Month: May 2018

Bigger Than Watergate? Trump Whines Incoherently About Non-Existent Spies in His Campaign

Posted by on May 17, 2018 at 10:06 am. 1 Comments :

The President of the United States continues to exhibit clear signs of consciousness of guilt and a festering fear of exposure. Donald Trump’s Twitter feed would make a fascinating psychiatric study exploring acute paranoia in political leaders. And on Thursday morning he posted some more of the evidence of his growing mental instability.

Donald Trump

Trump’s latest Twitter tantrum was likely inspired by his senior strategic advisor, Sean Hannity. As the top Trump-fluffer on Fox News Hannity has already initiated a campaign to smear special prosecutor Robert Mueller with an new emphasis on this being the one year anniversary of his appointment (as if that had any relevance to anything). Hannity and Trump are so cognitively aligned that they are now – as Stephen Colbert said – finishing each other’s prison sentences. And the familiar rhetoric of “fake news” and “witch hunt” flow from both of them as if in harmony. So early Thursday morning Trump posts this tedious gripe:

So now Trump is blaming America for investigating his unsavory connections to Russia and his unlawful attempts to cover it up. And he continues to bleat out impotent declarations that there has been no collusion despite all of the evidence that is known, and even more that Mueller surely has but is not yet ready to disclose. And if that weren’t enough, Trump has also adopted the wingnut conspiracy theory that Obama planted a spy in his presidential campaign.

The “word” to which Trump is referring is a badly misinterpreted analysis by ultra-rightist Andrew McCarthy of the conservative National Review. McCarthy took a segment of testimony from Glenn Simpson of Fusion GPS, who said that Christopher Steele (of the Steele Dossier fame) believed the FBI had a source within the Trump campaign. To McCarthy, and much of the Trump mediaverse, that got magnified in their imaginations as a spy scandal.

But there is a big difference between a spy and a source. There is absolutely no hint of evidence that the FBI planted an agent (i.e. spy) in the Trump campaign. But there very well might have been a Trump associate (i.e. source) who was disgusted by his activities and informed law enforcement, as any patriotic American would do.

The fact that Trump keeps posting tweets that only exacerbate the appearance of his guilt is proof that he’s consumed with fear and is frantically trying to convince his deplorable disciples that it’s all a big frame-up. That may work on his cult followers, but the rest of the country – and world – only sees a pathetic wretch who seems to know deep inside that he’s going down hard.

How Fox News Deceives and Controls Their Flock:
Fox Nation vs. Reality: The Fox News Cult of Ignorance.
Available now at Amazon.

Trump has his surrogates fanning out across the airwaves to insist that the investigation be halted. Chief among them is his TV lawyer Rudy Giuliani, who is the best thing that ever happened in this affair – for the Democrats. The relentless demands that Mueller quit ignores the fact that that his investigation has already produced dozens of indictments and five guilty pleas. Trump and Company want it stopped because they know that his time is coming soon. And he’s right.

Giuliani Lies to Fox News: The Mueller Probe ‘Is Essentially Over, They’re Just in Denial’

Posted by on May 16, 2018 at 4:16 pm. 6 Comments :

The legal rope that Donald Trump’s defenders in the media cling to might be more accurately described as a thread. They repeatedly claim that that there is no evidence that Trump colluded with Russia and, therefore, the whole investigation should be immediately halted. That’s a fairy tale resolution that might make the Trump Team feel better, but it has no basis in reality.

Rudy Giuliani

First of all, there have already been dozens of indictments and five guilty pleas. That’s hardly the track record of an investigation that isn’t going anywhere. Additionally, whatever evidence there is incriminating Trump directly in unlawful conduct with Russian operatives is tightly held by the special counsel and won’t be revealed until Robert Mueller is ready to take it to the next level. That doesn’t mean the evidence doesn’t exist, as the Trumpoids would like to believe.

Now Trump’s TV lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, is making some more of the ignorant statements that have gotten him in so much trouble in the few short weeks he’s been on the case. John Roberts of Fox News is reporting that Giuliani told him that:

“Two weeks ago the special counsel Robert Mueller assured the President’s outside legal team that he would follow DOJ guidelines that a sitting president cannot be indicted. Giuliani says that Mueller doesn’t really have any choice. That he has to follow the findings of a 1999 Clinton era DOJ memo.

“Now that’s not to say that Mueller couldn’t still find some evidence of wrongdoing that Congress could act on. But the President’s legal team doesn’t appear concerned. Giuliani telling Fox News a short time ago, “This case is essentially over. They’re just in denial.”

It’s curious that Giuliani is running to Fox News with this alleged statement by Mueller that is now two weeks old. Whatever the relevance of it, Giuliani is clearly using it now to argue that the probe ought to be shut down. And that’s what the Trump-fluffing, right-wing media is parroting with badly misinterpreted analyses that claim that if the special counsel is saying he can’t indict, that means he doesn’t have any evidence of wrongdoing.

For the record, there is Department of Justice memo that says that “The indictment or criminal prosecution of a sitting President would unconstitutionally undermine the capacity of the executive branch to perform its constitutionally assigned functions.” However, that is merely a legal opinion written at the time and has never been tested in court. What’s more, while this memo may apply to Mueller’s operation, it does not apply to Grand Juries, who could still file indictments. And even Fox’s Roberts correctly noted that Mueller’s investigation could yield evidence of criminal activity that could be taken up by Congress in an impeachment proceeding.

So the giggling wingnuts who think this means the investigation of their Dear Leader is over and he’s been proven to be as pure as the snowflakes who flutter around him are just fooling themselves. They still don’t know what Mueller knows, and they have no idea where this will end. And if they are putting their faith in anything that Giuliani has told Fox News, then seriously – who’s in denial?

How Fox News Deceives and Controls Their Flock:
Fox Nation vs. Reality: The Fox News Cult of Ignorance.
Available now at Amazon.

UPDATE: Now Giuliani is saying that Mueller didn’t tell him that the President can’t be indicted. He now says that an assistant to Mueller said something to that effect to another Trump lawyer, Jay Sekulow, but he’d have to check. Sounds like the story is falling apart.

Fox News Senior Douchebag Tucker Carlson Demonstrates Why No One Should Ever Do His Show

Posted by on May 16, 2018 at 12:45 pm. 1 Comments :

Anyone who has watched more than five minutes of Fox News knows that the network is a wholly dishonest purveyor of right-wing lies and propaganda. Throughout the day they broadcast flagrantly biased stories that advance the interests of Donald Trump and the Republican Party. But it’s more than that. They are actually serving as an arm of the White House and the GOP by coordinating their messages and featuring Republican operatives and candidates almost exclusively.

Tucker Carlson Fox News

Among the most repugnant Trump-fluffers on Fox News is Tucker Carlson. He is a proud white supremacist who believes that Democrats hate America. On Tuesday night Carlson conducted a harangue (as opposed to an interview) with New Mexico congressional candidate, Pat Davis (video below). What brought this particular Democrat to the attention of Fox News was a campaign ad that held nothing back with the opening line, “F*ck the NRA.”

Needless to say that has caused much of the conservative snowflake community to belly flop onto their fainting couches. Oh my, a cuss word. This is from the same people who idolize the has-been schlock-rocker and NRA board member Ted Nugent, who has repeatedly dropped f-bombs while demanding that various politicians “suck on my machine gun.” See this for a compendium of Nugent’s violent obscenities.

The exchange between Carlson and Davis is a perfect demonstration of why no Democrat should ever lower themselves to appear on that thoroughly useless program. Carlson relentlessly badgered Davis with irrelevant questions, but wouldn’t give him ten seconds to try to provide a substantive answer. For example, When Davis explained that “If a curse word on TV offends you more than pictures of dead children in Parkland or Newtown then your priorities are all wrong,” Carlson interrupted to ask if rudeness would save lives. Huh?

Following that, Carlson asked Davis “How many NRA members have committed mass shootings?” Who cares? First of all, law enforcement doesn’t collect NRA membership data when investigating crimes. But more importantly, Davis’ ad did not attack NRA members, it attacked the organization that is known for opposing any and all reasonable measures to reduce gun violence. Davis tried to explain that to Carlson who refused to listen in between inappropriate chuckling and snide remarks.

Having proven absolutely nothing, other than that he’s an obnoxious buffoon, Carlson changes the subject again. He criticizes another ad by Davis that says that AR-15s can fire 150 rounds in fifteen seconds. Carlson disputes that and asks Davis how that would work. And Davis tells him. But Carlson continues to insist that it’s impossible and that Davis, a former police officer, doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Aren’t we supposed to respect our men and women in blue? Carlson belittles Davis’ service by saying “I know that you were a police officer, or you claim to have been.”

Davis provided support for his statements about AR-15s on website. He certainly wasn’t going to be able to do that on Carlson’s show with interruptions every ten seconds. And whenever Davis was making a salient point Carlson would laugh or sneer or mock him. Eventually, Carlson cut the segment short shouting abruptly, “Interview over! Cause you don’t know what you’re talking about.”

There is one lesson that can be learned from this disastrous affair. There is no reason – ever – for any Democrat, liberal, or even reasonable Republican, to sink so low as to appear on Carlson’s hate-fest. You will not be able to persuade him of anything regardless of the facts you present. His audience doesn’t care what you have to say and will cheer on his repulsive and childish taunting. He is an ignorant bully whose sole reason for being is to act superior and insult anyone who disagrees with him. Appearing on his show will never result in an informative interview. It will result in Carlson hanging by his tail and throwing feces at you.

How Fox News Deceives and Controls Their Flock:
Fox Nation vs. Reality: The Fox News Cult of Ignorance.
Available now at Amazon.

Trump Stains Ceremony Honoring Fallen Peace Officers With Self-Serving Partisan Politics

Posted by on May 15, 2018 at 3:32 pm. 4 Comments :

On Tuesday Donald Trump held another in his series of chest-thumping, apple pie, American values, theatrical affairs. He does these obviously manipulative farces to try to prove how much he cares about whatever issue he is exploiting that day. Generally it’s an issue he has never demonstrated any real concern for. Whether its veterans, who the coward with five draft deferments pretends to adore while slashing their benefits, or working people, who the New York “billionaire” rips off in business and with tax scams that mainly benefit the wealthy, Trump just loves putting on these cons to persuade his deplorable base that he’s on their side.

Donald Trump

The latest such event was the National Peace Officers’ Memorial Service on held in Washington D.C outside the Capital. The service is an annual event that honors law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty. It’s a worthy affair for any leader with an honest respect for the sacrifices made by our first responders. Unfortunately, this president’s honesty is as phony as a diploma from Trump University.

This is just the sort of event that Trump can show up for and rattle off some applause lines from his TelePrompted speech. He did just that with prepared phrases like “We will protect those who protect us” and “Every American heart bleeds blue.” He praised the fallen as “among the bravest Americans to ever live,” who “faced down evil,” and “did it all with courage.” These are unarguably appropriate tributes to men and women who lost their lives in the service of others. But it all seems so hollow when the speaker lacks any hint of emotion or sincerity.

The disingenuousness of Trump’s address was brought into full view when he reached a part that he, or his handlers, thought could be twisted into a political message that benefited him. He raised the subject of immigration and found a way to hype his ludicrous and ineffective border wall. And then he went further with a full-on, partisan rant that abandoned the theme of honoring the fallen and dived straight into naked politics:

“We are calling on Congress to secure our borders, support our border agents, stop sanctuary cities and shut down policies that release violent criminals back into our communities. We don’t want it any longer. We’ve had it. Enough is enough!”

This exploitation of a what should be a solemn memorial service is typical of the disrespect that Trump will show whenever he decides that his needs are greater than whatever occasion he is supposedly commemorating. Whatever he believes the merits are of the policies he advocates, they are not universally held, even among this assembly of law enforcement officers. Many in the field believe that the policies adhered to in so-called sanctuary cities actually save officers lives. They make it possible for immigrants to come forward when they’ve witnessed a crime and help to bring the perpetrators to justice.

It’s pitiful that Trump can’t hold his tongue for a few minutes to let the families and colleagues of fallen officers pay tribute to their loved ones. He has to turn it into an affair that brings the attention back to him and makes his own priorities the focus of the day. And for comparison, here is how a dignified president addresses the same event with respect and admiration for those who serve and their families:

How Fox News Deceives and Controls Their Flock:
Fox Nation vs. Reality: The Fox News Cult of Ignorance.
Available now at Amazon.

President Barack Obama at the National Peace Officers’ Memorial Service in 2015:

In Challenge to Fox News as the ‘Sexual Predator Network’, Newsmax is Courting Bill O’Reilly

Posted by on May 15, 2018 at 12:44 pm. 1 Comments :

For many years now Fox News has occupied the top of the ratings for cable news networks. Although they are getting beaten on a regular basis by MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow and others, they still generally outperform their competition, but by much smaller margins than in the past.

Bill O'Reilly, Donald Trump

What is not heralded as much by Fox News public relations is their uncontested position as the premiere “Sexual Predator Network.” Fox has a history with sexual deviants who were shielded, and even promoted, within their dysfunctional corporate family. They include the former CEO, Roger Ailes, and their once top star, Bill O’Reilly. Even Donald Trump, now better known as the pervert in the White House, was once another pervert on Fox News with a regular segment on Fox and Friends.

In addition to those perpetrators of sexual harassment and abuse, Fox News is crawling with infidels who cheat on their spouses with underlings on the job. Host Ed Henry was suspended for several weeks after his affair was publicized. But Trump fave Pete Hegseth and O’Reilly spawn Jesse Watters were never punished for the very same exploitative behavior.

However, Fox News may have some competition in the debauchery business. The New York Posts’ Page Six is reporting that the conservative news outlet Newsmax is in talks to bringing Bill O’Reilly back to the airwaves. Presumably because America has been missing the insights of a deviant who has paid out more than $32 million to hush up his personal sex scandals. Newmax must believe that the nation still wants to hear from people who have disgraced themselves through abhorrent mistreatment of women colleagues.

To make matters worse, Newsmax is also said to be courting former Fox News host Eric Bolling, who was fired for sending obscene photos of himself to his coworkers. Former Fox News host Greta Van Susteren is also in Newsmax’s sights as a recruitment target. Van Susteren herself has not been accused of any sexual misconduct, but she has said that such behavior at Fox News contributed to her reasons for quitting. According to Page Six, this line up (plus former Trump press secretary Sean Spicer) would form the basis for the Newsmax primetime block:

“An insider told Page Six, ‘The deals are not done yet, but talks are in the advanced stages, certainly with O’Reilly. The thinking is, following a 6 p.m. news show, Greta would anchor the 7 p.m. hour, O’Reilly would be back at 8 p.m., and Bolling could smoothly continue on at 9 p.m. Spicer and his cohorts would go on at 10 p.m., with the later slot allowing the show to be looser. But the deals are not yet signed and sealed.'”

The regrouping of these Fox News rejects is less surprising when you consider that the Newsmax Media CEO Christopher Ruddy, is a close friend of Fox News addict, Donald Trump. Ruddy previously brought in ex-Fox EVP Michael Clemente to run the his broadcast division. So it looks like they’re trying to get the band back together. [For what it’s worth, a source close to Newsmax told Brian Stelter of CNN that “there have been no negotiations at all.”].

But in reassembling some of the most repugnant characters, who were even too disgusting for Fox to continue employing, Newsmax is setting itself up to take the sexual predator crown from Fox. Perhaps they could bolster their schedule by reaching out to Charlie Rose and Matt Lauer. Maybe some comic relief with an all new Bill Cosby Hour. And all of it could be produced by Harvey Weinstein. Newsmax can probably get all of this “talent” at a considerable discount from their previous salaries. And they would surely appeal to disaffected Fox fans who don’t think the network is misogynistic enough.

How Fox News Deceives and Controls Their Flock:
Fox Nation vs. Reality: The Fox News Cult of Ignorance.
Available now at Amazon.

Donald Trump Accuses Members of His Own White House Staff of Treason

Posted by on May 14, 2018 at 2:37 pm. 1 Comments :

The morale at the White House just took another deep dive into the abyss of the Shakespearean tragedy it has become. Donald Trump’s administration is already notable for suffering the worst retention rate in history with dozens of top-level staffers resigning or being fired in just the first year. This is a crumbling house of cards that Trump’s press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, called “a very functioning place of business.”

Donald Trump

The White House has recently been described in strikingly negative terms. One account calls it “the most toxic working environment on the planet.” The official who told this to Axios went on to say that:

“Usually tough times bring people together. But right now this atmosphere is ripping people apart. There’s no leadership, no trust, no direction and this point there’s very little hope. Would you want to go to work every day not knowing whether your future career was going to be destroyed without explanation?”

In the midst of that turmoil, it isn’t surprising to see many insiders anxious to leak to the media. According to a new report by Axios they are doing so, in part, to set the record straight and protect themselves from jealous coworkers. So Trump’s response to this dreadful lack of leadership was to post this harangue on Twitter:

Note the obvious paranoid psychosis in that brief tirade. First of all, if he’s referring to “so-called leaks” by the “Fake News Media,” then there isn’t really anything to complain about as far as leaks go. In his view the information is false and, by definition, not a leak. Secondly, Trump doesn’t need any help from anyone to “look as bad as possible.” He’s doing that very well on his own.

Nevertheless, Trump is outraged that anyone in his employ would exercise their free will and talk with people in the media about the train wreck over which he presides. And his response to that demonstration of disloyalty to the King is to accuse the fiends of treason and threaten them with capture and punishment.

This president is certainly not the first one to be stung by insiders talking out of class. But he is the first to charge them with crimes punishable by death. And that is what makes Trump’s totalitarian tactics so dangerous and unambiguously contrary to the American values of freedom and democracy.

If Trump wants to stop leaking from his staff, the best and easiest way is to inspire them to have admiration and respect for his leadership. He’s quite clearly incapable of that, so he resorts to this sort of intimidation and bullying. Which isn’t going to work. In fact, it will just make things worse for him. So, Mr. Trump, please proceed.

How Fox News Deceives and Controls Their Flock:
Fox Nation vs. Reality: The Fox News Cult of Ignorance.
Available now at Amazon.

Judge Jeanine on Fox News: Donald Trump ‘Fulfilled the Biblical Prophecy of the Gods’

Posted by on May 13, 2018 at 3:49 pm. 6 Comments :

So you think you’ve heard it all from Fox News? You think they have gone as far into the stratospheric fringe as it’s possible to go? Do you think there is a limit to the sycophantic Trump-fluffing that will be broadcast on the network known for its slobbering devotion to the Donald? If so, you’re not giving the tunnel-blind cultists at Fox enough credit.

Donald Trump Messiah

On Saturday evening, “Judge” Jeanine Pirro led off her program with her usual “Opening Statement,” which is typically an homage to Trump and/or an attack on his critics. She has perhaps the most virulently crazed demeanor of anyone on Fox, with wild-eyed tirades and sanctimonious condemnation in her voice. She could be an attraction at Jurassic Park with her teeth-baring facial expressions and her sharpened rhetorical claws.

As outrageous as her weekly televised tantrums have been in the past, she really outdid herself with the latest episode. Reporting from Israel, her topic was Trump’s decision to move the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. It’s an unnecessarily controversial action that is likely to provoke an increase in hostilities in the region, and make our diplomats more vulnerable to violence. But never mind that, Trump has made up his mind to pander to his ultra-Chrisianist base among American evangelicals. And naturally, Fox News and Pirro are all for it. This excerpt is all that you’ll need to grasp the depth of her madness (video below):

“Donald Trump sent Iranians, who are the descendants of Persia, a message to reflect on their own history, and that it was the king of Persia who, 1000 years before Mohammad was even born, said that Jerusalem was the capital of the Jewish people’s country.

“There will be no Ottoman empires or Shia nations that will destroy Jerusalem any longer. Donald Trump recognized history. He, like King Cyrus before him, fulfilled the biblical prophecy of the gods worshiped by Jews, Christians and, yes, Muslims, that Jerusalem is the eternal capital of the Jewish state and that the Jewish people deserve a righteous, free and sovereign Israel.”

Well, isn’t that considerate of Pirro to deign to lecture Iranians on their own past. But her anointing of Trump as having “fulfilled the biblical prophecy of the gods” goes farther than anyone at Fox News has ever gone to suggest the Messianic holiness of their Dear Leader. This is not an overreaction to Pirro’s sermon. She explicitly likens Trump to King Cyrus, who was regarded by the Jews as anointed by God and, in the view of some, a Messiah. So now it has come to pass that this greedy, foul-mouthed, narcissistic, desecrator of women is the heir to the throne of Heaven? Is she fucking serious?

The only interest that right-wing Christianists have in Israel is that they are praying for it to be conquered by the beasts of hell so that they can proclaim the commencement of Armageddon and the subsequent return of their savior. They would likely root for the Anti-Christ because his arrival presages these events. And that may be the real reason they are so devoted to Donald Trump. Because, really, who does he seem more like: Jesus or the Anti-Christ? Any Christian who has trouble answering that question has been watching too much Fox News. Because as we now know, Fox News is now officially the Sacred Pulpit of the Rapture.

How Fox News Deceives and Controls Their Flock:
Fox Nation vs. Reality: The Fox News Cult of Ignorance.
Available now at Amazon.

America First? Trump Pushes to Save Jobs in China at Company Deemed a National Security Threat

Posted by on May 13, 2018 at 2:09 pm. NO Comments :

Throughout his campaign, and into his presidency, Donald Trump promised that he would be the “jobs” president. He swore that he would make American corporations close up their off-shore factories and bring those jobs back to the U.S. He insisted that his tax scam bill would result in companies investing more in domestic facilities and workers. None of that turned out to be true.

Donald Trump

Unfortunately, when Trump said that he would work tirelessly to create jobs, he failed to specify that thousands of them would be in China. But on Sunday morning he corrected that error of omission by tweeting this:

Oh good. That’s just what the American people voted for. They were hungering for a leader who would direct his cabinet to restore the thousands of jobs that have been lost in China. At least when they had the time and resources to do that after taking lavish trips around the world, buying extravagant office furnishings, harassing asylum seekers and separating their families, and raking in cash and property from corporations seeking favorable treatment from the government.

But Trump’s latest initiative to benefit China’s employment situation is a peculiar choice. The company whose fortunes he is trying to advance, the ZTE Corporation, is suffering a financial hardship due to the sanctions that have been placed on it. Those sanctions were in part the result of the company’s trading with Iran. Just this past week Trump pulled the U.S. out of a multinational agreement to prohibit Iran from developing nuclear weapons. He’s now executing his plan to restore the sanctions that were in place prior to that agreement. So American companies will not be permitted to do business with Iran but, apparently, China will be.

And that isn’t all. ZTE has also been cited as a national security threat whose telecom products were found to be capable of spying on Americans. Many of the heads of U.S. intelligence and law enforcement, including the Attorney General, FBI, CIA, and NSA, have warned about ZTE’s nefarious activities and prohibited American companies from sharing technology and selling them parts. Here are some of the reactions to Trump’s tweet:


https://twitter.com/joshscampbell/status/995686768782512128

The question is why would Trump suddenly take this position and tweet about it on Mother’s Day? Generally when we see some random thought expressed by the Tweeter-in-Chief it’s something he just saw on Fox and Friends or Hannity. But that doesn’t appear to be the case in this instance. The next best guess is that China’s President Xi brought it up in a recent conversation and Trump is blindly complying with the wishes of Xi without consulting the professionals in commerce and national security to ascertain whether this is a good idea. It is obviously against existing national policy as expressed by his own cabinet heads.

So what is Trump up to? What’s he getting out of this? He and his family have financial interests in China. He also has political interests in getting Xi to go along with his agenda for North Korea. What’s in it for him? Because you know he wouldn’t do this out of compassion for the poor Chinese workers. And the fact that he would violate the Iran sanctions he fought so hard for, while risking national security, means his reward must be substantial. Somebody better start to ask these questions before he’s allowed to cause even more damage.

How Fox News Deceives and Controls Their Flock:
Fox Nation vs. Reality: The Fox News Cult of Ignorance.
Available now at Amazon.

Donald Trump Delivers a Chilly Mother’s Day Message and Forgets the Mothers in His Life

Posted by on May 13, 2018 at 11:43 am. 2 Comments :

Happy Mother’s Day everybody. On this annual day of celebration America is honoring the women who bring life into the world and nurture new generations of citizens. It’s day that is generally marked by the happiness that motherhood spreads and the devotion that is the foundation of many families.

Donald Trump, Melania Trump

In keeping with the spirit of this holiday, Donald Trump posted a video on Twitter to express his feelings about the person in his life who helped to shape him as a human being. In other words, he was fingering the culprit who deserves the blame for the suffering we are all going through. See for your self:

Have you ever seen a more joyless Mother’s Day message? It looks like a hostage video with terrorists just off screen forcing him to read a script he clearly doesn’t believe. But there is something missing in this message that a sensitive person with normal human emotions would not have forgotten. Donald Trump makes no mention of the mothers in his life that are closest to him. He doesn’t wish Melania or Ivanka a happy Mother’s Day. What sort of man does that?

The easy answer to that question is: a narcissist who doesn’t care about anyone else and is only reading this statement because an aide warned that it would make him look bad if he didn’t. But his dismally bleak reading actually makes him look worse than if he had said nothing. As for the startling omissions, apparently even his handlers didn’t think to include the mothers in Trump’s family in the address. Which says something about the whole administration.

Not that anyone should be surprised. Trump’s presidency is notable for its insensitivity to women. His policies have made it more difficult for women, especially mothers, to get health care. Reproductive health decisions are being handed over to the state. Employment opportunities and wages are still hampered by Trump’s agenda. And his harassment and abuse of women for decades is hardly the sort of respectful attitude that should prevail on this day.

When Trump tried to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program he put thousands of mothers and their children at risk of separation due to deportation. Also notable is the decision by Trump’s Justice and Homeland Security Departments to separate mothers from their children when seeking asylum at the border. There is no other reason for that than pure sadistic evil.

So happy Mother’s Day America. Try and enjoy this day with your families in the manner it was intended. Spread love to those around you and be grateful for what you have. But keep those less fortunate in your thoughts as our heartless president continues to whittle away the values we hold dear. And in the meantime, here’s a video that all mothers should hear and heed:

How Fox News Deceives and Controls Their Flock:
Fox Nation vs. Reality: The Fox News Cult of Ignorance.
Available now at Amazon.

Married to the Mob: Bill Maher Tells America What they Really Got with Donald Trump

Posted by on May 12, 2018 at 3:58 pm. 2 Comments :

The presidency of Donald Trump has been likened to some of the most horrible episodes of America’s past. Most frequently it is compared to Nixon’s Watergate scandal that saw the White House intimately involved in burglary, bribery, and election tampering. The lies told by members of the Nixon administration are what got most of the criminal convictions and, eventually, the resignation of the President. Sound familiar?

Bill Maher, Donald Trump

However, Bill Maher has hit on a much more accurate analogy for the Trump crime family. With particular emphasis on the “Family” part. In a segment on his “Real Time” program on HBO Friday night he painted a picture of Trump and Company as typical of the common thugs associated with the Mafia. It was an insightful – and hilarious – six and half minutes of bruising truth. He came out swinging with this depiction of the genesis of Trump (video below):

“New York City has to stop exporting its garbage to the rest of America […] The city’s most toxic trash has been carted off to Washington, D.C.” (with picture of Donald Trump, Michael Cohen, and Rudy Giuliani).

Maher goes on to describe these wondering New Yorkers as “What the heartland used to call ‘assholes.'” He wonders why the people from “real America” likes these guys now. Then he asks:

“How did the salt of the Earth people get hooked up with the salt in the wound people? […] You’re the ‘my word is my bond’ people. These guys lie just to stay in practice. You’re all about an honest day’s work. Trump watches TV until noon. You’re frugal. They spend like identity thieves who got a hold of your pin number. You’re stoic. Trump’s a whiny little bitch.”

Maher breaks it to the Trump cult that “Now you’re married to the mob. Cause that’s what this administration is: a protection racket.” Maher’s colorful comparison of the Trump Family to the Godfather was stinging in its precision. The corollaries are way to accurate to be ignored:

“Everything Trump does is modeled on the mob. When he was accused of sexual harassment, he brought in Bill Clinton’s accusers to sit in the gallery at the debate. Just like Michael Corleone brought Fat Pentangeli’s brother into court. Who does Trump surround himself with? Disposable lawyers and idiot members of his own family. Who’s his worst enemy? The FBI. Where does his money come from? He’s in construction. […] “What part of this isn’t mob-like? They’re using a front business – in this case the White House – to enrich the family.”

There’s someone else who has made the same link between Trump and the mob. Special counsel Robert Mueller has structured his investigative team much like the ones that went after prominent Mafia bosses. They are probing his relationships with unsavory characters (including Russians). They are digging into his bank records and phone calls. They have been successful in getting insiders to turn states evidence and may even have worn a wire into meetings with the Donald. Mueller’s inquiry follows the same strategies that he has actually used on crime bosses in the past.

Consequently, Trump should be worried. And judging by his frightened reaction to every new revelation, he is. All those tweets screaming little more than “Witch Hunt” and “Fake News” are the best evidence that he is fracturing from the inside out. And while it is a serious unfolding of a dreadful period in America’s history, at least we have a brilliant bit of comic relief by people like Bill Maher to help us get through it.

How Fox News Deceives and Controls Their Flock:
Fox Nation vs. Reality: The Fox News Cult of Ignorance.
Available now at Amazon.