Category: Politics

Trump Set the Tone for This

For as much as people didn’t like George Jr., not even the news media was blatantly disrespectful. Sure everyone made fun of him, considered him stupid and just some rich kid out of touch with middle class reality, but I can’t recall things like this happening.

Trump’s lack of respect for most everyone, unprofessionalism, lack of statesmanship, inability to treat anyone with dignity, not to mention his outright contempt – for anyone who doesn’t treat him like a kind has created this atmosphere.

He has made this type of behavior alright. Bullies are back on the rise, people have a sense of “fuck you – I’ll do whatever I want, and the lack of common courtesy for our fellow citizen is, well, more common.

But at the end of the day it’s not alright. We need a statesman back in office. Someone we can look up to. Someone we can respect. Someone we can all get behind and be proud to call our leader. And until we do, there will be a lot more of this.

What Are We Missing

I believe any good far left wing liberal, anarchist, socialist, communist, etc could make a strong argument that the reason why Republicans, well – rich conservatives anyway, continue to deplete budget funds for education is to dumb down the middle class and move it into the “working slave class” of uneducated, unskilled workforce.  Thus, enabling them to continually take away worker’s rights, worker’s safety, and worker’s pay and enrich themselves.

 

One would have to wonder what the motive is of the rich Republican donors behind wanting to repeal the AFFORDABLE Care Act?  Now, I’m not indicating the ACA is without need for improvement.  There are many things that need to be changed.  This first is to really make this a free market system where all health care insurers can offer their policies in all states.  This would drive down costs and increase the quality of the policies due to a true competitive market place.

 

So, what is it?  Do the far right conservative, bible belt, wealthy Republicans really hate Obama so much that they’ll do anything to chip away at his Presidential Legacy?  That CAN’T be it.  It has to be something else.  Again, what is it?  (Spoiler alert, its what its always about, money.)

 

If you were to research via Yahoo or Google you’ll find the following:

  1. It was about $1.8 trillion estimate in new health care spending and allegations that Medicare and Medicaid funding would have to be cut. This would exposure the elderly to an inability to afford health care.  COMMENT: considering the law has been in place long enough to evaluate this claim, it is clear it is not true.  Further my argument above is that all you have to do is open the market to drive down costs further.
  2. Millions would lose coverage. COMMENT: Oddly, this had some sway to it, especially in California.  And certainly there were huge computer gaffs in trying to get people signed on but this argument turned out to be baseless as well.
  3. We wouldn’t be able to keep our doctors as the exchanges would narrow the number of doctors they had to deal with. COMMENT: this is a free market issue.  Under the current system the market is limited to a certain number of providers thus they have to control costs by cutting back services.  See my free market argument above.
  4. The law increases the cost of health care coverage. COMMENT: That’s just a bullshit argument from the first word.  Everyone who gets health care from his employer sees the yearly contribution from the employer decreasing and the employee payment per month increasing.  See my free market argument above.  Also, employees need unions and collective bargaining negotiators.  BRING BACK THE UNIONS.
  5. The law created fines and penalties if you don’t have coverage. COMMENT: I agree with that one.  I never really understood that one.  If you are either poor or working at minimum wage and can’t afford the health care costs, how can you afford fines and penalties.
  6. The enrollment process is a wreck. COMMENT: If we had free health care for all American tax payers and their blood relative dependents, we would all be enrolled – FOR FREE.

 

  1. Super rich families would enjoy a nice tax cut if the act is repealed. COMMENT: Ah, so this is what it is really all about.  Why am I not surprised Trump and the super rich are so hot on repealing the act.  Because for the act and for my ultimate solution discussed below to work, the super rich might have to pay more in taxes or they won’t be able to write off their yacht expenses and golf memberships.  It’s all about the continued enrichment of the rich at the expense of the middle class and working poor.  Oddly, I find some of my fellow middle class Republicans in favor of the repeal.  It shocks me as to why this can possibly be.

 

So, what’s my overall answer.  Indeed – REPEAL THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT AND MAKE HEALTH CARE FREE IN THE UNITED STATES like they do in Canada, England, and Europe.  Why is American the only advanced civilized country without free health care (unless you’re a Senator, member of Congress, or President)?  And, don’t get me started on free education!!

Watching the Conservative Hypocrites in Texas This Weekend

Hurricane Harvey, a category III hurricane, is about to slam into south eastern Texas.  It’s more severe than any Texans thought it would be.  Harvey will then stall for several days and this will lead to catastrophic flooding in parts of Texas.

Having lived on Long Island for 41 years, I know how scary and dangerous this is going to be.  My heart goes out to the few who may lose their lives and to the many will be suffering catastrophic personal property and real property losses.

I recall that Texas has hundreds of thousands if not millions ulta right wing conservatives who don’t believe in social welfare.  They refer to those benefits as entitlements and they are against them because their hard earned tax dollars go to support those less fortunate.

So, I expect that not one of these people will be asking for nor accepting a penny of financial aid the federal government will ultimately release so they can rebuild their lives.

Oh, but wait, they say.  This is different.

Indeed, the only difference is before you didn’t want your tax dollars going to help anyone else.  Now, it’s ok because its everyone else’s tax dollars going to help you.

 

Please Don’t Prosecute

While we’ve all been distracted by the recent Trump ravings and white suprematist rallies, we’ve forgotten about the “Russia thing”. But, Robert Muller hasn’t and he is forging ahead.

If he has enough evidence against Trump senior, which, frankly, I don’t think he ever will, he should provide that to Congress and the Senate to initiate articles of impeachment. (I admit, I have no idea how that goes down.) Trump can’t pardon himself from impeachment.

But, he can pardon his son if charges are brought and he is tried and convicted.

So, when enough evidence is gathered to charge Junior PLEASE don’t do it until 12:06pm of the next swearing in ceremony.

THE BARRY BLISS QUESTIONNAIRE

I just read Barry Bliss’ 42 questions for Liberals.  He points out Liberals “said” nothing when Obama did this and Obama did that.  I agree with his thought process regarding silence from the Liberal side when the prior administrations actions seemed questionable.  However, some of the allegations made are irrelevant – Obama gave 47 jobs to campaign fundraisers.  So what, that’s what campaigns do, even our fellow Republicans?  Some of the allegations are outright false like alleging the George Soros paid protestors to burn Ferguson, Missouri.

Again, I agree with his thought process regarding silence from those in the majority when their administration is clearly “in the wrong”.

And THAT’S where his argument falls apart.

Current REPUBLICAN majority members are either remaining silent or outright supporting some of the policies and insane things the current head of the administration is making.  To suggest that it is alright to do so because members of past administrations did so is one of the classic fallacies of logic.  That is, an argument that provides NO support for your position.  For example, “Joe Blow, did you shot that man for no reason?”, “Yeah, but that guy in Chicago killed someone for no reason too”.  So what, what the hell does one persons actions have to do with yours?  Are you thinking it’s alright to commit a crime because someone else did?

Tu quoque, or you too, is an argument made by those who have no reasonable explanation for their actions and is more commonly used to deflect blame to another party.  I note some of my fellow Republicans are always quick to lash out in advisement to remember Liberals “lost” the election and should get over it, stop being cry babies, and move on.  Hmmm, first: Liberals didn’t lose anything, Hillary did.  And, Trump LOST the popular vote, but I digress; second: then how come every justification for Trump’s unstable actions and rants starts off with, “Well, Hillary did this” or “Well, Obama did that”.  It seems it is us Republicans who can’t let go of the past.

Now, let’s get back to Mr. Bliss’ questionnaire.  Every single one of his 47 questions can be answered as follows: “What does this have to do with Trump?”    

What do any of your questions have to do with the unprofessional, unstatesmanlike, immature, incompetent, unstable actions and comments Trump makes everyday?  Nothing.  And, that’s why your questionnaire is a waste of time bullshit.