution.  Who supports all the new settlements.

This is reckless - by the man who doesn't read daily security briefings.

I do not understand the intentions.  It is beginning to appear that Trump is trying to deliberately de-stabilize the world.  Is this Trump himself?  Is this Bannon opposing the concept of government itself?

There is still time for the Electors to become patriots on December 19.

December 13, 2016

So the Secretary of State nominee will be the CEO of Exxon, Tilleson.  He received the highest civilian honor from Russia's Putin.  Just as the CIA says Russia worked to influence the election in Trump's favor.  While Trump declares that he doesn't believe the CIA, ie,  Trump doesn't believe the government's career spymasters because it doesn't fit his narrative of a landslide win (it wasn't a landslide as I have already detailed in my blog).   

Trump has also given a questionnaire to staff at the Department of Energy - 74 questions about their position on issues related to climate change.  What is Trump going to do with expert, experienced civil servants whose opinions don't agree with his?

And, instead of a news conference, where journalists get to ask questions directly, Trump issued a couple tweets, saying that his adult sons will run his businesses and they won't do any new deals.  He will have a news conference at a alter date, some staff saying next month.  Clearly after the Electoral College votes.  Already there is a problem with Turkey - the Turkish government has arrested a Trump's business partner on trumped up charges (no pun intended) while the Turkish government is demanding that the US extradite an imam living in Pennsylvania.  Hmm. What will happen when Trump could authorize that extradition?

Another point.  Ivanka Trump has moved at least one item of her clothing business manufacturing from China to Ethiopia.  Hmm.  Of course, this isn't bringing the manufacturing back to the US, but is it also a piece of the upcoming policy toward China?

Trump initially said hi conversation with the Taiwanese leader was just a congrats call, no big thing, not planned. yah dah yah dah yah dah. Then he tweets questioning the US policy of recognizing One China since the Nixon administration.  Another instance of unpredictable Trump, as he has said is his intention.  Trump isn't getting security briefings, maybe once a week.  This man is unprepared and chooses to remain so.  The total picture is an example of supreme ego - frightening that both domestically and internationally, this man is taking the world's leading power into a personal,  idiosyncratic  and erratic direction, in cahoots with an array of individuals who know nothing about running a government.  Maybe he is trying to reduce the US to the level of Putin's Russia!
Unpredictability does not promote international stability. 

Sunday, December 11, 2016

Democrats, Get With It

I have been a strong supporter of President Obama's measured stances.  He has kept us safe, out of war and brought us through a world wide financial crisis that was the worst in eighty years.  Unemployment is below 5%.  He dealt with complete obstruction - truly unprecedented when you consider Congress' refusal to deal with Obama's Supreme court nominee.

That said, I criticize Obama very strongly for Meeting with trump in anymore than a pro forma way.  Trump has shown that he is going his own way, in the extreme, and then, there is a hint that he has consulted Obama.  There should be no such inference in any way.  I cannot imagine even the remotest possibility that Obama is encouraging anything that Trump is doing or saying, except perhaps, Trump's agreement that future health insurance plans should cover preexisting conditions and young adult children on their parents' policies.

Given the extreme cabinet nominees, most of whom don't even support the missions of the department they are appointed to, Democrats need to speak out at every possible chance.  We go high when they go low?  No more.  We must just get louder and call out their every moveDecember 10, 2016  How far can the disrespect go?  Washington Post reveals that the CIA learned that not only did Russia engage in hacking, but that they did so with the specific objective of electing Donald Trump.  Trump's response?  A snide statement that the CIA is the organization that said Iraq had weapons of mass destruction.  So Trump doesn't believe the CIA.  Excellent point of view for the future President ho will rely on the CIA for the information to guide his decisions.  (note the sarcasm, please).  This is the same future President who has had only four of the daily intelligence briefings since the election.  This does not indicate someone prepared to be the ultimate authority and decision maker of the federal government - to put it mildly.

Meanwhile, he told his rally that he no longer needed their votes and when the audience chanted "lock her up", Trump replied "we don't care about that anymore".  So much for his followers.  Which explains why there are three people who worked for Goldman Sachs (remember his accusations against Clinton for her speeches) and an array of millionaires and billionaires who funded his campaign and who are generally opposed to the missions of the cabinet  departments they are appointed to lead.  Huh?

Bottom line - Trump is for Trump.  When he reveals his plan for control of his businesses on December 15, the best choice will be to withdraw from the electoral process.  He is is without a foundation, without a compass of any sort to guide him through the process of governing.



December 9, 2016  Missing the Point.  Media is talking about and presenting the conflict of interest with Trump's DC hotel and how foreign governments are already using it for events.  Media presents how these governments are trying to gain favor with the President-elect.  True enough.  I have not heard mention of how this diminishes fair competition.  What about the other hotels in DC?  Fair market be damned! (sarcasm on this last point).

December 9, 2016 Time to reminisce - I recall a conversation shortly after George W Bush was elected, probably before he added Donald Rumsfeld to his cabinet, but of course Dick Cheney was in place as VP.  I as speaking with a co-worker who was a member of the army reserve.  My co-worker stated with assurance that we would have a war.  And of course we had the war in Iraq over nonexistent chemical weapons.  My co-worker simply reflected the perception of Republican administrations.  Now we have an extreme conservative Republican cabinet and at least three generals in critical positions.  Is this Trump's idea of a jobs program for the rust belt?

December 9, 2016  At his latest rally, Trump said, "I want people that made a fortune because now they're negotiating with you. It's not different than a great baseball payer or a great golfer".   That really does explain a lot.  Money is everything to Trump.  But there are many super-wealthy people who are liberal.  He chose extreme conservatives - conservatives with strong views.  But he is explaining his selections in terms of monetary accomplishments.
After January 20, we will find out how this thinking turns out.  Meanwhile, I read that the many other selections for running the government are not moving forward efficiently, that is all the under secretaries and others who will run the government.  There is still question as to whether Trump understands how government operates.  And, of course, the question as to whether he ever intends to take the oath on January 20.  He promises to reveal his plans for his real estate empire on December 15, before the Electoral College actually votes. 

December 8, 2016  Representative Keith Ellison said it right.  we need to focus on the mess that Trump will turn the country into.  Forget all the extraneous issues.  So true.  Face the real issues - absurd conservatism and bigotry.  We need to unite and fight it.

December 8, 2016  Filmmaker Michael Moore predicted that trump will not take office in Janury - tht he will decide that the Presidency more than he intended to take on.  Yeah.  Makes sense. And it puts the cabinet appointments in perspective.  This is a Pence cabinet.  It is also a cabinet that will destroy the fabric of the United States of America.  Sessions as Attorney General who opposes voting, civil and LGBT rights; Betsy DeVos for Education who opposes public education; Price for Health & Human Services who opposes Medicare, Medicaid and the health insurance law; Pruitt for Environmental Protection agency who actually is suing that very agency; Mnuchin for Treasury who foreclosed on 36,000 homes nd made millions in profit; Carson for HUD who stated that he didn't know how to run a government agency; Puzder for Labor who declared that robots do a better job than employees.  These are the individuals who are going to run our country.

December 7, 2016  Wow.  Rachel Maddow says that a possible nominee for heading the FDA (Federal Drug Administration) has expressed the position that clinical drug trials are unnecessary - he says to just put them on the open market and see what happens to the people who sue them!  Maybe we should all just say, "Oink, oink."  We are going to become guinea pigs!

December 7, 2016  JUNTA!  So far, Generals Flynn, Mastis and Kelley are headed onto the Trump team.  There is talk of adding General Petraeus to the team as well.  Remember how Trump said he knew more than the generals?  Remember how Trump promised to restore waterboarding and how the military explained that to do so could lead to problems in following the orders of the Commander-in-Chief?  So what is Trump's intent?  Who knows.  Maybe Trump wants to prevent a junta.  But what our Founding Fathers knew is that they wanted a civilian-led government.