Friday, December 30, 2016

Donald Trump takes credit for Obama economy



What is even more bizarre than the fact that he won the presidency is that Donald Trump just claimed it is he who should take credit for the improved economy. Here's his tweet...
"The U.S. Consumer Confidence Index for December surged nearly four points to 113.7, THE HIGHEST LEVEL IN MORE THAN 15 YEARS! Thanks Donald!"
In fact it is President Barack Obama who has slowly but carefully returned the economy to prosperity after the devastation of the George W. Bush administration. Trump, hopefully won't be responsible for another GWB debacle, the possibility of which could be many times that of Bush's. Anyone who has to feed their ego with this kind of bullshit must have an enormous inferiority complex. Can you imagine this man sitting in the Oval Office when Russia's Putin says something to piss him off, and off go the missiles starting world war III.

CNN Money says "... consumer confidence was making a comeback for years before Trump even began his campaign." Right after George W. Bush put the economy in the toilet, and just as Barack Obama was entering the White House...
"...in the depths of the Great Recession, the index hit a low of 25.3. Before Trump was elected, it had climbed all the way back to 100.8 in October."
All thanks to President Obama, of course. Now what will Donald Trump do with what he is being given?


T-rump stupid things


'I'd bring back a hell of a lot worse than waterboarding'

The full quote...
"In the Middle East, we have people chopping the heads off Christians, we have people chopping the heads off many other people. We have things that we have never seen before -- as a group, we have never seen before, what's happening right now. The medieval times -- I mean, we studied medieval times -- not since medieval times have people seen what's going on. I would bring back waterboarding and I'd bring back a hell of a lot worse than waterboarding."
Thanks to Newsday.


The wealthy have taken away the American Dream



In the past, the American Dream provided that 90% of children could expect to earn more than their parents. In the last 50 years that has dropped to 50%. And that's not all, "...the bottom 50% of the American population earned an average of $16,000 in pre-tax income in 1980. That hasn't changed in over three decades." By comparison, the wealthy earned on average $428,000 in 1980, but today average $1.3 million a year. That's close to a 300% increase, where the have-nots remain stagnant. In other words, what Bernie Sanders was saying during his Presidential campaign was all true.

I have several friends who are Republicans, not necessarily have-nots, but certainly not even close to the top 1%, who don't seem to worry about this inequality. Some have commented that the rich should be rewarded because they worked for it but that brings up the question of how many were given their wealth...like Donald J. Trump. And then there's the suppression of those of us working stiffs by the corporations supported by the conservative GOP. Pew Research says from 1971 to 2015...
"...the nation’s aggregate household income has substantially shifted from middle-income to upper-income households, driven by the growing size of the upper-income tier and more rapid gains in income at the top."
There's more...
Fully 49% of U.S. aggregate income went to upper income households in 2014, up from 29% in 1970. The share accruing to middle-income households was 43% in 2014, down substantially from 62% in 1970.


CNN Money says that wages aren't going up for the bottom 50%, that inequality has grown and is on track to widen further. And the government, who is supposed to be the friend of the poor, isn't helping...
"The U.S. tax system is supposed to help the poor. Yet even after-tax income shows that the bottom 50% averaged just $25,000 a person in 2014, according to the latest data. That's just a touch above the $20,000 someone in the bottom half earned way back in 1974 (after adjusting for inflation)."
What makes all this worse is the fact that those in the top 1% not only laud their wealth over the lower echelons, but also use it to screw them further by buying elections. I'm talking about the Koch brothers. 

Thursday, December 29, 2016

Trump foreign policy ludicrous and threatening


Donald Trump on Defense
The incoming president's transition debacle has come up with another plan to make America a third world country, and this time it involves the defense of the nation. The Trump minions have decided that the top priority for our defense should be to "develop a strategy to defeat/destroy ISIS." CNN likens ISIS as "...ultimately no more than a nuisance for the United States."
"As a point of comparison, ISIS and ISIS-inspired attacks have killed fewer Americans than gun violence by a factor of more than 1,000 to 1."
The balance of the priorities includes...
"...build a strong defense", "develop a comprehensive USG cyber strategy" and "find greater efficiencies."
 Where's Russia? Where's Iran? Where's China? And where is the head of the country whose head displays the same erratic behavior as this country's president-elect, Kim Jong Un, President of North Korea? Donald Trump may have a personal relationship with Vladimir Putin of Russia he thinks will assure a peaceful alliance, but that would just show how ignorant and naive the man is. And there is no way Trump can cuddle up with the other three countries. Jonathan Cristol of CNN says...
"The only entity on Earth that has the capability to destroy the United States is Russia, and it is notable, if unsurprising, that Russia is not on Trump's list. Russia has over 1,700 deployed nuclear warheads and can strike the East Coast of the United States within 20 minutes."
Cristol wonders further if Donald Trump plans to follow through on his campaign promise to "... withdraw the United States from the world." Here's what The Hill says...
"...Trump often belittles our allies, minimizing threats posed by adversaries. He lambastes assumptions upon which U.S. foreign policy is predicated, but his disjointed, incoherent proposals provide no discernible substitute, especially for existing alliances."
One would hope that beneath all this loud mouth bluster there might be something of substance. So far there is absolutely no evidence of that.

T-Rump stupid things


"(Obama) doesn't have a birth certificate. He may have one, but there's something on that, maybe religion, maybe it says he's a Muslim. I don't know. Maybe he doesn't want that."





Donald Trump revives racism in South



The United States is a racist and sexist country, has been, is, and, perhaps, always will be. Bigotry has lain almost hidden for several years, starting in the late 1960s, after civil rights laws were passed. Before that I lived in the South and it was rampant, right out in the open for all to see. And it was accepted. Tragically by both whites and blacks. I grew up in it but never accepted it, thus, leaving that part of the country for more tolerant places. They exist on the outside, but deep down there is always that feeling, at least for some, that you are better than someone else.



We saw racism rear its ugly head here in Arizona with the state's immigration bill, SB1070, which was eventually stripped of its major parts and no longer has any influence. Arizona former disgraced Sheriff, Joe Arpaio, tried his best to continue the harassment of Mexican illegals but was finally stopped by the Federal government, was then voted out of office, and is the focus of several lawsuits. The "N" word is less prevalent than it used to be, but a recent comment on my blog proves it is still in use. It was in response to a post of how Trump's election might hurt the country...
What a joke, the market is breaking records every day since we elected a real President, your buckwheat nigger "president" was and is the biggest failure of all time
I also did another post earlier on how North Carolina has maintained a steady parade of racist laws:
"North Carolina continues its racist mandate." The state seems hell-bent on proving that racism is not dead, but is thriving in that state. Immediately following Donald Trump's election the Ku Klux Klan was displaying its robes for all to see, crying out its support for Trump. Confederate flags were being flown everywhere, an accepted symbol today for racism. Former KKK leader, David Duke told Time magazine, "He and Donald Trump have the same message." CNN has this observation...
"At first glance, comparing some Trump supporters to ex-Confederates may seem absurd, even insulting. But historians say both groups developed an uncanny ability to obscure the role race played in transformative events and to persuade millions of Americans to go along with the charade."
More...
"Trump's victory may mark the resurgence of the Old South in another more sinister way: The return of 'racial amnesia.'"
And all it took was a raving maniac. 

Wednesday, December 28, 2016

Minimum wage increases to depend on local governments



Twenty-one states and twenty-two cities are increasing the minimum wage while Donald Trump's selected Secretary of Labor, Andrew Puzder, is a longtime critic of the concept. He's the guy who heads up fast food chains, Hardee's and Carl's Jr., so those of you out there who are minimum wage increase advocates might want to avoid these eateries. Try McDonalds or Burger King. In the case of one state, Arizona, where I live, they are fighting the minimum wage bill that passed in November, blaming it on the harm it will do to the state's health care system, which is pure bullshit.

The Arizona Republic claims that is only a smoke screen to cover the fact that businesses just don't want the minimum wage increased. I have lived in Arizona for over 20 years and this state has always been the backward state of the Union, all because it is and has been under Republican control for years. But that may be changing. In the state increases, some are piddly, like five or ten cents an hour, with others higher. Arizona voted $10 and hour, the biggest of all at 24%. In my judgment, that is a reaction by Progressives, finally coming out of the woodwork, to the long GOP control here.

CNN Money says...
"In the absence of action from Congress in terms of raising the federal minimum wage, which has remained at $7.25 since 2009, states and localities have taken matters into their own hands."
The restaurant industry is also a critic of raising the minimum wage, which is allowed to pay a minimum of $2.13 an hour, if the salary combined with tips equals the federal minimum wage of $7.25. Anyone who doesn't think that is poverty wage--and apparently Andrew Puzder doesn't and if he does, he simply doesn't care--is completely without compassion. But then, that would describe the majority of the Republican Party, particularly its new leader, Donald Trump. My guess is, though, some of these unfortunates even voted for Trump with hope that will never be realized. 

T-rump stupid things


"How stupid are the people of Iowa?"
This is in reference to a doubt Donald Trump had about the fact that Ben Carson tried to stab someone in his youth. Apparently it was partially right as Trump came in second in Iowa in the Primaries.

Donald Trump video getting completely idiotic over Iowa stupidity...



OK 2017 is almost here-What do we do with it?



As a passionate Progressive, I would still welcome a loophole in the Donald Trump presidency, but until that happens, the left must look ahead to what we have to work with. Right now the Democrats are in something of a shambles, with Hillary Clinton no longer able to lead the Party and a new leader not yet even emerging. My choice, of course, is Bernie Sanders, and also the choice of most other Progressives, but the legions of politicians has grown quiet, until we are able to swallow the inauguration of Donald John Trump. That will be hard to do for many.

For the new DC chairman, the early choice, Keith Ellison, Minnesota congressman and ally of Bernie Sanders, has run into trouble. Politico reports...
"On the heels of Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz’s troubled tenure as DNC chief, the issue of whether Ellison will commit full-time to the job poses a threat to his candidacy..."
My guess is that Wasserman-Schultz had the time but she just wasn't competent enough for the job. CNN says that, "...2017 will be a year for the history books." We knew that the day the Electoral College met and made its grim decision. That quiet you hear out there across the country are those voters of sound mind who didn't vote for Trump, and who are holding their breath in fear of the future. Most individuals are capable of handling most challenges sent their way, but the worst thing to confront is the unknown. Donald Trump is the epitome of the unknown.

Celebrities shun Donald Trump like the plague video...



With GOP control of both Houses of Congress, and a Republican in the White House, the outlook is fairly dim for the left, particularly for Progressives. Democrats have steadily moved to the center, which is one goo reason the Party is losing so many elections. Republicans have staunchly maintained their conservative positions on issues, establishing an identity that supporters can follow. The Dems are fractured with no single ideology to look up to, nor any individual to carry the torch. Until they find that, there could be even more Donald Trumps. God forbid.



Tuesday, December 27, 2016

Newt Gingrich: Just another has-been running off at the mouth


Newt Gingrich with his skeletons
Here is a recent quote from Newt Gingrich, a politician that should have been relegated to just cutting the yard a long time ago, re. Barack Obama's legacy...
"His legacy is like one of those dolls that, as the air comes out of it, shrinks and shrinks and shrinks. He's in this desperate frenzy."
Politico describes Gingrich's personal life as, "...a hot mess." As an example, "In April 1980, Newt filed for divorce while his wife, Jackie, was in the hospital fighting uterine cancer. "As far as politics goes, Politico says he is, "...The man who poisoned Washington." Further...
"More than anyone else in the modern history of Congress, it’s Gingrich who observers credit for bringing the hyperpartisan, obstructionist approach to Washington that we associate with the capital to this day."
And all this time we blamed Karl Rove. But enough about Newt Gingrich who should put out to pasture like Arizona Senator, John McCain, both of which outlived their usefulness--if it was ever there to begin with--years ago. But Gingrich has the nerve to question President Obama's legacy when his own will read like an empty book. Apparently, the outdated Gingrich forgot....

  • President Obama rescued an economy trashed by former President Geo. W. Bush
  • He gave health insurance to millions who did not have it
  • Obama has led the global push for climate change to save the environment
  • Struck the landmark nuclear deal with Iran, slowing down the nuclear race
  • President Obama passed the legalization of same-sex marriage
There's more but you get the idea...this is a man with a legacy. And what I don't really understand is why the media continues to give voice to completely outmoded politicians like Gingrich and McCain. But I guess we'd rather see another blast about the two of them than anything else from T-rump.

T-rump stupid things


Disarm Clinton's bodyguards

Donald Trump said this when disparaging Hillary Clinton over her stand on gun control. Here is Trump's actual brainless comment...
"I think that her bodyguards should drop all weapons. They should disarm. Take their guns away, she doesn't want guns. Take them, let's see what happens to her. Take their guns away, OK. It will be very dangerous."
Thanks to amNewYork.

Media video on Trump statement...



This is the incoming president that will have his finger on the button. God help us!


God forbid I might agree with Trump


I am all for creating jobs, something Progressives make a major priority in their ideology. Donald Trump spewed how he would help the working man during his 2016 campaign then picked Andrew Puzder as his Labor Secretary. Puzder is against sick leave, expanding overtime pay, wants to repeal Obamacare and most of all, is reluctant over raising the minimum wage. But that's not what this post is all about. If Lockheed is screwing the U.S. government in the building of the F-35, and it would appear they agree to a change, I am for correcting this, even if it means the loss of some jobs.

146,000 jobs, both within Lockheed and its suppliers, is what the company estimates are the number that depend on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program. The incoming U.S. president says, "...due to the "tremendous cost and cost overruns of the Lockheed Martin F-35 I have asked Boeing to price-out a comparable" fighter jet to possibly replace the F-35." Here's how Marilyn Hewson, CEO of Lockheed responded...
She had a "..."very good conversation" with Trump Friday, the day after he tweeted that he was considering replacing the costly F-35 Joint Strike Fighter with a modified version of a cheaper jet. I've heard his message loud and clear about reducing the cost of the F-35. I gave him my personal commitment to drive the cost down aggressively. We're ready to deliver."
So, what does that mean in terms of the new aircraft she had in mind in relation to the F-35? Did Lockheed overprice the F-35 to begin with? Were the overruns just for the purpose of jacking up the price? Was the F-35 allowed to continue overpriced and with overruns just to bring revenue to states like Texas and California? Or, is this all just a continuation of the cooperative efforts between big business and Congress to bring pork to the states to get representatives and Senators re-elected and fill the greedy coffers of corporations? You be the judge. Check out this YouTube video...



But what will a cheaper version of the F-35 mean to the men flying it? Will it be as effective, have the same armor plate protection, run on the latest technology, and there are even more questions? And yet another question arises, why didn't they build the less expensive version in the first place? Did Lockheed propose the over-priced model and Congress approved it because of the political donations from Lockheed? Bingo! $2.6 million dollars to be sure. The majority spread around Republicans can have an amazing effect on people's decisions.

So, back to having to agree with a psychopathic lunatic. Yes, if a cheaper F-15 is just as effective, just as well armored with the latest technology, I am in favor of building that and getting rid of the other version. Sorry for the jobs but this is probably a major reason for the size of the U.S. budget.

However, why do I keep feeling there is something here that will end up in Donald Trump's pocket?

Monday, December 26, 2016

T-rump stupid things


Donald Trump gets his military advice from news shows.

CHUCK TODD: "Who do you talk to for military advice right now?"
TRUMP: "Well, I watch the shows. I mean, I really see a lot of great — you know, when you watch your show and all of the other shows.

To do it is stupid. To admit it is even stupider.

Thanks to The Washington Post.

T-rump stupid things

Carly Fiorina-Donald Trump

"Look at that face! Would anyone vote for that? Can you imagine that — the face of our next president!?"

Donald Trump insulting Carly Fiorina's looks. Very presidential, huh?

Sunday, December 25, 2016


MERRY CHRISTMAS

MERRY CHRISTMAS from the Magic Kingdom

This is the Merry Christmas light parade in Disneyland, the Magic Kingdom, from the parks in California and Florida. I have attended the parade in California many times and can tell you the music is magical in its ability to capture you for the moment, clearing away all the tension and problems you may have at the time. When the parade is finally gone, you feel exhilarated and full of hope. The music is so exciting my wife and I bought the albums, which, not the same visually, still bring back the memories...just because of that magical music. The video below is from 2014.




My wife and I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas with the hope that the new year will bring us all a "magical kingdom,"

Saturday, December 24, 2016

T-rump stupid things


"I like people who weren't captured."

This is in reference to John McCain, who was captured in Vietnam, and at the time of the statement, not a Donald Trump supporter. The implication was that McCain was not a war hero because he was captured. Now, I am not a John McCain fan, but he has managed to turn his wartime abduction into a long political career.  

T-rump stupid things


Donald Trump as Serge Kovaleski
“Written by a nice reporter. Now the poor guy. You ought to see this guy.”


Donald Trump's statement, the epitome of insensitivity, when a reporter, Serge Kovaleski,
who was disabled, questioned Trump's facts on what he saw after the 911 attacks, as far as only "some" people cheering and holding celebrations, not thousands. Then following the remark, Trump acted out a mockery by twisting his face and moving his arms and hands around in contortions. The reporter was disabled.

That is the lowlife that enters the White House as U.S. president in 2017.

Friday, December 23, 2016

President-elect answers to educational fraud


Mitt Romney
During the same week as Donald Trump's inauguration, he will be paying off the victims of an allegedly fraudulent scam he perpetrated through his infamous Trump University. It's for the whole world to see, a siting U.S. president that will have to pay $25 million to the victims of Trump University's real estate seminar program. Actually, this country has transcended the ridicule we have taken for the election of a psychopathic liar and is trying desperately to figure out how to deal with it. It won't be easy since we are stuck with him for four years...perhaps not.

MSNBC says...
"...as things stand, Donald Trump is poised to become the first American in history to headline a presidential inauguration and payoff the victims of an allegedly fraudulent scam in the same week."
God, how far back do we have to go to come up with a comparison to this clown-like presidency. The New Republic comments we have to go back to the 19th century for John Adams, John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson, who all were more qualified than Trump, but at the same time "...did share his reckless temperament." Steve Benen says...
"I continue to think this is one of the under-appreciated parts of the president-elect’s background. The 'Trump University' operation is awfully tough to defend, and it offers some striking parallels to the broader political circumstances: a controversial celebrity, eager to capitalize on his notoriety, made ridiculous and unrealistic claims, which he swore without evidence would produce amazing results. Those who chose to trust him, soon after, came to regret it."
This all sounds rather familiar with the running off at the mouth about everything but saying nothing, we heard during Donald Trump's campaign. Joshua Kendall makes this statement...
"While many have accused Donald Trump of having an abnormally large ego, the opposite is true: His ego happens to be so small that it is barely able to control any of the rumblings of his own id. Whenever Trump feels slighted, he finds it necessary to start a holy war—with Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly, the world’s 1.5 billion Muslims, or even Pope Francis himself."
Is it possible that Trump has an inferiority complex, because if he does it is certainly justified when you consider the vulgar and crude things he has said about women, immigrants, Muslims, and who knows what else done in private. And the man has sexual fantasies about his own daughter?

So, it would appear the educational fraud is just one of the incoming President's failings that the world is now marveling over.

T-rump stupid things



“The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive.”

A trump meeting with Albert Gore recently was considered productive by Gore. But don't bank on it.

FDA loses ability to demand thorough drug testing


But it only takes away
He's not even in the White House and the onslaught is already here, he, of course, being Donald Trump. The 21st Century Cures Act is disguised as a boon to research and development and the deception was apparently good enough to entice the naive Democrats, including President Obama. Here's what the LA Times says...
"The 21st Century Cures Act is a huge deregulatory giveaway to the pharmaceutical and medical device industry, papered over by new funding for those research initiatives."
Bernie Sanders calls it a "corporate giveaway," and Elizabeth Warren voiced her concerns stating it favors the pharmaceutical companies. The Times claims it depends on funding that may never be provided through Congress. Michael Carome, director of the Health Research Group at the advocacy organization Public Citizen states it will contribute to further erosion of the standards now followed by the Federal Drug Administration. And with the history of this organization, it cannot afford any loosening of its control over new drugs.

Here's a personal experience with the Act. I am on a gamma globulin infusion to improve my immune system. I am 84 years old and bronchitis has almost put me in the hospital in critical condition at least two times. The doc checked my immune system, finding it very low, thus, the infusion medication. Because the gg is so hard to obtain, the monthly cost to Medicare is $10,000. To me that is absurd, especially for an 84-year old. Apparently, the sponsors of the Cures Act agreed so Medicare will no longer provide this drug.

Okay, I'm 84 and who knows what the longevity holds, but what about those younger on Medicare that this could be life-saving? The pharmacy that provides my infusion tells me there will be alternatives, one an intravenous delivery of this drug or something similar. My wife is giving me the infusion now subcutaneously, but the new system will require a trained nurse to come to my home to give it to me intravenously. What kind of sense does this make, unless the new drug I get is much cheaper, thus, much less effective? This hasn't been explained to me by my pharmacy.

Is the 21st Century Cures Act just the beginning? Here's more from Bernie Sanders...
"At a time when Americans pay, by far, the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs, this bill provides absolutely no relief for soaring drug prices. The greed of the pharmaceutical industry has no limit, and this bill includes numerous corporate giveaways that will make drug companies even richer.”
Has President Barack Obama lost his mind?
  

Donald Trump Says He Will Be Indicted On Tuesday

  THAT'S TODAY... Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has brought the case to this point, now looking at a possible indictment. Trum...