Why Trump Shouldn’t Win In 2016

The 2016 election scares me because the Republicans scare me.

Looking at the lineup, from front-runner Donald Trump on down, it’s horrifically clear that the GOP has lost its mind.

Never mind – taking into consideration the voting records of the Republicans, along with the utterly ridiculous legislation they introduce, it should be painfully clear that they are not acting in the best interests of this country.

There’s something very wrong when those in government lose their sense of connection to the people they represent.  Tragically, that seems to be the case in our government – not just with the Republicans.

Even before passage of Citizen’s United, corporate America has had a death grip on U.S. politics.  We have not seen the likes of this since Boss Tweed and his cronies 100 years ago.  We need to do something about this – get the money out of politics and overturn Citizen’s United.

The GOP has leaned too far to the right, embracing the whims of the Tea Party, but forgetting at the same time that they represent the citizens of this country – HUMAN BEINGS.

The current crop of Republican lawmakers and candidates also come dangerously close to slamming the door on separation of church and state, liberties and rights of (horrors!) the LGBT community. There’s the battle over women’s healthcare and the right of women to make their own decisions regarding an abortion. It’s nobody’s business whether or not a woman chooses to have an abortion, is lost on the Conservative Christians and the Republican party.

Then there’s blatant racism. The GOP has traditionally been the “old, white man’s party,” and with the likes of Donald Trump leading the polls, you’d have to be totally oblivious not to notice the  thinly veiled hatred he espouses.  Racists unite!  The Republican party is yours!

Those with such leanings are buying into his rant of collecting 11 million illegal immigrants – which, hey – by the way, folks – aren’t all Hispanics, and shipping them back home.  Trump is like Hitler with a shit-eating grin on his face.

Never mind — assuming it was even legal to do so, how in the hell is the government going to find these 11 million illegals and how is this roundup going to be paid for?

For more, read the Forbes article: “Trump’s Deportation Plan Prohibitively Expensive.” 

A presidential candidate should act with integrity and in defense of every ethnic and religious group in America.  Trump had a chance to do this but he blew it.  “We have a problem in this country, it’s called Muslims,” stated a racist supporter at a recent rally. The man went on to reiterate that tired old “birther” theory about President Obama, something that Trump has vocally embraced in the past. What bothered me was that the Donald didn’t utter one word in the defense of Muslims in this country.  That in itself tells volumes about him.

The whole lineup of GOP presidential hopefuls are pushing for more war.   Trump is no exception.  In regard to the Middle East Trump said:

“Iran is taking over Iraq 100%, just like I predicted years ago,” he said. “I say this, I didn’t want to go there in the first place. Now we take the oil.”

“We should have kept the oil,” Trump continued. “Now we go in, we knock the hell out of them, take the oil, we thereby take their wealth. They have so much money.”

“They have better internet connections than we do in the United States,” he complained. “They’re training our kids through the internet. We have to knock out their wealth.”

“We go in, we knock the hell out of them, take the oil.”  No, Donald, you just can’t go “take the oil.”  That’s an act of war.

Dangerous, very dangerous things come out of the mouth of this man running for President Of The United States.

On Trump’s website there’s an article taken from conservative right-wing Breitbart News. It states — “20 Reasons Why It Should Be Donald Trump In 2016.”  

I can think of many reasons why he shouldn’t win:

He is not your ordinary politician: No, he’s not a politician and really has no clue about the political process. He’s a bully, an egotistical, spoiled-brat businessman who is used to getting what he wants and under the impression that he can just “do” things.  That’s not how government works.

He’s also very vague on how he’s going to get things done as POTUS. On his website “Positions” page, he lists only 3 areas:  Tax reform, immigration reform and 2nd amendment rights. If you do any research at all – and have followed anything but Fox News – you’ll find that his tax reform won’t truly impact the rich (like himself) and his immigration reform including of building a wall which he says that Mexico is going to pay for. Gee, has anybody asked Mexico about this?

What about foreign policy, Donald? Are you ready to hold American companies who’ve outsourced millions of jobs overseas accountable? How will you go about bringing jobs back to America?  What about making corporate America and the rich pay their share of taxes – not just hedge fund managers as you recently suggested, but all the 1%? Why aren’t you commenting on environmental issues, climate change and renewable energy? Any ideas on how to reign in Wall Street?  How about healthcare, overhauling the prison system? Student debt? Have you thought about the rights of workers and labor laws?  What about raising the minimum wage?  What are you going to do about rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure?

I could keep going but you see my point. He hasn’t touched on a lot of issues, only saying, “It will be great,” It will be the best,” “You’re gonna love it,” “It’s just good management and I’m a good manager,” and endless reiterating of “I, I, I, Me, me, me!”

Trump is not reliant on donors: That means he can do and say what he wants.  See below about a “filter.”

Yes, he doesn’t have much of a filter. Bravo. He says what he wants and doesn’t care who he offends.  The POTUS needs restraint along with careful wording in response to world situations, and can’t go blurting out statements just because he’s pissed off.  There can be no verbal wars on Twitter. The President needs tact and diplomacy. Donald has none of these.  We can’t have the leader of the most powerful country in the world hurling insults at the likes of the Middle East, Korea, Russia or China. He’s dangerous. He’s too reactive.

He speaks for us little people. Got news for ya — so does someone like Bernie Sanders.  Dating back to the 60’s, he began fighting in the Civil Rights Movement.  His political stance reflects his determination to serve the people and has not changed since even before he was first elected to public office in 1981.  Unlike Trump, Bernie Sanders IS giving concrete suggestions on how to carry out what he proposes.

Trump on the other hand, comes from money.  He had a privileged childhood and today is worth billions.  HOW can he possibly know what it’s like to be one of the “little people?”  He doesn’t have a clue what it’s like to live paycheck to paycheck, to work 2, 3 or 4 jobs and barely get by, or to be one hospital stay away from bankruptcy.  He’s just pandering to the desperateness of the ordinary citizen with no substance to back it up.  He’s built his empire on the backs of “We the people.”

Diplomacy:  See above on “he doesn’t have a filter.”  Point taken.

His business accomplishments:  Yeah, that’s nice that he’s head of a big mega-bucks corporation – but – being the President Of The United States isn’t the same as running a company.  You can’t dictate the rules; there is a process involved.  You can’t fire someone because you don’t like them. You also can’t declare bankruptcy.

Heck, Americans idolize him:  God, I hope not!  Unfortunately there are many conservative Republicans who think he’s the best thing since sliced bread.  He’s tapped into the anger as well as the fear that Fox News has brainwashed them with.

Trump panders to Conservative Christians that his 2nd favorite book is the Bible - yet he can't quote one verse.
Trump panders to Conservative Christians that his 2nd favorite book is the Bible – yet he can’t quote one verse.

He seems to have wrapped up many factions of the Republican party: the gun nuts, racists and he’s even courted the Conservative Christians. Claiming that the Bible is his second favorite book (after The Art Of The Deal which is, of course, about himself) he started toting a Bible with him to events.  Most Christians I know who fervently believe in the Bible can also quote scripture ad nauseam. Trump can’t even relate one single line. He defends this with the suggestion that “It’s personal.” Yeah, Donald – you’re full of shit! Methinks it’s more sucking up to get the vote, don’t you?

Donald, in reality you are just like those politicians you are railing against.

What amazes me about Trump and the entire Republican party is:

  HOW CAN ANYBODY IN THEIR RIGHT MIND VOTE FOR THESE PEOPLE?

You are voting against yourself!

Republicans consistently vote against any programs to help the struggling citizens of this country.  They’ve tried to overturn the Affordable Care Act how many times? (I’ve lost count) and have voted against benefits and treatment for veterans.  Their witch hunt on abortion led by Conservative Christians is relentless.  There’s the Planned Parenthood debacle which is still going on.  Name a program – any program – and they’ve voted against it!  Their mantra of slashing taxes comes only at the expense of the average American citizen. They want to defund Social Security because they view it as an “entitlement.”  It’s NOT the federal government’s money – it’s ours! Our infrastructure is crumbling, people are out of work and desperate, they’ve lost their homes due to Wall Street’s recklessness but all the Republicans want to do is see that corporate America and the rich keep getting richer! What boggles my mind is HOW can anyone who has half a brain who knows the trouble we’re in can continue to support their plans.

What the hell is wrong with you people?

 Donald Trump is not the answer.

As far as I’m concerned, Bernie Sanders is leading the true revolution that this country desperately needs.

GOP: Out To Destroy America For All But Wealthy 1%

Republicans are out to destroy this country. While the extremist right-wing GOP members scream about communism, they are advancing an agenda that only benefits the top 1%.  Every time I read an article about who wants to cut what, it always seems that the Republican party out to decimate a program or law that only extends the control of the super rich.

I’m sick of it and you should be, too!

What has happened to the Republican party?

They’ve become relentless in their destruction of anything which benefits this country or the majority of the citizens.

An excellent article in Reader Supported News about the 1% and this country.  I wish I could have written this piece, it’s excellent!

It seems that every article I read there’s some GOP spokesman saying, “NO!,” to a bill adding a protection for citizens; “NO!” to taking away corporate America’s power; “NO!” to an increase in taxes for the wealthiest (who can afford it the most) and  “NO!” to any regulations on corporate tax loopholes, worker’s rights or making the top 1% – and corporate America, take responsibility for any of their actions.

moneyThe super-rich control our country:  we do not! They dictate policy to government officials, sneaking in additions to the laws which benefit themselves.  They buy their way into political campaigns through that travesty of Citizen’s United.  They silence dissenters.

An excerpt from an article in the New York Times about the real fiscal cliff by Frank Rich writes:

“The Republican-led Michigan legislature just passed a “right-to-work” law, severely diminishing union power in a stronghold of American labor. Is this an overreach by a party fearing for its survival or the latest wave in a powerful anti-union surge?”
(Assistant editor Eric Benson replies:) “For all the Beltway hysteria about the fiscal cliff, the forgotten Americans in the debate are American workers: both those who are employed and have seen their wages stagnate and those who are unemployed and can’t find work. The fixed ideas in Washington right now — reducing the deficit, cutting entitlements, increasing tax rates for the upper 2 percent — do not begin to address this crisis. What the stunning victory of the Michigan GOP (the governor as well as the legislature) demonstrates is that while Romney may have lost, the Koch brothers and other right-wing industrialists determined to erode workers’ pay, benefits, and standing have only just begun to fight. If they can’t win a national election, they will pour money in at the local level in state after state, even seemingly blue states like Michigan and Wisconsin, to further their own financial interests. It’s going to be trench warfare in the coming years.” 

What has happened to our government? It’s stopped being government.  It’s turned into a playground for the super rich to enable them to get their way.

Corporate America is an entity which has great wealth.  Because of Citizen’s United, it was given octopus arms exerting a python-like grip which it is strangling  WE the PEOPLE of this country with!  

Truthfully, we don’t have a government any longer. Oh, on the surface it appears that we do.  The checks and balances are corrupted.  There are a few who recognize this but they are far outnumbered by the greed of corporate America.  We the people, are helpless.  The only tool that we have is to vote the scums out of office.

How can we change the laws if the only ones who can do that – our government – won’t?  Most of them are in it up to their eyeballs; it threatens their entitled way of life.  Pass higher tax rates for the rich? They’re all rich; it will cut into their money.  Revamp the system so that they lose perks? That’s up to them, too!  Initiate corporate tax reform so that the biggest corporations have to pay their share? Oops – the crooks in government are owned by the likes of Sheldon Addelson, the Koch Brothers, the banks, Walmart, Monsanto, just to name a few.  They can’t do that!  Where would the Republican party get its money from?

Citizen’s United saw to it that the rich remain rich by controlling our government.   Could the Supreme Court been bought and influenced by the rich?  It would not surprise me a bit!  Only ~human beings~ are people. A corporation IS NOT A PERSON – it is a group of people and therefore should have no say in government.  Corporate America is an entity which has great wealth.  Because of Citizen’s United, it was given octopus arms with a python-like grip which it is strangling “We the people” of this country with!

After President Obama’s election in 2008, the Republicans attempted to make him a one term president through calculated evisceration of any and all of his policies during his first term. Those who didn’t bother to look and add up all the facts during the election, believing all the garbage spewed by the likes of Rush Limbaugh, the GOP party itself and Fox News, voted Republican.  Still Obama prevailed. That alone tells me something.  Somewhere out there is a glimmer of hope.  My question is:  how do we make it erupt into a full-fledged fireball of concrete change and take back our country?

Related:

Robert Reich: Rich Keep Pouring Money Into Government

 

 

Bernie Sanders Has a Good Plan To Reduce Deficit

Top 2%-you CAN AFFORD to pay more & it's time you did!
Top 2%-you CAN AFFORD to pay more & it’s time you did!

Senator Bernie Sanders is MY MAN!

What I don’t get though, is why this simple plan isn’t adopted.

Oh wait I forgot —- GREED!

I’ve got my own message for the top 2%:

OK — rich dudes, it’s time to pay up.  You’ll probably never miss the extra money you will have to pay.  You are greedy. To you we are nothing.  If you get your way, millions of us will suffer. You won’t.

Do you have ANY humanity in you at all?

You have made your money on the backs of the people of this country, then you abandoned them by sending jobs overseas.  In countries like India, China and other third world nations, you knowingly poisoned, abused and allowed workers to be enslaved.  This is because you could make even more money knowing you could get away with paying a pittance to these workers, engage in human rights violations, environmental pollution, tax evasion and other crimes you were unable to pull off here in the States.

Now you dare to try to hold the United States government & its citizens  hostage. Because of your wealth you can bribe, threaten & undermine every initiative which would threaten even a smidgen of your millions!  Citizen’s United added strength to your fight.  I want to know what you spiked the Supreme Court’s water with to make them stupid enough to pass this!

SHAME ON YOU, top 2%.  Show some compassion.  Listen to the voices pleading for you to do your share instead of taking more!  There was a reason that your candidate, Mitt Romney, lost the 2012 election.  WE THE PEOPLE spoke up and did not want corporate America to sink its hooks further into our government and its people!  SHAME ON YOU, 2%!

Here are Bernie’s 12 simple ways to cut the deficit:  http://www.vuvox.com/collage/detail/05d78951ee

Sign the petition, too!

http://campaigns.dailykos.com/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=127

Who IS Government For?

I read a very interesting article written by Robert Reich, “The Defining Issue:  Who Is Government For?”

Obviously these days, it’s not for the American people.  BIG rules, small is ignored. Big gets the benefits, small pays through the nose. Goliath struts and swaggers, David runs between the steps and tries not to get stepped on! ‘Big everything’ gets its way because it has the bucks to pay off some of our elected leaders or enough mouths to whisper convincingly that the small should be discounted.

I am not a political expert but just one of millions of frustrated & pissed off Americans saddened by the inequity of what our country has become.

On food:  We’re up against government subsidies for the monolithic farms while small farms get nothing.  Regulations are ‘one size fits all,’ favoring Big Ag while small farmers find they can’t comply because of the cost.  The ghost of Earl Butz, the patron saint of agribusiness, is still whispering to policymakers, “Tell them to ‘get big or get out!’ “

Secret deals of the chemical industry’s corporate-to-government appointees hold any true progress for ‘we the people’ at bay.  Critical data is conveniently lost, destroyed or litigated out of exposure by the powerful such as Monsanto, Dow or Syngenta.

The Feds seem hell-bent on going after Amish dairy farmers and other raw milk purveyors and small buying clubs.   Small farmers remain the convenient focus and easy prey, lacking funds for high-priced legal teams,  and still have to jump through a dizzying array of  hoops. These hoops are far too expensive  & always prohibitive of the little guys to navigate, essentially locking out the small farms.

There are no ’hoops’ for the big guys, however. The loopholes are designed by them to easily slip through. Those who sit in Washington, with the power to close these escape hatches, won’t.  Like the big corporations, they are greedy and guilty of selling out the American people.  WE THE PEOPLE don’t matter:  money does!

The USDA is considering letting “Big Biotech” submit its own impact studies  which, in turn, may allow them sell products which have not  had complete (or any) scrutiny before approval.  More rubber stamped approvals for poison, which in 20 or 50 years will turn out to be the DDT, dioxin or the Agent Orange of the 2000s.

I don’t know what the answer is.  One, is to get the money out of politics, but that’s easier said than done.  Perhaps somehow a citizen’s committee – a go between, to act as a buffer.  Just thinking out loud here….

Well we’ve all heard the saying,  “Money talks…”

Mr. Reich says, and I agree, that we need an amendment to the constitution to get rid of the wrongly named,  Citizen’s United bill.   It is mind-boggling that these supposed wizened justices ever considered passing such a thing which is clearly written by and for corporate America!

Supreme Court:  Money in relation to  government policy making or the  elections is not ‘free speech.’  Simply, it is bribery, collusion, payoffs, graft, hush money, purchase, deal making, coercion and favoritism. It is WRONG!  Money speaks the language of the corporate élite, not the American people and certainly not the small farmers of this country.

Supreme Court: Corporations are not people.  Corporations are  a society of their own with a hierarchy: those at the bottom do the will of those at the top whose only goal is profit.    Individual lives of their employees don’t matter because in this economy, people are dispensable, like slaves.  Lose one and a thousand others will appear, so desperate for an income.

Every decision directly benefits the good of the few, not the many.

Nothing matters but the bottom line or how much one person can amass while in office. Not the health or welfare of sentient beings can dampen greed.

After all, things are going great for government officials who are channeling Boss Tweed.  Why should they stop now?